Research Article
Configuring Unconnected Embedded Devices with Smartphones
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-031-31891-7_1, author={Peter Barth and Nicholas Linse and R\'{y}diger Willenberg}, title={Configuring Unconnected Embedded Devices with Smartphones}, proceedings={Mobile Computing, Applications, and Services. 13th EAI International Conference, MobiCASE 2022, Messina, Italy, November 17-18, 2022, Proceedings}, proceedings_a={MOBICASE}, year={2023}, month={4}, keywords={embedded device configuration NFC smartphone app}, doi={10.1007/978-3-031-31891-7_1} }- Peter Barth
Nicholas Linse
Rüdiger Willenberg
Year: 2023
Configuring Unconnected Embedded Devices with Smartphones
MOBICASE
Springer
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-31891-7_1
Abstract
We configure embedded devices with a smartphone via NFC using an open, platform independent protocol presented in this paper. A textual device specification defines the types of configuration values for a specific device and integrates the device into the configuration system. The specification needs to be provided by the embedded developer. It is translated into a C library that enables configuration value access, as well asblobthat contains the compressed configuration metadata. A generic smartphone application interprets the metadata and configuration data read via NFC and allows the modification of the values according to the device specification encoded in the metadata. The modified configuration data can be stored, shared or transferred back to the embedded device. None of the configuration steps need an internet connection, which means data is kept private. Combined with the open protocol and the generic app, this ensures that embedded devices will not become obsolete through vendor decisions, as happens frequently with devices dependent on configuration via cloud services. Embedded developers only need to implement raw read and write binary access to an NFC storage device. The generated artifacts allow to transform that data into an easy-to-use data structure. A prototype system using a fully functional tool chain, a generic Android app and a single-board computer simulating an embedded device has been implemented and evaluated.
