Communication with accessories
A plurality of connections may be established between an accessory interface and a plurality of accessories. A connection between the accessory interface and a portable electronic device may also be established. A first set of messages may be communicated via the accessory interface between an application of the portable electronic device and a first accessory of the plurality of accessories. A second set of messages may be communicated via the accessory interface between the application and a second accessory of the plurality of accessories. The first and second sets of messages communicated between the portable electronic device and the accessory interface may be formatted in accordance with the same data exchange pattern.
1. A method of communicating information, said method comprising:
establishing a plurality of connections between an accessory interface and a plurality of accessories, wherein each connection of said plurality of connections corresponds to a respective accessory of said plurality of accessories;
establishing a connection between said accessory interface and a portable electronic device, wherein said accessory interface is separate from said portable electronic device;
communicating, via said accessory interface, a first set of messages between an application of said portable electronic device and a first accessory of said plurality of accessories, wherein said communicating said first set of messages further comprises determining that said first set of messages corresponds to said first accessory based on first information encoded in said first set of messages, wherein each message of said first set of messages communicated between said portable electronic device and said accessory interface is formatted in accordance with a data exchange pattern, and wherein each message of said first set of messages communicated between said accessory interface and said first accessory is formatted in accordance with said data exchange pattern; and
communicating, via said accessory interface, a second set of messages between said application and a second accessory of said plurality of accessories, wherein said communicating said second set of messages further comprises determining that said second set of messages corresponds to said second accessory based on second information encoded in said second set of messages, and wherein each message of said second set of messages communicated between said portable electronic device and said accessory interface is formatted in accordance with said data exchange pattern, and wherein each message of said second set of messages communicated between said accessory interface and said second accessory is formatted in accordance with said data exchange pattern.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each message of said first and second sets of messages is at most 10 bytes.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first information comprises a first channel identifier, wherein a mapping of said first channel identifier to said first accessory is used to determine that said first set of messages corresponds to said first accessory, wherein said second information comprises a second channel identifier, and wherein a mapping of said second channel identifier to said second accessory is used to determine that said second set of messages corresponds to said second accessory.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each message of said first set of messages and said second set of messages includes: a respective first portion associated with data; a respective second portion associated with a command type; and a respective third portion associated with a channel identifier.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein each message of said first set of messages and said second set of messages further includes: a respective fourth portion associated with a length of said respective first portion; a respective fifth portion associated with a data integrity value; and a respective sixth portion associated with command metadata.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first set of messages comprises a first message and a second message, wherein said first message is a command to perform at least one operation, and wherein said second message comprises a response to said command.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said communicating said first set of messages further comprises communicating said first set of messages over a first connection of said plurality of connections, wherein said communicating said second set of messages further comprises communicating said second set of messages over a second connection of said plurality of connections, and wherein said first and second connections are each selected from a group consisting of a wired connection and a wireless connection.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said connection between said accessory interface and said portable electronic device is selected from a group consisting of a wired connection and a wireless connection.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said communicating said first set of messages further comprises communicating a message selected from a group consisting of: a command initiated using a graphical user interface rendered by said portable electronic device; and data input using a graphical user interface rendered by said portable electronic device.
10. An accessory interface comprising:
a first communication interface configured to establish a connection with a portable electronic device, wherein said first communication interface is further configured to receive, from said portable electronic device, a first message and a second message;
a second communication interface configured to establish a plurality of connections with a plurality of accessories, wherein each connection of said plurality of connections corresponds to a respective accessory of said plurality of accessories; and
a processor configured to:
access, from said first communication interface, said first and second messages formatted in accordance with a data exchange pattern;
responsive to a first determination that a first accessory of said plurality of accessories corresponds to said first message, provide said first message formatted in accordance with said data exchange pattern to said second communication interface for communication to said first accessory; and
responsive to a second determination that a second accessory of said plurality of accessories corresponds to said second message, provide said second message formatted in accordance with said data exchange pattern to said second communication interface for communication to said second accessory.
11. The accessory interface of claim 10 , wherein each message of said first and second messages accessed from said first communication interface is at most 10 bytes.
12. The accessory interface of claim 10 , wherein said processor is configured to perform said first determination by:
accessing a first channel identifier from said first message; and
using a mapping of said first channel identifier to said first accessory to determine that said first message corresponds to said first accessory.
13. The accessory interface of claim 10 , wherein each message of said first and second messages accessed from said first communication interface includes: a respective first portion associated with data; a respective second portion associated with a command type; and a respective third portion associated with a channel identifier.
14. The accessory interface of claim 13 , wherein each message of said first and second messages accessed from said first communication interface includes: a respective fourth portion associated with a length of said respective first portion; a respective fifth portion associated with a data integrity value; and a respective sixth portion associated with command metadata.
15. The accessory interface of claim 10 , wherein said first message is a command to perform at least one operation.
16. A system comprising:
a portable electronic device; and
an accessory interface, wherein said accessory interface is separate from said portable electronic device, and wherein said accessory interface comprises:
a first communication interface configured to establish a connection with said portable electronic device, wherein said first communication interface is further configured to receive, from said portable electronic device, a first message and a second message;
a second communication interface configured to establish a plurality of connections with a plurality of accessories, wherein each connection of said plurality of connections corresponds to a respective accessory of said plurality of accessories; and
a processor configured to:
access, from said first communication interface, said first and second messages formatted in accordance with a data exchange pattern;
responsive to a first determination that a first accessory of said plurality of accessories corresponds to said first message, provide said first message formatted in accordance with said data exchange pattern to said second communication interface for communication to said first accessory; and
responsive to a second determination that a second accessory of said plurality of accessories corresponds to said second message, provide said second message formatted in accordance with said data exchange pattern to said second communication interface for communication to said second accessory.
17. The system of claim 16 further comprising: said plurality of accessories.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein each message of said first and second messages accessed from said first communication interface is at most 10 bytes.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein said processor is configured to perform said first determination by:
accessing a first channel identifier from said first message; and
using a mapping of said first channel identifier to said first accessory to determine that said first message corresponds to said first accessory.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein each message of said first and second messages accessed from said first communication interface includes: a respective first portion associated with data; a respective second portion associated with a command type; and a respective third portion associated with a channel identifier.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein each message of said first and second messages accessed from said first communication interface includes: a respective fourth portion associated with a length of said respective first portion; a respective fifth portion associated with a data integrity value; and a respective sixth portion associated with command metadata.
22. The system of claim 16 , wherein said first message is a command to perform at least one operation.