Software / API Bindings / Java / API Reference and Examples / Bricklets (Discontinued) / RGB LED Matrix Bricklet

Java - RGB LED Matrix Bricklet¶

This is the description of the Java API bindings for the RGB LED Matrix Bricklet. General information and technical specifications for the RGB LED Matrix Bricklet are summarized in its hardware description.

An installation guide for the Java API bindings is part of their general description.

API¶

Generally, every method of the Java bindings that returns a value can throw a TimeoutException. This exception gets thrown if the device did not respond. If a cable based connection is used, it is unlikely that this exception gets thrown (assuming nobody unplugs the device). However, if a wireless connection is used, timeouts will occur if the distance to the device gets too big.

Beside the TimeoutException there is also a NotConnectedException that is thrown if a method needs to communicate with the device while the IP Connection is not connected.

Since Java does not support multiple return values and return by reference is not possible for primitive types, we use small classes that only consist of member variables. The member variables of the returned objects are described in the corresponding method descriptions.

The package for all Brick/Bricklet bindings and the IP Connection is com.tinkerforge.*

All methods listed below are thread-safe.

Basic Functions¶

class BrickletRGBLEDMatrix(String uid, IPConnection ipcon)¶

Parameters:	uid – Type: String ipcon – Type: IPConnection
Returns:	rgbLEDMatrix – Type: BrickletRGBLEDMatrix

Creates an object with the unique device ID uid:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix rgbLEDMatrix = new BrickletRGBLEDMatrix("YOUR_DEVICE_UID", ipcon);

This object can then be used after the IP Connection is connected.

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setRed(int[] red)¶

Parameters:	red – Type: int[], Length: 64, Range: [0 to 255]

Sets the 64 red LED values of the matrix.

int[] BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getRed()¶

Returns:	red – Type: int[], Length: 64, Range: [0 to 255], Default: {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}

Returns the red LED values as set by setRed().

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setGreen(int[] green)¶

Parameters:	green – Type: int[], Length: 64, Range: [0 to 255], Default: {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}

Sets the 64 green LED values of the matrix.

int[] BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getGreen()¶

Returns:	green – Type: int[], Length: 64, Range: [0 to 255], Default: {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}

Returns the green LED values as set by setGreen().

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setBlue(int[] blue)¶

Parameters:	blue – Type: int[], Length: 64, Range: [0 to 255], Default: {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}

Sets the 64 blue LED values of the matrix.

int[] BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getBlue()¶

Returns:	blue – Type: int[], Length: 64, Range: [0 to 255], Default: {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}

Returns the blue LED values as set by setBlue().

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setFrameDuration(int frameDuration)¶

Parameters:	frameDuration – Type: int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2¹⁶ - 1], Default: 0

Sets the frame duration.

Example: If you want to achieve 20 frames per second, you should set the frame duration to 50ms (50ms * 20 = 1 second).

Set this value to 0 to turn the automatic frame write mechanism off.

Approach:

Call setFrameDuration() with value > 0.
Set LED values for first frame with setRed(), setGreen(), setBlue().
Wait for FrameStartedListener listener.
Set LED values for second frame with setRed(), setGreen(), setBlue().
Wait for FrameStartedListener listener.
and so on.

For frame duration of 0 see drawFrame().

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getFrameDuration()¶

Returns:	frameDuration – Type: int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2¹⁶ - 1], Default: 0

Returns the frame duration as set by setFrameDuration().

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.drawFrame()¶

If you set the frame duration to 0 (see setFrameDuration()), you can use this function to transfer the frame to the matrix.

Approach:

Call setFrameDuration() with 0.
Set LED values for first frame with setRed(), setGreen(), setBlue().
Call drawFrame().
Wait for FrameStartedListener listener.
Set LED values for second frame with setRed(), setGreen(), setBlue().
Call drawFrame().
Wait for FrameStartedListener listener.
and so on.

Advanced Functions¶

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getSupplyVoltage()¶

Returns:	voltage – Type: int, Unit: 1 mV, Range: [0 to 2¹⁶ - 1]

Returns the current supply voltage of the Bricklet.

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.SPITFPErrorCount BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getSPITFPErrorCount()¶

Return Object:	errorCountAckChecksum – Type: long, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1] errorCountMessageChecksum – Type: long, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1] errorCountFrame – Type: long, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1] errorCountOverflow – Type: long, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Returns the error count for the communication between Brick and Bricklet.

The errors are divided into

ACK checksum errors,
message checksum errors,
framing errors and
overflow errors.

The errors counts are for errors that occur on the Bricklet side. All Bricks have a similar function that returns the errors on the Brick side.

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setStatusLEDConfig(int config)¶

Parameters:	config – Type: int, Range: See constants, Default: 3

Sets the status LED configuration. By default the LED shows communication traffic between Brick and Bricklet, it flickers once for every 10 received data packets.

You can also turn the LED permanently on/off or show a heartbeat.

If the Bricklet is in bootloader mode, the LED is will show heartbeat by default.

The following constants are available for this function:

For config:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_OFF = 0
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_ON = 1
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_HEARTBEAT = 2
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_STATUS = 3

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getStatusLEDConfig()¶

Returns:	config – Type: int, Range: See constants, Default: 3

Returns the configuration as set by setStatusLEDConfig()

The following constants are available for this function:

For config:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_OFF = 0
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_ON = 1
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_HEARTBEAT = 2
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_STATUS = 3

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getChipTemperature()¶

Returns:	temperature – Type: int, Unit: 1 °C, Range: [-2¹⁵ to 2¹⁵ - 1]

Returns the temperature as measured inside the microcontroller. The value returned is not the ambient temperature!

The temperature is only proportional to the real temperature and it has bad accuracy. Practically it is only useful as an indicator for temperature changes.

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.reset()¶

Calling this function will reset the Bricklet. All configurations will be lost.

After a reset you have to create new device objects, calling functions on the existing ones will result in undefined behavior!

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.Identity BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getIdentity()¶

Return Object:

Return Object:	uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8 connectedUid – Type: String, Length: up to 8 position – Type: char, Range: ['a' to 'h', 'z'] hardwareVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3 0: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] firmwareVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3 0: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] deviceIdentifier – Type: int, Range: [0 to 2¹⁶ - 1]

uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
connectedUid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
position – Type: char, Range: ['a' to 'h', 'z']
hardwareVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3

0: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]
1: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]
2: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]

firmwareVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3

0: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]
1: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]
2: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]

deviceIdentifier – Type: int, Range: [0 to 2¹⁶ - 1]

Returns the UID, the UID where the Bricklet is connected to, the position, the hardware and firmware version as well as the device identifier.

The position can be 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g' or 'h' (Bricklet Port). A Bricklet connected to an Isolator Bricklet is always at position 'z'.

The device identifier numbers can be found here. There is also a constant for the device identifier of this Bricklet.

Listeners¶

Listeners can be registered to receive time critical or recurring data from the device. The registration is done with add*Listener() functions of the device object.

The parameter is a listener class object, for example:

device.addExampleListener(new BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.ExampleListener() {
    public void property(int value) {
        System.out.println("Value: " + value);
    }
});

The available listener classes with inherent methods to be overwritten are described below. It is possible to add several listeners and to remove them with the corresponding remove*Listener() function.

Note

Using listeners for recurring events is always preferred compared to using getters. It will use less USB bandwidth and the latency will be a lot better, since there is no round trip time.

class BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FrameStartedListener()¶

This listener can be added with the addFrameStartedListener() function. An added listener can be removed with the removeFrameStartedListener() function.

void frameStarted(long frameNumber)

Parameters:	frameNumber – Type: long, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

This listener is triggered as soon as a new frame write is started. The LED values are double buffered, so you can send the LED values for the next frame directly after this listener is triggered.

Virtual Functions¶

Virtual functions don't communicate with the device itself, but operate only on the API bindings device object. They can be called without the corresponding IP Connection object being connected.

short[] BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getAPIVersion()¶

Return Object:	apiVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3 0: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]

Returns the version of the API definition implemented by this API bindings. This is neither the release version of this API bindings nor does it tell you anything about the represented Brick or Bricklet.

boolean BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getResponseExpected(byte functionId)¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: byte, Range: See constants
Returns:	responseExpected – Type: boolean

Returns the response expected flag for the function specified by the function ID parameter. It is true if the function is expected to send a response, false otherwise.

For getter functions this is enabled by default and cannot be disabled, because those functions will always send a response. For listener configuration functions it is enabled by default too, but can be disabled by setResponseExpected(). For setter functions it is disabled by default and can be enabled.

Enabling the response expected flag for a setter function allows to detect timeouts and other error conditions calls of this setter as well. The device will then send a response for this purpose. If this flag is disabled for a setter function then no response is sent and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_RED = 1
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_GREEN = 3
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_BLUE = 5
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_DURATION = 7
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_DRAW_FRAME = 9
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_WRITE_FIRMWARE_POINTER = 237
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_STATUS_LED_CONFIG = 239
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_RESET = 243
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_WRITE_UID = 248

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setResponseExpected(byte functionId, boolean responseExpected)¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: byte, Range: See constants responseExpected – Type: boolean

Changes the response expected flag of the function specified by the function ID parameter. This flag can only be changed for setter (default value: false) and listener configuration functions (default value: true). For getter functions it is always enabled.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_RED = 1
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_GREEN = 3
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_BLUE = 5
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_DURATION = 7
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_DRAW_FRAME = 9
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_WRITE_FIRMWARE_POINTER = 237
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_SET_STATUS_LED_CONFIG = 239
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_RESET = 243
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.FUNCTION_WRITE_UID = 248

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setResponseExpectedAll(boolean responseExpected)¶

Parameters:	responseExpected – Type: boolean

Changes the response expected flag for all setter and listener configuration functions of this device at once.

Internal Functions¶

Internal functions are used for maintenance tasks such as flashing a new firmware of changing the UID of a Bricklet. These task should be performed using Brick Viewer instead of using the internal functions directly.

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setBootloaderMode(int mode)¶

Parameters:	mode – Type: int, Range: See constants
Returns:	status – Type: int, Range: See constants

Sets the bootloader mode and returns the status after the requested mode change was instigated.

You can change from bootloader mode to firmware mode and vice versa. A change from bootloader mode to firmware mode will only take place if the entry function, device identifier and CRC are present and correct.

This function is used by Brick Viewer during flashing. It should not be necessary to call it in a normal user program.

The following constants are available for this function:

For mode:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER = 0
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE = 1
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 2
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 3
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_ERASE_AND_REBOOT = 4

For status:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_OK = 0
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_INVALID_MODE = 1
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_NO_CHANGE = 2
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_ENTRY_FUNCTION_NOT_PRESENT = 3
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_DEVICE_IDENTIFIER_INCORRECT = 4
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_CRC_MISMATCH = 5

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.getBootloaderMode()¶

Returns:	mode – Type: int, Range: See constants

Returns the current bootloader mode, see setBootloaderMode().

The following constants are available for this function:

For mode:

BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER = 0
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE = 1
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 2
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 3
BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_ERASE_AND_REBOOT = 4

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.setWriteFirmwarePointer(long pointer)¶

Parameters:	pointer – Type: long, Unit: 1 B, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Sets the firmware pointer for writeFirmware(). The pointer has to be increased by chunks of size 64. The data is written to flash every 4 chunks (which equals to one page of size 256).

This function is used by Brick Viewer during flashing. It should not be necessary to call it in a normal user program.

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.writeFirmware(int[] data)¶

Parameters:	data – Type: int[], Length: 64, Range: [0 to 255]
Returns:	status – Type: int, Range: [0 to 255]

Writes 64 Bytes of firmware at the position as written by setWriteFirmwarePointer() before. The firmware is written to flash every 4 chunks.

You can only write firmware in bootloader mode.

This function is used by Brick Viewer during flashing. It should not be necessary to call it in a normal user program.

void BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.writeUID(long uid)¶

Parameters:	uid – Type: long, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Writes a new UID into flash. If you want to set a new UID you have to decode the Base58 encoded UID string into an integer first.

We recommend that you use Brick Viewer to change the UID.

long BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.readUID()¶

Returns:	uid – Type: long, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Returns the current UID as an integer. Encode as Base58 to get the usual string version.

Constants¶

int BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER¶

This constant is used to identify a RGB LED Matrix Bricklet.

The getIdentity() function and the IPConnection.EnumerateListener listener of the IP Connection have a deviceIdentifier parameter to specify the Brick's or Bricklet's type.

String BrickletRGBLEDMatrix.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME¶: This constant represents the human readable name of a RGB LED Matrix Bricklet.