cloud-cloud-api

This is the server side api implementation for our cloud connected cloud, a project inspired by Sparkfun's cloud-cloud but reimagined to using a custom server software that potentially allows implementing a lot more features in the future.

Basically, instead of handling everything on the ESP32 and adding an app for manual control via a third party service, we control data abstraction and manual control on the server side, providing a mobile-friendly webinterface. The weather data used is coming from openweathermap

A note on the state of this project:

• The software is fully functional, at least as far as we are aware of
• The software will be deployed in-house, so security is not a factor
• The software is completely untested. - Because I'm lazy.

The idea

The server is running constantly, its state is reset when it is restarted. The cloud-cloud will connect to the server via a websocket connection, perform a pseudo-handshake and will receive display information broadcasted from the server from then on. Currently supported operation modes are off, weather and manual.

If you want to run this on a server somewhere out in the open, you might want to proxy the http endpoint behind nginx, serving it via https and use wss for the socket connection.

Protocol flow

• The cloud-cloud connects to the cloud-cloud API via ws:// on device_port
• The cloud-cloud is expected to send the auth_secret to the server
• When this "handshake" has been successful, the cloud-cloud API will send ok
• Right after sending the ok packet, the server will also send its current state
• After this, the API will send information to the cloud-cloud, whenever changes occur. The device only needs to ensure that connection is established, all display information will be broadcasted as packets from the server.

Here is an example protocol flow of a client registering, performing a valid handshake, receiving initial state information, sending a ping and then receiving some further state information:

<connection established>
C > auth-secret
S > ok
S > [cc:0:?:?]
C > ping
S > pong
S > [cc:2:255,65,174:0]
S > [cc:2:255,162,174:0]
S > [cc:2:69,162,174:0]
S > [cc:2:69,162,245:0]
C > d:This is a Debug-Message

Protocol packets

The display packets transmitted from the server contain the following information:

• mode Mode 0 is for off, this is the default when the server is started

• mode Mode 1 is for weather information

  • weather The current weather code, 1 - 9
  • intensity The current weather intensity 1 - 9 (can be float for sunrise/sunset)

• mode Mode 2 is for manual color setting

  • color The RGB value of the custom color to set r,g,b
  • pulse Light pulsing intensity 1 - 9

• command Command r is for device reset

• command Command u is for device firmware update

• command Command d is for Debug-Messages.

  • State The state of the Debug-Messages. 1 = On / 0 = Off.

Protocol format

Aside the text ping packets described below (not the ping layer ping packets), all packets sent will have the following format: [cc:<mode>:<param1>:<param2>]. Color information will be sent as r,g,b. Unknown or unused parameters will be filled with ?.

Example off packet: [cc:0:?:?]
Example weather packet: [cc:1:2:0]
Example color packet: [cc:2:255,255,255:0]
Example reset packet: [cc:r:?:?]
Example update packet: [cc:u:?:?]
Example debug message: [cc:d:1:?]

Ensuring connection

The Server offers a permanent ping/pong handler in order for the client to check its connection. The client can send a ping via websocket with an arbitrary cookie at any time and should receive a pong from the server immediately, if it is still connected.
The client can either send a proper websocket ping frame with an appropriate cookie, or just send a text packet with the content ping and should receive a text packet with the content pong.

Debug-messages

When debug-messages ar enabled, the client sends all ESP_LOGx(TAG, Message); over Websocket connection. Debug messages are leaded by d:.

Weather states

• 1 - Sunrise
• 2 - Sunset
• 3 - Clear Sky
• 4 - Cloudy Sky
• 5 - Rainy
• 6 - Storm
• 7 - Snow
• 8 - Mist/Smoke/Sand/Dust
• 9 - Windy

Webinterface

Yes, the whole cloud-to-butt thing is still funny. No, we're not immature!