pepper-c1 0.1.0

Python driver for the Eccel Peeper C1 RFID reader (UART / TCP)

pepper_c1

Python driver for the Eccel Peeper C1 RFID reader made by Eccel Technology Ltd.

Supports communication over UART and TCP, and covers MIFARE Classic, MIFARE Ultralight, MIFARE DESFire, and ICODE tag families.

Installation

pip install pepper_c1

Quick start

from pepper_c1 import PepperC1, UARTTransport, TCPTransport

# UART
with PepperC1(UARTTransport('/dev/ttyUSB0', baudrate=115200)) as reader:
    print(reader.get_version())
    print(reader.get_uid().hex())

# TCP
with PepperC1(TCPTransport('192.168.1.100', 1234)) as reader:
    count = reader.get_tag_count()
    if count:
        uid = reader.activate_tag()
        print(f"Tag UID: {uid.hex()}")

MIFARE Classic example

from pepper_c1 import PepperC1, UARTTransport

with PepperC1(UARTTransport('/dev/ttyUSB0')) as reader:
    reader.activate_tag()
    block = reader.mf_read_block(4)
    print(f"Block 4: {block.hex()}")
    reader.mf_write_block(4, b'\x00' * 16)
    reader.halt()

MIFARE Ultralight example

from pepper_c1 import PepperC1, UARTTransport

with PepperC1(UARTTransport('/dev/ttyUSB0')) as reader:
    reader.activate_tag()
    page = reader.mfu_read_page(4)
    print(f"Page 4: {page.hex()}")

MIFARE DESFire example

from pepper_c1 import PepperC1, UARTTransport
from pepper_c1.commands import KEY_TYPE_AES128

with PepperC1(UARTTransport('/dev/ttyUSB0')) as reader:
    # DESFire does not need activate_tag
    reader.mfdf_select_app(bytes([0x00, 0x00, 0x00]))  # PICC master app
    # Load key into reader slot 0, then authenticate (key_no=0 on card, slot=0 in reader)
    reader.set_key(0, KEY_TYPE_AES128, bytes(16))       # all-zero AES key
    reader.mfdf_auth_aes(key_no=0, key_slot=0)
    data = reader.mfdf_read_data(file_no=1, offset=0, length=32)
    print(data.hex())

Polling / async events

from pepper_c1 import PepperC1, UARTTransport

with PepperC1(UARTTransport('/dev/ttyUSB0')) as reader:
    reader.set_polling(enable=True, interval_ms=500)
    # Async tag events accumulate in reader.async_events
    import time
    time.sleep(5)
    reader.set_polling(enable=False)
    for event in reader.async_events:
        print(f"Async event: {event.hex()}")

Error handling

from pepper_c1 import PepperC1, UARTTransport, CommandError, TransportError

try:
    with PepperC1(UARTTransport('/dev/ttyUSB0')) as reader:
        reader.get_uid()
except TransportError as e:
    print(f"Connection failed: {e}")
except CommandError as e:
    print(f"Device error: {e}")

Protocol

The Peeper C1 uses a binary framing protocol over serial or TCP:

[0xF5] [LEN_L] [LEN_H] [LEN_L^0xFF] [LEN_H^0xFF] [PAYLOAD...] [CRC_L] [CRC_H]

CRC is CCITT-16 computed over the payload only. Low-level access is available via PepperC1.send_command(cmd, data).