Subject: [T2TRG] Slipmux

From: Carsten Bormann <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2017 20:03:26 +0100

And now for something completely different:

Many of us have worked with experimental platforms for IoT modules that use some form of serial interface (often TTL or 3.3 V CMOS level) for debugging, packet transfer, or state querying and configuration — even before IP packets start to flow (or as an alternative funnel for IP packets while other IP interfaces are being set up).
So far, most of these serial interfaces are very specific to a platform and often hard to integrate into a software development and experimentation environment.

Tobias and I have written up a slight evolution of the familiar SLIP-based interface (as used in, say, tunslip) that can cover all these bases.  This is a bit innovative in that it uses CoAP for all request-response exchanges (no “shell”, no “AT commands”, …).
Maybe you want to have a look whether such an interface would be useful for your R&D work.
Feedback welcome!

Grüße, Carsten

Name:		draft-bormann-t2trg-slipmux
Revision:	00
Title:		Slipmux: Using an UART interface for diagnostics, configuration, and packet transfer
Document date:	2017-01-13
Pages:		9
Htmlized:       https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-bormann-t2trg-slipmux-00

Abstract:
  Many research and maker platforms for Internet of Things
  experimentation offer a serial interface.  This is often used for
  programming, diagnostic output, as well as a crude command interface
  ("AT interface").  Alternatively, it is often used with SLIP
  (RFC1055) to transfer IP packets only.

  The present report describes how to use a single serial interface for
  diagnostics, configuration commands and state readback, as well as
  packet transfer.