Payload drivers

The data payloads included in LoRaWAN packets designate the sensor measurements reported by devices in uplink, such as temperature, humidity or location information. They also designate configuration and actuation data sent by Application servers to devices over downlink packets.

Data is binary-encoded over the radio interface between devices and the Network Server. The raw payloads are typically represented in hexadecimal format.

The process of converting the uplink binary data into human-readable data in JSON format is called payload decoding. In the reverse direction, converting human-readable downlink data into binary format is called payload encoding.
Both processes require having a valid payload driver for each LoRaWAN device.

ThingPark supports two types of payload drivers:

• Standard drivers: built-in drivers included in ThingPark's off-the-shelf driver catalog.
  ThingPark provides the richest set of standard drivers, listed in Supported drivers.
  For self-hosted deployments, these drivers are packaged as a Driver Catalog that platform administrators can update regularly on their platforms.

  The branded device models available in ThingPark's Device Profile Catalog are natively associated with the adequate standard drivers.

  note

  Generic device models (using LoRaWAN® manufacturer) are not associated with any default driver. Therefore, ThingPark can decode the application payloads of devices associated with generic device profiles, only if they are associated with a custom payload driver.

• Custom drivers: created by the user in TPX IoT-Flow.

Check-out this video tutorial to learn more about payload drivers in ThingPark:

These drivers allow users to see decoded payloads in:

• the detailed page of each device in ThingPark's user interface. To learn more, see Viewing packet history.
• Wireless Logger application, by choosing the Automatic decoding mode. To learn more, see Payload decoding.

Additionally, ThingPark X IoT-Flow allows sending decoded uplink payloads, in JSON format, to Application Servers. There is no need for application developers to decode the payload in the application any longer. Likewise, Application Servers can send downlink payloads, decoded in JSON format, and rely on ThingPark X IoT-Flow to encode them in binary format to be sent over the air to the device.

Each driver is associated with metadata designating the related device model(s) and the protocol used to encode application payloads. Driver metadata are split into 2 parts:

• The model Identifier is a string identifying the device model, like abeeway:micro-tracker:2
• The Protocol Identifier is a block of information composed of the manufacturer, name and version of the decoding protocol. Example: abeeway:asset-tracker:2