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Websocket and Mbed

Table of Contents

  1. 1 - Set up
  2. Part 2 - Sending data from the Mbed: Wifi
  3. Part 3 - Sending data from the Mbed: Ethernet
  4. Conclusion

As explained in this webpage, the WebSocket protocol allows full-duplex, bi-directional communications between a server and clients.

The websocket server

In this tutorial, we will be using a public server provided by mbed for testing purposes.

So you just have to program your mbed!

If you want more information regarding the server side code, go to this webpage

This tutorial is divided into three parts:

  • Part 1 - Setup
  • Part 2 - Sending accelerometer data over a WebSocket over WiFi
  • Part 3 - Sending accelerometer data over a WebSocket over Ethernet
    You may wish to skip to the relevant section after you have chosen whether you are using WiFi or Ethernet

1 - Set up

1.1 - Protocol used by the serve

The url format to establish a connection with the server is: ws://sockets.mbed.org:444/mbed-demo/<mode>/<channel> (Don't try and go here, it will not work)

The WebSockets are divided into channels.

When the server receives a message from a client in a certain channel:

  • it will broadcast the message to all clients connected to this channel who are not in 'w' mode
  • A client in 'w' mode connected to this channel can only 'write' (send) messages to this channel. It cannot receive messages
  • A client in a mode other than 'w' can send and receive messages over the channel

1.2 - Javascript part

This code is very similar to the one presented in second part of this tutorial.

Take note!

We present this code for you to modify as you wish, but if you want to just go to our website to see the webpage, you can skip this section, and visit this.

<!doctype html>
<html>

  <head>
    <style type="text/css">
      body {
        text-align: center;
        min-width: 500px;
      }
    </style>
    <script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery.min.js"></script>
    <script>
    function log(m) {
		d = document.getElementById("log");
        d.innerHTML = m + "<br/>" + d.innerHTML;
    }

    $(document).ready(function () {
	  
	$("#open").click(function(evt) {
        evt.preventDefault();

        var channel = $("#channel").val();
        var ws = new WebSocket("ws://sockets.mbed.org:444/mbed_demo/rw/" + $("#channel").val());

        ws.onopen = function(evt) { 
			$("#channel").css("background", "#00ff00"); 
			document.getElementById("title").innerHTML = "Websockets streaming on channel: " + $("#channel").val();
		};
        ws.onmessage = function(evt) { log("message: " + evt.data); };
        ws.onclose = function(evt) { log("socket closed"); };
        });

    });

    </script>
  </head>

  <body>
    <h1 id="title">Websockets Streaming</h1>
    <label for="channel">channel:</label>
    <input type="text" id="channel" style="background:#ff0000;"/><br />
    <input type="submit" id="open" value="open" />
    <div id="log"></div>


  </body>
</html>

On this webpage, you must associate your connection with a 'channel'. In this example, I will use the channel samux, but I could use anything. So I fill in the channel field and press open
If the connection is established:

  • we change the background of the channel field from red to green
  • we change the title according to the channel
    When a message is received:
  • we print the message received below

    /media/uploads/samux/tuto_not_open.png
    /media/uploads/samux/tuto_connect.png

    So the WebSocket is opened, now the Mbed part!

Part 2 - Sending data from the Mbed: Wifi

Materials required

For this part you need:

2.1 - Schematics



Schematics

Schematics

2.2 - Code

Libraries required

For this part you need to import these libraries:


You may wish to skim the page on the WiFly module.

The main code:

#include "mbed.h"
#include "Wifly.h"
#include "Websocket.h"
#include "ADXL345.h"

Serial pc(USBTX, USBRX);

ADXL345 accelerometer(p5, p6, p7, p8);

//Here, we create an instance, with pins 9 and 10 connecting to the 
//WiFly's TX and RX pins, and pin 21 to RESET. We are connecting to the 
//NETGEAR network, password bananna2, and we are using WPA.
Wifly wifly(p9, p10, p21, "NETGEAR", "bananna2", true);

//Here, we create a WebSocket instance in 'w' (write) mode
//on the 'samux' channel
Websocket ws("ws://sockets.mbed.org:444/mbed_demo/w/samux", &wifly);

int main() {
    char json_str[100];

    int readings[3] = {0, 0, 0};

    pc.printf("Starting ADXL345 test...\r\n");
    pc.printf("Device ID is: 0x%02x\r\n", accelerometer.getDevId());

    //Go into standby mode to configure the device.
    accelerometer.setPowerControl(0x00);

    //Full resolution, +/-16g, 4mg/LSB.
    accelerometer.setDataFormatControl(0x0B);

    //3.2kHz data rate.
    accelerometer.setDataRate(ADXL345_3200HZ);

    //Measurement mode.
    accelerometer.setPowerControl(0x08);


    while (1) {
        while (1) {

            while (!wifly.Join())  //we connect to the network
                wifly.reset();

            if (!ws.connect())    //we connect to the server
                wifly.reset();
            else
                break;
        }

        while (1) {
            wait(0.1);

            //we read accelerometers values
            accelerometer.getOutput(readings);

            //Here, we format the string we will be sending to the server
            //the format we are sending in is JSON
            sprintf(json_str, "{\"id\":\"wifly_acc\",\"ax\":\"%d\",\"ay\":\"%d\",\"az\":\"%d\"}", (int16_t)readings[0], (int16_t)readings[1], (int16_t)readings[2]);
            ws.Send(json_str);  //And we send the string
        }
    }
}

Import programwebsockets_hello_world_wifi

Websocket Hello World over a wifi network

Last commit 01 Feb 2012 by Samuel Mokrani


This code is very simple:

  • accelerometer initialization
  • connect to the router
  • connect to the WebSocket server
  • send data from the accelerometer in a JSON string each 0.1s

ssid, key, mode, channel

Don't forget to adapt:

  • the ssid and the key of your network in the Wifly constructor
  • the mode and the channel of your choice in the WebSocket constructor


Download to your Mbed

  • You can now download this program into your mbed
  • enter your channel in this webpage and click open to see messages from your mbed to the server


2.3 - Demo



demo
Et Voilà! We are able to see on our webpage the data from our accelerometer!

Part 3 - Sending data from the Mbed: Ethernet

Materials required

For this part you need:

3.1 - Schematics



Schematics

Schematics

3.2 - Code

Library required

For this part you need to import these libraries:

The main code:

#include "mbed.h"
#include "Websocket.h"
#include "ADXL345.h"

Serial pc(USBTX, USBRX);

ADXL345 accelerometer(p5, p6, p7, p8);

//Here, we create a Websocket instance in 'w' (write) mode
//on the 'samux' channel
Websocket ws("ws://sockets.mbed.org:444/mbed_demo/w/samux");

int main() {
    char json_str[100];

    int readings[3] = {0, 0, 0};

    pc.printf("Starting ADXL345 test...\r\n");
    pc.printf("Device ID is: 0x%02x\r\n", accelerometer.getDevId());

    //Go into standby mode to configure the device.
    accelerometer.setPowerControl(0x00);

    //Full resolution, +/-16g, 4mg/LSB.
    accelerometer.setDataFormatControl(0x0B);

    //3.2kHz data rate.
    accelerometer.setDataRate(ADXL345_3200HZ);

    //Measurement mode.
    accelerometer.setPowerControl(0x08);


    while (1) {
    
        while(!ws.connect())
            pc.printf("cannot connect websocket, retrying\r\n");
        
        while (1) {
            wait(0.1);

            //we read accelerometers values
            accelerometer.getOutput(readings);

            //Here, we format the string we will be sending to the server
            //the format we are sending in is JSON
            sprintf(json_str, "{\"id\":\"wifly_acc\",\"ax\":\"%d\",\"ay\":\"%d\",\"az\":\"%d\"}", (int16_t)readings[0], (int16_t)readings[1], (int16_t)readings[2]);
            ws.Send(json_str);
        }
    }
}

Import programwebsockets_hello_world_ethernet

Websocket Hello World over an ethernet network

Last commit 01 Feb 2012 by Samuel Mokrani


This code is very simple:

  • accelerometer initialization
  • connection to the WebSocket server, open a WebSocket
  • send data from accelerometer in a JSON string each 0.1s


Note that the WebSocket API is the same for using a WiFi module or an Ethernet connection

mode, channel

Don't forget to edit:

  • the mode and the channel of your choice in the WebSocket constructor

3.3 - You should be ready!

  • You can now download this program into your mbed
  • enter your channel in this webpage and click open to see messages from your mbed to the server


3.4 - Demo


/media/uploads/samux/demo_eth.png
Et Voilà! We are able to see on our webpage the data from our accelerometer over an Ethernet network!

Now, if you want, you can write your own webpage to process and display the data coming in on your channel whichever way you wish!

Conclusion

You are now able to design your own Internet of Things project. If you want to see the huge potential of WebSockets and Internet of Things, take a look at this project.

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