The document describes a protocol called VSCP (Very Simple Control Protocol) that was created in 2000 to allow Internet of Things devices to communicate with each other regardless of differences in hardware or communication methods. VSCP defines common properties like identifiers and descriptions that each device must have to identify itself and share information. It also establishes standard ways for devices to send events, read/write properties, and update firmware over different connection types so that all IoT things can interact in a consistent, machine-readable manner. The goal was to make communication very simple for low-powered devices while providing an extensible framework.

1. Your Device...
,

2. ...can levitate

3. ..is worth an exebition of its own

4. It's just a magnificent thing

5. An Internet Thing

6. A beautiful Thing

7. It needs to talk to the world

8. It needs to understand the world

9. But the world is full of Internet
Things that talk strange dialects

10. Some of the Internet Things even
use a cable

11. So you design YOUR beautiful
Internet Thingi using your even
more beautiful dialect

12. Why not!?
Everyone else does.

13. But the world is full of Internet
Things that talk other strange
dialects

14. So when you want to talk to other
Internet Thingis

15. And when other Internet Thingis
want to talk to your beautiful
Internet Thingi

16. It's a mess. No Inter to be seen
anywhere. Just Things.

17. We think Internet Thingis should
be able to talk to each others

18. So in August of year 2000 we sat
down and made a solution.

19. Yes, the 28th
of August 2000
Not so many things
around

20. We like dialects
So we made it possible for everything to talk it's
own dialect

21. We like different ways to
communicate
So we made it possible for cable, wireless or the
yet unknown medium thingis to work together
and still be able to talk to each other.

22. We like small
So we designed it to work on tiny things

23. We like freedom
So we made it to be open and free

24. ,

25. A black box...
,

26. It has properties and we need a
common way to read and change
them
,

27. It needs a way to tell the world what
it can do and how it is done.
,

28. It needs a common way to tell things
to the world
,

29. And it needs a common way to
update its content
,

30. So we remembered the success of
this tiny black little thing

31. And we copied it
,

32. Made a model or let us call it an
abstraction
,

33. Where...
,

34. ,
Each black box have registers

35. This is how the
black box is
configured.
Writing its
registers.

36. This is how the
properties of the
black box are
shared to the
world.
Reading its
registers.

37. Two simple
operations
needed
READ & WRITE

38. Some registers
must be available
Some registers are
user defined

39. ,
The GUID is stored in a set of must
be there registers

40. Globally Unique ID
Every single device is identified with
one.
Can be used as a
serial (tracking)
number and
more...

41. ,
The MDF is also stored in a set of
must be there registers

42. Module Description File
Tells what the black box is, what it can
do and how it can be set up to do the
things it can do.
Built to be read
by machines

43. Contains manufacturer information. Phone
numbers, email addresses, web urls etc
If you have the
thing you have the
information

44. Answers "Where can I download drivers?"
If you have the
thing you have the
information

45. Answers "Where is the manual?"
If you have the
thing you have the
information

46. Tells what registers are available and gives
help on how to set them up.
If you have the
thing you have the
information

47. Abstracts registers on a higher level
as well know strings, floating point
numbers and all other types you
would expect to find.
Easy

48. Provide wizards for configuration.
One way to
configure them all

49. Can define a Decision Matrix
The DM can be used to program
devices to do certain things when
others things happen.
EVENT
DECISION
ACTION

50. Read & Write is all you need

51. Events

52. We wanted black boxes to be able to
tell the world things to.
Hi there...

53. First of all a method to tell the world
that the things are there
Hi I'm your new
washing machine
I can...

54. Designed to be usable also by low
end thingis on the receiving end.
OK I am a lamp.
ON means I
should turn my
self on.

55. No longer just "123.56" or "0xFF99" or
"1000110" received from a strange
thingi
What the hell
does that number
mean?
Is there a unit?

56. So ON means ON
OFF mean OFF
And you decide
what to do when
you receive it.

57. And when a temperature is sent you
know it is a temperature and what unit
it is in.
Thats better.

58. Actually this is true for all SI defined
units. They are all defined.
SI units –
remember them
from school?

59. And there is more of course
,

60. A lot more
,

61. We named it VSCP
Very Simple Control Protocol
,

62. Very Simple for end users that is
,

63. But actually it is more like a
framework today
,

64. We use a fat bee as or mascot

65. Because many fat bees can do
incredible things in the world.
Probably more than one or two big
elephants can do if one think about
it

66. We did not even mention Friends in
what we today call VSCP & Friends
- but sorry we have no more slides
We even forgot to tell you about the
common way to update firmware
and... and... and...

67. Thanks for listening
If you want to know more visit
http://www.vscp.org
Åke Hedman, Grodans Paradis AB