Constructing a URL

TO ACTIVATE A CLOUD DISPLAY DEVICE

pick-to-light device showing the location of inventory in a warehouse
This is the url that causes cloud display devices to light up with two lines of custom text

THE MOST FLEXIBLE

Pick-to-Light

Our Pick-to-Light system uses the ultimate standard – a simple web URL.

A simple URL request, sent to our server on the Amazon Cloud, causes the associated Pick-to-Light device to light up with any two lines of custom text. Now, you can use pick-to-light in new ways!

Integration is so simple that you can even use it with Google Sheets.

voodoo robotics stacked logo

URL SECTION 1:

Secure Protocol

HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure protocol over which data is sent over the internet.  Using this protocol, as opposed to HTTP, ensures that your communication is encrypted.  It is often used for highly confidential transactions like online banking or shopping. Voodoo Robotics’ API requires the use of this secure protocol.

https secure login

URL SECTION 2:

Our Server

We use Amazon’s AWS cloud services to provide a secure state-of-the-art environment that is flexible, reliable and scalable.  By specifying our server name, www.sku-keeper.com, you’ll connect to one of many redundant servers waiting to process your request. Since you’re not requesting a normal web page, but instead using the API, add the ‘api’ parameter.

Device URL with the first section - Amazon AWS

URL SECTION 3:

Device ID

Each wireless device has a unique identifier. That’s right–every single device is unique and directly addressable. The 12 digit hexadecimal number is in the form D4F660:AFA0CB.  Press the button on any device to get its ID.

device URL with first two sections - cloud and device ID

URL SECTION 4:

Type of Command

There are five commands you can send to a device to display or store data:

  • ‘pick’ or ‘display’

    The most common command is the ‘pick’ command which causes the device to light up and display two lines of text.  Using the word ‘display’ does the same thing.  (It’s an alias.)

  • ‘flash’ or ‘message’

    Similar to the ‘pick’ command, the ‘flash’ command causes the device to light up, but this time with a flashing display of two lines of text.  Use this if you really want to get someone’s attention.  The word ‘message’ is an alias of ‘flash’–they do the same thing.

  • ‘static’ or ‘background’

    The “static” command stores two lines of text in the device.  The text will be displayed when the button is pressed.  For example, you can store the color or size of the inventory stored at this location.  Or you can attach a device to a forklift and store maintenance information in it.  That way an operator can check the equipment status at the push of a button.

    Use your imagination! There are so many useful things you can store in these devices.

    You can also use the word “background” instead of “static”.

    * You can also set this parameter by editing Device settings on the SKU-Keeper website.

  • ‘static2’

    Like the ‘static’ command, ‘static2’ stores a second pair of lines to be displayed after the first.  They’ll appear after just another press of the button.

    * You can also set this parameter by editing Device settings on the SKU-Keeper website.

  • ‘location’

    The ‘location’ option overrides the location information stored on the device as maintained on the SKU-Keeper website.

    * You can also set this parameter by editing Device settings on the SKU-Keeper website.

Device URL with first three sections

URL SECTION 5:

Display Line 1

Devices can light up with two lines of custom alphanumeric (Roman style) text.  This part of the URL is where you specify the first line of text.  The devices can display two 16-character lines of text.  Place the second line of text in the next section.  (If you use more than 16 characters, the text will scroll left-to-right when the device lights up.  Note that scrolling messages do not flash.)

Cloud display device URL with first four sections

URL SECTION 6:

Display Line 2

The devices can display two 16-character lines of text.  Place the second line of text in this section of the URL. (Again, if you use more than 16 characters, the text will scroll left-to-right when the device lights up. Note that scrolling messages do not flash.)

cloud display device or pick-to-light device with first four sections of the URL

URL SECTION 7:

Tempo/Tune

Devices can play a custom tune when they light up. Here are some examples:

Regular Beep 15,c5,4
Macaroon 250,c5,1,e5,1,g5,1,c6,1,g5,1,e5,1,c5,1
Marshmallow 200,d5,3,d5,1,f5,2,f5,1,g5,1,f5,2
Meringue 250,c6,1,a5,1,b5,1,g5,1,f5,1
Milkshake 300,a5,1,g5s,1,f5s,1,d5,1
Mousse 160,e5,3,e5,1,g5s,2,b5,2,a5,2
Muffin 250,a5,1,c6,1,e6,1,c6,1,e6,1,c6,1,e6,1,c6,1,a5,1
Charge 140,c5,2,f5,2,a5,2,c6,3,a5,1,c6,3
Charge2 140,c5,2,f5,2,a5,2,g5,2,e5,2,f5,2,g5,2
Twilight 140,g5s,2,a5,2,g5s,2,e5,2,g5s,2,a5,2,g5s,2,e5,2
Waterfall 140,a5s,2,g5s,2,f5s,2,d5s,2,c5s,2,d5s,2,f5s,2
Skip Along 140,f5,2,f5,2,d5,2,f5,2,e5,2,d5,2,c5,2
Yankee Doodle 140,f5,2,f5,2,g5,2,a5,2,f5,2,a5,2,g5,2
Scale 140,c5,2,d5,2,e5,2,f5,2,g5,2,f5,2,e5,2,d5,2,c5,2
Scale–Reverse 140,c6,2,b5,2,a5,2,g5,2,f5,2,g5,2,a5,2,b5,2,c6,2
Day is Done 140,c5,1,c5,1,f5,3,p,2,c5,1,f5,1,a5,3
Ta-Da 140,e5,1,e5,3,g5,1,g5,3,c5,1,c5,3
Dreidel-Dreidel 200,g5,1,c6,1,c6,1,d6,1,d6,1,e6,1,c6,2,e6,1,g6,1,g6,1,f6,1,e6,1,d6,3,a5,1,

d6,1,d6,1,e6,1,e6,1,f6,1,d6,2,g6,1,g6,1,f6,1,e6,1,d6,1,c6,3,g5,1,g6,1,f6,1,e6,1,d6,1,c6,2
Taps
250,g5,2,g5,1,c6,6,g5,2,c6,1,e6,6,g5,1,c6,1,e6,2,
g5,1,c6,1,e6,2,g5,1,c6,1,e6,6,c6,2,e6,1,g6,5,e6,2,c6,1,g5,6,g5,2,g5,1,c6,6
Sakura 200,a6,2,a6,2,b6,4,a6,2,a6,2,b6,4,a6,2,b6,2,c7,2,b6,2,a6,2,b6,1,a6,1,f6,4,

e6,2,c6,2,e6,2,f6,2,e6,2,e6,1,c6,1,b5,4,a6,2,b6,2,c7,2,b6,2,a6,2,b6,1,a6,1,f6,4,

e6,2,c6,2,e6,2,f6,2,e6,2,e6,1,c6,1,b5,4,a6,2,a6,2,b6,4,a6,2,a6,2,b6,4,

e6,2,f6,2,b6,1,a6,1,f6,2,e6,4
Constant 15,c5,400

The waterfall example above, starts with ‘140’, a value that represents the tempo.  Then ‘a5s’ is the note A sharp in the fifth octave, held for ‘2’ beats.  Separate notes by commas.  Use ‘p’ for a pause.  You get the idea!

* This part of the URL is only needed for a ‘pick’ or ‘flash’ command!

Cloud display device URL with the first five sections

URL SECTION 8:

Timeout

This URL section specifies how long, in seconds, the device should light-up.  If you want a device to stay lit until the button is pressed, use a value of ‘0’.  But do you really want to do that?  You might use up the batteries in a device if the button is not pressed.

* This part of the URL is only needed for a ‘pick’ or ‘flash’ command!

Cloud display device URL with all sections

URL SECTION 9:

Acknowledgement Nonce

For users that need pick confirmations, there is an optional last parameter that the user can add to the URL.  You might think of it as a transaction ID.

You choose a transaction ID to identify this particular call to the device.  It can be a random number, or it could be a counter, or it could be a nonce.  It’s up to you to choose.

Learn more about how to create a closed-loop system.

* This part of the URL is only needed for a ‘pick’ or ‘flash’ command!

© Copyright 2021 Voodoo Robotics. All Rights Reserved. Patents Pending. Voodoo Robotics, SKU-Keeper, SKU-Turbo, and SKU-Station logos are all trademarks of Voodoo Robotics.