What is the SHIPBridge Protocol?

SHIPBridge is a comprehensive proprietary communications protocol available in SHIP Version 5.

The SHIPBridge protocol enables over-the-wire access to files stored on the SIM/SCM, updates of firmware and GUI, as well as the exchange of typed data variables. SHIPBridge is intended to function over all available communication ports available on a module (i.e., USB, UART, SPI, TCP/IP, etc.), however USB and UART are currently the only validated interfaces on most modules. Future TCP/IP support will enable firmware updates, status and monitoring, and data exchange from cloud or server based entities to the modules.

SHIPBridge has the following high-level capabilities:

Robust bidirectional command-response architecture

• Arbitrary physical layer support including UART, USB Device (future: SPI, Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth)
• Binary framed packet protocol with CRCs for message integrity
• Multi-session: multiple controllers can simultaneously access a SIM over the same or a different physical interface

SIM system information and control

• Reboots, status checks, firmware validation, and more

Comprehensive and powerful data movement

• Shared variable philosophy to exchange status and control data
• All simple data types (Boolean, Byte, Short, Integer, Long, Float, Double, String, Buffer)
• Polled or Push data, on a per-variable basis
• Able to prioritize run-time traffic for flexible bandwidth management
• Fully bidirectional communication

Completely Upgradable

• Over-the-wire updates for all firmware images (i.e., boot loaders, applications, GUI)