IrDA Sockets Overview

Allows applications to use infrared communications, as defined by the IrDA protocol stack, through Symbian OS's generic sockets interface.

The Sockets Server defines a generic interface for all socket type communication services, and defines a plug-in architecture for implementing particular providers. IrDA Sockets is such a plug-in. Clients access its services through the generic Sockets Client API, specifying protocol-specific behaviour through infrared-specific utility types and constants.

The API has five key concepts: IrTinyTP socket protocol, IrMUX socket protocol, IrDA discovery, IAS database queries, and IAS database registration.

The IrTinyTP socket protocol provides access to IrDA IrTinyTP, a reliable transport layer which corresponds to a sequenced packet service. Client applications access this through the generic socket interface RSocket.

The IrMUX socket protocol provides access to the raw IrDA LM-MUX layer, which corresponds to an unreliable datagram service. Client applications access this through the generic socket interface RSocket.

IrDA discovery is done through the generic host name resolution interface RHostResolver. Discovery information is returned in a TIrdaSockAddr.

IrDA IAS database queries are performed through RNetDatabase. The query itself is constructed in a TIASQuery object. A response to a query is held in a TIASResponse object.

IrDA IAS database registration is performed through RNetDatabase. Information for a database entry is encapsulated by TIASDatabaseEntry.

Sockets Client Overview