Getting Started

This page will guide you to add Wi-Fi cabability using the oWL Pico API to your platform. The oWL Pico API can be used on any host platform that has a UART port to interface the SPB800 device.

Since oWL Pico API is a programmers interface, we provide a reference design that shows how to use the API. The reference design is a complete example application which can be used to evaluate some functions of the oWL Pico API. This sections proposes two different methods of evaluating the oWL Pico API; evaluating one API function at a time or evaluating a particular protocol implementation, such as HTTP, NTP or ICMP.

Most important though, is the step where the oWL Pico API is used to develop a custom network application on a possibly custom platform. If you want to skip the overview and jump directly into developing applications with the oWL Pico API, go to PicoTutorial.

Make sure that you check the Architecture page to get a basic understanding of the different components in the oWL Pico API and the reference design software.

Note that the adapter board HDA800 allows network application development and debugging on a Linux host. In many cases this will improve development time significantly. As oWL Pico API is only dependent on the UART interface, the application will be supported on the target platform with almost no extra work. See LinuxHost for more information.

The following topics will be described in more detail:

What is SPB800 and oWL Pico API?

The SPB800 is a network device which provides a unique level of capabilities directly on the chip. All features being easily controlled from any host by using the provided oWL Pico Software API. The oWL Pico software API has a footprint of a few kilobytes and provides functions to support full Wi-Fi link management, network address management and TCP, UDP and RAW sockets - resembling a standard BSD socket interface.

Using the SPB800 will remove the need for Wi-Fi drivers, IPstack and security protocols on the host while still keeping all the flexibility and features through the oWL Pico software API. This allows for quick development of full featured network applications on any host CPU.

Note that the SPB800 can work in two different modes; the Serial-to-WiFi mode and the Pico mode. This website will only focus on the Pico mode. See http://www.hd-wireless.se for information about other configurations.

The oWL Pico software API comes in full source code and can be downloaded from this website.

Where are my AT commands?

The SPB800 uses a binary protocol rather than ascii AT commands. A binary protocol is usually more lightweight, more efficient and easier to parse than an ascii protocol. On top of this binary protocol, the oWL Pico API is implemented. The oWL Pico API is just a few kilobytes and still provides a full-featured network and socket interface, resembling a standard BSD socket API.

This removes the need to create additional software layers before application development can start.

Is the FTP, HTTP, IMAP, IRC, LDAP, ... protocol supported?

Since the oWL Pico API provides a socket interface which supports TCP, UDP and RAW sockets, there are no restrictions on which upper layer protocols that can be used on the host. The reference design software includes example implementations of a HTTP server, a NTP client, and a TTCP client/server.

Evaluate the oWL Pico API functions using the reference design software

The oWL Pico API comes with a reference design that contains examples for many of the features of the API. In short, it allows a user to "call" API functions using a command line interface.

If you want to evaluate the oWL Pico API using the reference design software, you should perform the following steps:

1. Get the SPB800 Wi-Fi device, see http://www.hd-wireless.se
2. Connect the hardware components according to the description for the particular platform used in the evaluation, see Platforms
3. Learn about the oWL Pico API architecture in Architecture
4. Download the oWL Pico API source code from DownloadSources
5. Learn about the reference design in ReferenceDesign
6. Build and install the oWL Pico API reference design driver according to Platforms
7. Use the reference design software according to Commands

Note that a pre-built image of the oWL Pico API reference design can be used. In that case, step 4 and 6 can be skipped. See Platforms for more information.

Evaluate a particular protocol implemented using the oWL Pico API

The reference design that comes with the oWL Pico API contains a complete HTTP server implementation, a NTP client, an ICMP ping implementation and an implementation of the TTCP protocol. These protocols are implemented on top of the oWL Pico API and hence serves as a complete examples on how to develop a networked application using the oWL Pico API.

If you want to evaluate a protocol implementation included in the oWL Pico API reference design, you should perform the following steps:

1. Get the SPB800 Wi-Fi device, see http://www.hd-wireless.se
2. Connect the hardware components according to the description for the particular platform used in the evaluation, see Platforms
3. Learn about the oWL Pico API architecture in Architecture
4. Download the oWL Pico API source code from DownloadSources
5. Learn about the reference design in ReferenceDesign
6. Build and install the oWL Pico API reference design driver according to Platforms
7. Use the reference design software according to ReferenceDesign

Note that a pre-built image of the oWL Pico API reference design can be used. In that case, step 4 and 6 can be skipped. See Platforms for more information.

Develop a network application with oWL Pico API

If you want to develop your own network application with the oWL Pico Software API, you should perform the following steps:

1. Get the SPB800 Wi-Fi device, see http://www.hd-wireless.se
2. Connect the hardware components according to the description for the particular platform used for the development, see Platforms
3. Learn about the oWL Pico API architecture in Architecture
4. Download the oWL Pico API source code from DownloadSources
5. Develop a network application, possibly inspired by the oWl Pico API tutorial PicoTutorial

Port oWL Pico API to a new platform

If you want to port oWL Pico API to a custom platform, you should perform the following steps:

1. Get the SPB800 Wi-Fi device, see http://www.hd-wireless.se
2. Connect the hardware components according to the description for the particular platform used for the development, see Platforms
3. Learn about the oWL Pico API architecture in Architecture
4. Download the oWL Pico API source code from DownloadSources
5. Port the oWL Pico API according to Porting
6. Develop a network application, possibly inspired by the oWl Pico API tutorial PicoTutorial