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Introduction

This guide discusses how to use the API.

What can this API do?

The API allows authorized developers to retrieve information from stations in their company's Projects. Access to these services is subject to the Terms of Use, and requires a registered company account as well a valid user account credentials.

Audience

This guide is intended for software developers who need a technical reference for using the API, who are familiar with REST APIs and JSON.

Terminology

Throughout this guide, we refer to several terms that have specific meanings relating to the architecture.

  • Data Logger: Any device that is recognized by the system and initiates communications to the cloud (typically via cellular or Internet connection) is considered to be a Data Logger. Special instances of data logger devices will be called out specifically. Common data logging devices used with include Stevens eTracker, AVO and Cellnet.

  • Company: The top level account that your organization was assigned upon initial registration. This account contains all of the user accounts associated with your organization as well as your organization's projects and basic company info.

  • User: A company can contain one or multiple users. In order to access the API you must have a user account. There are 3 user levels which each have their own set of access authorizations and restrictions. Details on the user access levels can be found in the Creating New Users Guide.

  • Project: Contains a group of stations that have been assigned to a specified project. Company accounts can contain a single or multiple projects. Projects allow a company to organize their stations into separate groups.

  • Station: A station contains the configuration's for your logging device, the sensors attached to your station and station readings and status info.

  • Sensor: Sensors will be connected to your station's data logger. Their are several types of sensors but the main types are Analog, Pulse and SDI-12. Each type has a unique sensor type ID and a unique set of configuration options. These details will be discussed further in the API objects section.

  • Channel: A single sensor device can have one or more sensor channels from which it takes measurements or readings (e.g. Temperature and Pressure). The API assumes there can be more than one measurement channel, and therefore provides facility to retrieve data at the Sensor level (all channels).

  • Unit: A unit of measurement associated with a particular channel. Each channel should have a unit ID which is used to lookup the unit type. An array containing all of the unit objects can be retried from the API for reference.