OCPP Connector Configuration

• Connector configuration: ocpp.json
  • Section “centralSystem”
    • Connection subsection
    • Security subsection
  • Section “chargePoints”
    • Subsection attributes
    • Subsection time series
    • Attribute updates subsection
    • Server side RPC subsection
• Next steps

This guide will help you get familiar with OCPP Connector configuration for ThingsBoard IoT Gateway. Use general configuration to enable this Connector. The purpose of this connector is to communicate between Charge Point and Central System using OCPP protocol.

We will describe the connector configuration file below.

Connector configuration: ocpp.json

Connector configuration is a JSON file that contains information about how to connect to Charge Points, process the data, and other service features. Let’s review the format of the configuration file using the example below.

Example of OCPP Connector config file.

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{
  "centralSystem": {
    "name": "Central System",
    "host": "127.0.0.1",
    "port": 9000,
    "connection": {
      "type": "insecure"
    },
    "security": [
      {
        "type": "token",
        "tokens": [
          "Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "basic",
        "credentials": [
          {
            "username": "admin",
            "password": "admin"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "chargePoints": [
    {
      "idRegexpPattern": "bidon/hello/CP_1",
      "deviceNameExpression": "${Vendor} ${Model}",
      "deviceTypeExpression": "default",
      "attributes": [
        {
          "messageTypeFilter": "MeterValues,",
          "key": "temp1",
          "value": "${meter_value[:].sampled_value[:].value}"
        },
        {
          "messageTypeFilter": "MeterValues,",
          "key": "vendorId",
          "value": "${connector_id}"
        }
      ],
      "timeseries": [
        {
          "messageTypeFilter": "DataTransfer,",
          "key": "temp",
          "value": "${data.temp}"
        }
      ],
      "attributeUpdates": [
        {
          "attributeOnThingsBoard": "shared",
          "valueExpression": "{\"${attributeKey}\":\"${attributeValue}\"}"
        }
      ],
      "serverSideRpc": [
        {
          "methodRPC": "rpc1",
          "withResponse": true,
          "valueExpression": "${params}"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Section “centralSystem”

This configuration section is used to configure Gateway as a Central System.

Connection subsection

This configuration subsection is used for configuring connection type between Central System and Charge Point. You can choose the next connection type:

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    "connection": {
      "type": "insecure"
    }

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    "connection": {
      "type": "tls",
      "key": "/etc/thingsboard-gateway/privateKey.pem",
      "cert": "/etc/thingsboard-gateway/certificate.pem"
    }

Security subsection

Security subsection provides configuration for Charge Point authorization at Central System. You can choose the desired security type:

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    "security": []

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    "security": [
      "type": "basic",
      "credentials": [
        {
          "username": "admin",
          "password": "admin"
        }
      ]
    ]

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    "security": [
      "type": "token",
      "tokens": [
        "Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"
      ]
    ]

Note You can combine basic and token security types. Security subsection in configuration file will look like this:

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    "security": [
      {
        "type": "token",
        "tokens": [
          "Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"
        ]
      },
      {
        "type": "basic",
        "credentials": [
          {
            "username": "admin",
            "password": "admin"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]

Section “chargePoints”

This subsection contains general settings for the Charge Points and subsections for processing data.

This part of configuration will look like this:

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  "chargePoints": [
    {
      "idRegexpPattern": "charge_points/CP_1",
      "deviceNameExpression": "${Vendor} ${Model}",
      "deviceTypeExpression": "${Model}",
      "attributes": [
        ...
      ],
      "timeseries": [
        ...
      ],
      "attributeUpdates": [
        ...
      ],
      "serverSideRpc": [
        ...
      ]
    }
  ]

Subsection attributes

This subsection contains general settings for processing data interpreted as attributes.

This subsection in configuration file looks like:

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      "attributes": [
        {
          "messageTypeFilter": "MeterValues,",
          "key": "temp",
          "value": "${meter_value[:].sampled_value[:].value}"
        },
        {
          "messageTypeFilter": "MeterValues,",
          "key": "vendorId",
          "value": "${connector_id}"
        }
      ]

Subsection time series

This subsection contains general settings for processing data interpreted as time series.

This subsection in configuration file looks like:

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      "timeseries": [
        {
          "messageTypeFilter": "DataTransfer,",
          "key": "temp",
          "value": "${data.temp}"
        }
      ]

Attribute updates subsection

This configuration section is optional. ThingsBoard allows the provisioning of device attributes and fetches some of them from the device application. You can treat this as a remote configuration for devices, enabling them to request shared attributes from ThingsBoard. See user guide for more details.

The “attributeUpdates” configuration allows you to configure the format of the corresponding attribute data that will be sent to the Charge Point.

This section in configuration file looks like:

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"attributeUpdates": [
  {
    "attributeOnThingsBoard": "shared",
    "valueExpression": "{\"${attributeKey}\":\"${attributeValue}\"}"
  }
]

Server side RPC subsection

ThingsBoard allows sending RPC commands to the device connected to ThingsBoard directly or via Gateway.

Configuration, provided in this section is used for sending RPC requests from ThingsBoard to Charge Point.

This subsection in configuration file looks like:

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"serverSideRpc": [
  {
    "methodRPC": "rpc1",
    "withResponse": true,
    "valueExpression": "${params}"
  }
]

Next steps

Explore guides related to main ThingsBoard features:

• Data Visualization - how to visualize collected data.
• Device attributes - how to use device attributes.
• Telemetry data collection - how to collect telemetry data.
• Using RPC capabilities - how to send commands to/from devices.
• Rule Engine - how to use rule engine to analyze data from devices.