docs

Core Concepts

System Terms

CAN Bus

The internal device network used to control the system.

CAN Terminator

A 120 Ω resistor placed at the end of a CAN bus.

N-Tap Control Board

The board that connects to and drives multiple devices.

CPU

The Raspberry Pi control board.

CAN Modem / Handle Control Board

The board that connects to the Raspberry Pi. This board can function as the handle control board as well as the CAN modem.

Line

A logical grouping of devices used to control a dispense operation.

Product Source

A Bib or container station that contains the source of a product or ingredient.

Port Mapping

A logical mapping from software to hardware.

Flow Rate Calibration

A process to calibrate how much fluid will be dispensed. This helps the machine determine what should be 2 oz of fluid. This value can change based on machine hardware or product viscosity.

Global

A logical grouping of devices that will be accessible to all lines and any dispense operation.

Dispense Port

A valve used to seal the dispense path after dispense has ended.

PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)

A technique used to control the power delivered to electronic devices by turning a digital signal on and off at a high frequency.

FET Port

A high-current output on the N-Tap control board.

Firmware

Software embedded in a hardware device to control its basic functions, acting as a bridge between the hardware and the operating system or user-facing applications.

Software

Higher-level code that controls the user interface and interacts with the firmware via the CAN bus.

Hardware

The physical boards that make up the system.


Connectivity

Wi-Fi

Wireless connection used for internet access or connecting into the device.

Ethernet

A wired connection used for internet access or connecting into the device.


Development & Diagnostics

Bug

An error in the software that causes it to not perform as expected.

API (Application Programming Interface)

A set of rules that allows different software programs to communicate with each other. This can be used to control a device from a remote system.


Tools

Balena Etcher

Used to write the operating system to an SD card.

Serial Programmer

Used for collecting logs from the firmware and performing a factory reset or factory firmware update.

PuTTY

A terminal application used to collect logs from the firmware.