piconetcontrol 0.2.1

Client-server package to remotely control a Raspberrypi Pi Pico W.

Client-server package to remotely control a Raspberrypi Pico W.

About

This package provides a client-server architecture to remotely control a Raspberry Pi Pico W. The server runs on the Pico W and the client on a computer. For testing/debugging purpose, the server can also run on e.g. a Raspberrypi 4, with limited functionality.

The goal is to handle logic on the client side, while the server is responsible for direct hardware interaction. This enables using more powerful hardware for orchestration with greater functionalities, as the server is executed with MicroPython on the Pico W.

Server Blinking Patterns

The Pico W board is equipped with an LED that can be used to indicate the status of the server.

Status	Pattern
Connecting to WiFi	3 blinks of 100ms, 200ms apart, then 1s pause
Server Listening (Idling)	Infinite blinks of 1.5s on, 1.5s off
Ongoing Connection	Continuous 20ms blinks, 100ms apart

If the board isn’t blinking:

• Server might not be running

• Board might be in light or deep sleep mode * If in light sleep, the server wakes up upon receiving a command

Client-Server Communication Protocol

The server and the Raspberry Pi Pico W (client) communicate over a TCP/IP connection. Message exchange occurs via JSON-encoded dictionaries.

Commands

GPIO Control

Setup pin

Instructs client to configure a GPIO pin as input or output, optionally set its value.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "setup_pin",
    "pin": "<pin_number>",
    "mode": "<'input'|'output'>",
    "value": "<0|1> [optional]"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command.

Set pin value

Instructs client to set a specified GPIO pin to specified value (high or low) during some specified time.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "write_pin",
    "pin": "<pin_number>",
    "value": "<0|1>",
    "timeout": "<duration_in_seconds>"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command (does not wait for timeout).

Read pin value

Requests the current value (high or low) of a specified GPIO pin.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "read_pin",
    "pin": "<pin_number>"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command and adds the value field (high/low).

Board Management

Reset board

Instructs client to reset the board, using the machine.reset() method.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "reset"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command.

Sleep for low power

Instructs client to enter a low-power state mode for a specified duration.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "sleep",
    "deep": "<0|1>",
    "time_ms": "<duration_in_ms>"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command.

Get resource info

Requests information about the client’s resources (e.g., memory, CPU).

Command structure:

{
    "action": "get_resource_info"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command and adds the info field.

Get server version

Requests the version of the server software.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "get_version"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command and adds the version field.

List actions

Requests a list of available actions supported by the client.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "list_actions"
}

Success Response: Client echoes back the command and adds the actions field.

Update server software

Instructs the client to update the server software.

Command structure:

{
    "action": "update"
}

The client will update the server software and restart the server. In case of failure after restart, the server will revert to the previous version.