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Advanced Notecard Configuration

The Notecard provides a number of advanced configuration features that you can use to query the state and status of the Notecard, customize its behavior, set its Notehub service location, and configure the available AUX pins for use in your application.

Issue Maintenance Requests

The Notecard API provides requests you can use to query the Notecard for version and status information, restart the Notecard, or factory reset it completely.

Getting the Notecard Version

To obtain version information from the Notecard, send card.version request. This request is sent without arguments, and returns the Notecard brand and model for the name, Notecard version, the sku, device UID, device type, and a body with version and build details for programmatic access.

{
  "req": "card.version"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.version");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.version"}

card.Transaction(req)
{
 "version": "notecard-5.3.1",
 "device": "dev:000000000000000",
 "name": "Blues Wireless Notecard",
 "sku": "NOTE-NBGL-500",
 "board": "1.11",
 "cell": true,
 "gps": true,
 "api": 5,
 "body": {
  "org": "Blues Wireless",
  "product": "Notecard",
  "target": "r5",
  "version": "notecard-5.3.1",
  "ver_major": 5,
  "ver_minor": 3,
  "ver_patch": 1,
  "ver_build": 371,
  "built": "Sep  5 2023 12:21:30"
 }
}

Setting the Notecard API Major Version

If you need to specify the major version of the Notecard API your host expects, you can do so by adding an api argument to a card.version request. All subsequent requests to the Notecard will use the API contract of that major version. This capability allows you to freely update your Notecard firmware to get fixes and improvements without needing to update your host application.

{
  "req": "card.version",
  "api": 1
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.version");
JAddNumberToObject(req, "api", 1);

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.version"}
req["api"] = 1

rsp = card.Transaction(req)

Getting Notecard Status

To obtain information about the current operating status of the Notecard, use the card.status request. This request is sent without arguments, and returns a status string, a usb field if the Notecard is currently powered by USB, the percentage of storage used on the Notecard, The UNIX Epoch time the Notecard obtained the time after starting up, and a connected field if the Notecard is connected to Notehub.

{
  "req": "card.status"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.status");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.status"}

card.Transaction(req)
{
 "status": "{normal}",
 "usb": true,
 "storage": 8,
 "time": 1599067096,
 "connected": true
}

Setting Card Contact information

The card.contact request can be used to set or retrieve information about the Notecard maintainer. Once set, this information is synched to Notehub. When setting this information, any or all of the following values can be provided:

  • name
  • org
  • role
  • email
{
  "req": "card.contact",
  "name": "Tom Turkey",
  "org": "Blues Inc.",
  "role": "Head of Security",
  "email": "tom@blues.com"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.contact");
JAddStringToObject(req, "name", "Tom Turkey");
JAddStringToObject(req, "org", "Blues Inc.");
JAddStringToObject(req, "role", "Head of Security");
JAddStringToObject(req, "email", "tom@blues.com");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.contact"}
req["name"] = "Tom Turkey"
req["org"] = "Blues Inc."
req["role"] = "Head of Security"
req["email"] = "tom@blues.com"

rsp = card.Transaction(req)

When sent with no arguments, card.contact returns all of the previously set contact values:

{
  "req": "card.contact"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.contact");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.contact"}

card.Transaction(req)
{
 "name": "Tom Turkey",
 "org": "Blues Inc.",
 "role": "Head of Security",
 "email": "tom@blues.com"
}

Restarting the Notecard

To power-cycle the Notecard, send a card.restart request with no arguments. This request returns an empty JSON object ({}) before restarting.

{
  "req": "card.restart"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.restart");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.restart"}

card.Transaction(req)
warning

Calls to card.restart are not supported for use in production applications as they can cause increased cellular data and consumption credit usage.

Factory Resetting the Notecard

To perform a factory reset on the Notecard, send a card.restore request. This request can be made with no arguments, which restores the Notecard to its factory state but preserves its configuration settings, Notefile templates, and environment variables.

To delete configuration settings, set the delete argument to true.

warning

Setting delete to true will also remove the ProductUID on the Notecard, and the Notecard will not be able to re-connect to Notehub until a new Product UID is set.

To remove any Notefile templates and environment variables used by this device, set the connected argument to true. Conversely, if connected is false (or omitted), then the Notecard's environment variables and data will be restored from Notehub the next time the Notecard connects to the previously used Notehub project.

The card.restore request returns an empty JSON object ({}) before restoring the device and restarting.

note

There are a few configurations that a card.restore request will not reset:

  1. Wi-Fi settings set with the card.wifi API.
  2. The alternate I2C address used by Notecard, if previously set by the card.io API.
  3. The NTN (Starnote) settings automatically configured when Notecard is paired with a Starnote device.

These values can be reset individually following the guidance provided in the card.wifi, card.io, and ntn.reset docs.

{
  "req": "card.restore",
  "delete": true,
  "connected": true
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.restore");
JAddBoolToObject(req, "delete", true);
JAddBoolToObject(req, "connected", true);

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.restore"}
req["delete"] = True
req["connected"] = True

card.Transaction(req)

Change the Notehub Service Host

If your Notecard needs to be configured to connect to a new Notehub host, use the hub.set request and provide the url of the new host in the host argument. This request returns an empty JSON object ({}).

{
  "req": "hub.set",
  "host": "a.mynotehub.net"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("hub.set");
JAddStringToObject(req, "host", "a.mynotehub.net");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "hub.set"}
req["host"] = "a.mynotehub.net"

card.Transaction(req)

To reset your host back to the default Notehub host, use a single dash (-) in the host argument.

{
  "req": "hub.set",
  "host": "-"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("hub.set");
JAddStringToObject(req, "host", "-");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "hub.set"}
req["host"] = "-"

card.Transaction(req)

View and Customize Modem behavior

The card.wireless request can be used to view details about the last known network, or customize the behavior of the Notecard's modem, if needed. A card.wireless request with no arguments returns network state information, including the current connection status, count of bars of signal quality, and net object that contains detailed modem, access technology and signal strength information.

{
  "req": "card.wireless"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.wireless");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.wireless"}
card.Transaction(req)
{
  "status": "{modem-off}",
  "count":  1,
  "net":    {
    "iccid":    "00000000000000000000",
    "imsi":    "000000000000000",
    "imei":    "000000000000000",
    "modem":   "EG91NAXGAR07A03M1G_BETA0415_01.001.01.001",
    "band":    "LTE BAND 2",
    "rat":     "lte",
    "rssir":   -69,
    "rssi":    -70,
    "rsrp":    -105,
    "sinr":    -3,
    "rsrq":    -17,
    "bars":    1,
    "mcc":     310,
    "mnc":     410,
    "lac":     28681,
    "cid":     211150856,
    "updated": 1599225076
  }
}

To customize the behavior of the modem on the Notecard, use the mode argument in a card.wireless request, which accepts the following values:

  • auto to select automatic band scan mode.
  • m to restrict the modem to Cat-M1 (only available on Narrowband/NB Notecards).
  • nb to restrict the modem to Cat-NB1 (only available on Narrowband/NB Notecards).
  • gprs to restrict the modem to EGPRS (only available on Narrowband/NB Notecards).
  • - to reset the modem configuration to the Notecard default.

When the mode argument is used, card.wireless returns the same fields as a no argument request.

{
  "req": "card.wireless",
  "mode": "nb"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.wireless");
JAddStringToObject(req, "mode", "nb");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.wireless"}
req["mode"] = "nb"

rsp = card.Transaction(req)
note

Modes m, nb, and gprs are only applicable on the "narrowband" Notecard SKUs (e.g. SKUs that start with NOTE-NB).

If you prefer to use the Notecard with an external 3rd party SIM, you can use the apn argument to instruct the Notecard to connect to a different Access Point Name (APN) when establishing a network connection.

{
  "req": "card.wireless",
  "apn": "myapn.nb"
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.wireless");
JAddStringToObject(req, "apn", "myapn.nb");

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.wireless"}
req["apn"] = "myapn.nb"

rsp = card.Transaction(req)
warning

Setting the mode or apn arguments may cause the Notecard to lose its cellular connection and be unable to reconnect until it has been reconfigured. Be careful when using this setting to select a mode that you know will work for the Notecard's physical location.

Change the Notecard I2C Address

If the default I2C address of the Notecard (0x17) conflicts with another device in your product, you can change the Notecard address with a card.io request. This request takes an i2c argument with a decimal value of the new I2C address and returns an empty JSON object ({}).

For example, this request passes a decimal value of 24, which corresponds to the I2C address of 0x18:

{
  "req": "card.io",
  "i2c": 24
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.io");
JAddNumberToObject(req, "i2c", 24);

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.io"}
req["i2c"] = 24

card.Transaction(req)

To reset the Notecard to the default I2C address, use -1 as the i2c argument value:

{
  "req": "card.io",
  "i2c": -1
}
J *req = NoteNewRequest("card.io");
JAddNumberToObject(req, "i2c", -1);

NoteRequest(req);
req = {"req": "card.io"}
req["i2c"] = -1

card.Transaction(req)
warning

Be sure to issue this request over a UART or USB connection. Changing the I2C address while connected to the Notecard I2C may cause unexpected results.

Functions that Require Setting Time

The Notecard will not enable certain functions until it has made a successful network connection upon startup to obtain the current time. Once the Notecard has the time, these functions are available for use, regardless of the state of the network connection going forward.

note

If the Notecard is power cycled, it will have to re-establish a successful network connection to obtain the current time.

These are the functions that require the current time:

Validate Notecard Responses

As of Notecard firmware v5.3.1, you may validate responses from the Notecard using a Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC). In extremely rare cases, dropped or altered bytes on I2C or UART interfaces could result in JSON parse errors on the Notecard.

note

The latest versions of note-arduino, note-c, and note-go all apply the CRC checks described below, and additionally perform automatic retries on I/O errors. If you're using one of these libraries make sure you update to the latest version, and Notecard response validation will happen automatically with no extra work required.

CRC Usage

The crc argument can be supplied to any Notecard API. The format of the argument is "crc":"SSSS:CCCCCCCC":

  • SSSS = An arbitrary sequence number chosen by the host (this matches responses to requests).
  • CCCCCCCC = CRC-32 as ASCII Hex (IEEE 802.3 polynomial 0x04C11DB7 Init:0xFFFFFFFF).

The CRC-32 should be calculated on the JSON request without the CRC argument, but with the closing brace. For example with this request:

{"req":"hub.get"}

The crc32 value is 0xE37F7D23. See the Online CRC Calculator and select "CRC-32" for more details.

CRC Example

Consider the following Notecard request:

{"req":"note.add","body":{"foo":"bar"}}

Without using crc, in an extremely rare circumstance with dropped or altered bytes on the I2C or UART interfaces, the request could become the following, with no error reported:

{"req":"note.add","body":{"fxx":"bx"}}

However, with crc enabled:

{"req":"note.add","body":{"foo":"bar"},"crc":"1234:9F27DC43"}
{"total":2,"crc":"1234:3EE67BF0"}

The error would have been caught:

{"req":"note.add","body":{"fxx":"bx"},"crc":"1234:9F27DC43"}
{"err":"CRC error in request {io}"}

APIs and Arguments for Robustness Testing

The Notecard API includes an additional request and the ability to use "universal arguments" (meaning usable with any Notecard API) that can help to test the robustness of Notecard requests.

note

These are generally only useful if not using one of the Blues-supported Notecard firmware libraries.

echo API

The echo API takes everything in the request, except for the req field, and returns it in the response. Each argument in the request must correspond to an existing argument available in any other Notecard API (and also must match the data type).

This is included for robustness testing of I2C and serial hardware communications, generally to make sure that pull-ups and lines are behaving properly at high velocity.

For example:

{
  "req": "echo", 
  "deleted": true, 
  "start": true, 
  "signals": 752408723, 
  "max": -1006377422, 
  "status": "open"
}

Will return:

{
  "deleted": true,
  "start": true,
  "signals": 752408723,
  "max": -1006377422,
  "status": "open"
}

id Argument

If an id argument (integer) is passed with a request, the same id will be returned in the response. This is included for serial protocol robustness testing, as a way to ensure that a given response correlates to a given request.

For example:

{
  "req": "hub.get",
  "id": 123456
}

Will return:

{
  "id": 123456,
  "secure": true,
  "mode": "continuous",
  "host": "a.notefile.net",
  "product": "com.blues.testing:testing",
  "device": "dev:860322068012345",
  "sync": true
}

pad Argument

If an integer value >= 20 is supplied to the pad argument, it is guaranteed that the first [n] bytes of the reply will look like {"len":n ... (potentially filled out to [n] bytes with spaces if the total request length is < pad). This is useful in a serial driver or OS environment where ONLY blocking I/Os are supported, as you can read the response in a reliable manner using blocking I/O.

The following are steps you could take to utilize the pad argument in C:

  1. Send an API request with "pad":20.
  2. Perform a blocking read of 20 bytes into buf, waiting for the reply.
  3. Perform the following length calculation: unsigned remainingLen = atoi(&buf[7]) - 20.
  4. Perform a blocking read of remainingLen bytes into &buf[20]. This will read the entire JSON reply into buf.

The following is an example request in plain JSON:

{
  "pad": 20,
  "req": "card.time"
}

Will return:

{
  "len": 169, 
  "minutes": -240,
  "lat": 42.512662499999978,
  "lon": -70.910546875000009,
  "area": "Salem MA",
  "country": "US",
  "zone": "EDT,America/New_York",
  "time": 1625711237
}

In the above example, len is 169 because of the \r\n that is not visible.