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Establishing Hardware Setup and IoT Central Connection

Environment access level

Before embarking on the utilisation of Inimco.facts, it is important to note the prerequisites.

A key prerequisite is to ensure that a hardware device is set up and properly connected to Azure IoT Central. This setup is a fundamental step as it serves as the basis for effective use of Inimco.facts. Therefore, users are encouraged to first focus on setting up their hardware device and connecting it to IoT Central.

This process involves preparing the hardware, establishing a secure connection, and ensuring that data transmission is functioning correctly. Once this foundational step is complete, users can then proceed to exploit the features offered by Inimco.facts.

The following steps provide a high-level overview of how to proceed.

note

The specific procedure will differ depending on the type of device, its firmware, and the development tools you are using.

Hardware Setup​

  1. Unbox your device and assemble it if necessary following the manufacturer's instructions.
  2. Connect any sensors or peripheral devices that you want to use with your IoT device.
  3. Provide power to your device. This might be through a USB connection to your computer, a wall outlet, or a battery, depending on the device.

Software Setup​

  1. Install any necessary drivers or software to allow your computer to communicate with the device.
  2. If necessary, install a development environment or IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that is compatible with your device. This could be something like Arduino IDE, Visual Studio Code, or a proprietary environment provided by the device manufacturer.

Firmware Programming​

  1. Write or modify a program (often called "firmware") that will run on the IoT device. This program will need to:
  • Connect to the internet, typically via WiFi or Ethernet.
  • Connect to Azure IoT Central using connection details you get from your IoT Central Application (ID Scope, Device ID, Primary Key).
  • Collect data from any connected sensors or peripherals.
  • Send this data to IoT Central, usually in a JSON format.

Creating and deploying an Azure IoT Central application​

  1. Create an IoT Central application: You can create an application using one of the GUI-based methods or use the CLI or programmatic methods for automation. You can choose from several standard plans and provide an application name and application template ID. You'll need to provide billing information if you're using one of the standard plans. The URL for an IoT Central application looks like https://yoursubdomain.azureiotcentral.com​. For detailed instructions, see IoT Central documentation.

  2. Create a device template: A device template is a blueprint that defines the characteristics and behaviors of a type of device that connects to an Azure IoT Central application. You have several options to create device templates, such as designing the device template in the IoT Central GUI, importing a device template from the Azure Certified for IoT device catalog, or automatically generating a device template based on data sent by a connected device. In each case, the device code must implement the capabilities defined in the model. After the device template is defined, it can be published, and devices can be connected to it​. For detailed instructions, see IoT Central documentation.

  3. Manage models, interfaces, and components: The model defines how your device interacts with your IoT Central application. You can customize your model with more capabilities, add interfaces to inherit capabilities, or add new components that are based on other interfaces. The interfaces are listed in the Models section of the device template, and you can add an inherited interface or component to the root interface​​. For detailed instructions, see IoT Central documentation.

  4. Add capabilities: Capabilities represent the specific behaviors a device can exhibit. These can include telemetry (a stream of values sent from the device) and properties (point-in-time values). You can add capabilities to an interface or component and specify their configuration settings​​. For detailed instructions, see IoT Central documentation

  5. Deploy the IoT Central application: After creating the application and defining the device templates, models, interfaces, components, and capabilities, the application can be deployed, and devices can connect to it.

Firmware Upload​

  1. Connect your device to your computer.
  2. Use your IDE or another tool to upload your program onto the device.

Test​

  1. Ensure your device has internet access.
  2. Power on your device and let it run your program.
  3. Log into your IoT Central application and navigate to your device to confirm that it is connected and sending data.