The Styx IP-core for ubiquitous network device interoperability

Abstract

Application level interoperability between ubiquitous networked communication devices (e.g. Mobile phones, PDA, CCD camera, etc.) poses many problems. In this paper we consider the issue of efficient application level access to resources on remote devices whilst achieving both network and distribution transparency. Provision of such transparency is difficult as lowresource devices are usually limited to one or two standard communication mediums (e.g. WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee). Thus, it is unlikely that an application node can communicate directly with all other nodes, with the requirement for some to act as intermediaries. Also, direct control of remote devices (potentially via some intermediary) in the same manner as local devices is not usually provided by conventional OSs. In this paper we consider the Styx protocol (from the Inferno OS) as a solution to these problems. Styx is defined to provide a file based interface to devices, within a namespace that provides distribution transparency (coping with intermediary devices). However, Styx currently is only available as software, requiring a OS (and CPU). We define and implement a (hardware) Styx IP-core Module 1 to provide both network and distribution transparency for applications that control physically remote devices. For lowresource devices, such an approach removes the need for a CPU (to execute a software OS and Styx implementation). The implementation of the hardware Styx IP-core (and subsequent demonstration) presented within the paper show the efficacy of this hardware Styx approach.