Host Driver Overview
16
SWRU455A – February 2017 – Revised March 2017
Copyright © 2017, Texas Instruments Incorporated
Overview
Table 1-2. Key Features (continued)
Feature
Description
Security
Secure key storage
Trusted root-certificate catalog
TI root-of-trust public key
File system security
Secure boot
Secure content delivery
Initial secure programming
Debug security
Software tamper detection
Cloning protection
Power management
Enhanced power policy management uses 802.11 power save, and deep-sleep power modes
Other
Transceiver
Programmable Rx filters with events trigger mechanism
1.4
Host Driver Overview
The SimpleLink Wi-Fi Internet-on-a chip devices provide comprehensive networking functionality that
offloads networking activities from the host MCU. TI provides a user-friendly host-software driver to
simplify the integration and development of networking applications using the SimpleLink Wi-Fi devices.
This host driver can easily be ported to most platforms and operating systems (OSs). The host driver is
written in strict ANSI-C (C89) and requires a minimal platform adaptation layer (porting layer).
The driver has a small memory footprint, and can run on 8-, 16-, or 32-bit MCUs with any clock speed (no
performance or real-time dependency). Using SPI, both big- and little-endian MCUs are seamlessly
supported. With UART, only little endian is supported.
The APIs of the SimpleLink host driver are arranged in several logical and simple modules (silos).
provides a high-level description of these silos.
Table 1-3. Software Modules of the Host Driver
Silo
Description
Device
Provides interface to hardware and general functionality, such as start/stop or set, and get configurations in the device
level
WLAN
Provides interface to WLAN 802.11 protocol-related functionality, such as mode (station, access point, or Wi-Fi
Direct), provisioning, connection profiles, and connection policy
Socket
Provides interface to sockets and adheres to BSD sockets. BSD sockets are the most common interface today for
internet connectivity.
NetApp
Provides interface to several networking services including the HTTP server service, DHCP server service, and
MDNS client\server service
NetCfg
Provides interface to configure different networking parameters, such as setting the MAC address and IP address
settings (DHCP/Static)
NetUtil
Provides interface to several network utilities, such as crypto utility, which provides a method for authenticating the
device
FS
Provides interface for storing and reading files through a secure file system managed on the serial flash component
1.4.1 Host Interface
The SimpleLink device supports two physical host interfaces: SPI and UART. The same host driver can
work with each of these interfaces by using an interface driver adaptation layer.
More information on the adaptation layer is in the host interface section, see
and