How It Works¶
In this section we will discuss the Robonomics Network scenario.
There are few main parts in the Robonomics network:
- IPFS for the messages exchanging
- the Ethereum blockchain for storing new liability contracts
- a provider that is responsible for matching messages
- an agent
Let’s have a look at the following diagram that describes the scenario without any additional details:
There are three types of messages in IPFS: Demand, Offer, Result.
Below there is the specification for a Demand message:
Field | Type | Description | Example |
---|---|---|---|
model | ipfs_common/Multihash | CPS behavioral model Identifier | QmfXHZ2YkNC5vRjp1oAaRoDHD8H3zZznfhBPasTu348eWC |
objective | ipfs_common/Multihash | CPS behavioral model parameters in rosbag file | QmUo3vvSXZPQaQWjb3cH3qQo1hc8vAUqNnqbdVABbSLb6r |
token | ethereum_common/Address | Operational token address | 0xbD949595eE52346c225a19724084cE517B2cB735 |
cost | ethereum_common/UInt256 | CPS behavioral model implementation cost | 1 |
lighthouse | ethereum_common/Address | Lighthouse address | 0xa1b60ED40E5A68184b3ce4f7bEf31521A57eD2dB1 |
validator | ethereum_common/Address | Observing network address | 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 |
validatorFee | ethereum_common/UInt256 | Observing network commission | 0 |
deadline | ethereum_common/UInt256 | Deadline block number | 6393332 |
sender | ethereum_common/Address | Message sender address | 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 |
signature | std_msgs/UInt8[] | Sender’s digital signature | 0x23bc…c617 |
An Offer message has the same fields but instead of validatorFee
there is a lighthouseFee
field. This field determines the amount of fee for a lighthouse.
Now let’s have a look at the following diagram and walk step by step from the moment of publishing messages to a liability finalization.
A liability contract is created only if the following fields match: model
, objective
, token
, cost
. A provider of Robonomics Network watches every message and finds those ones that have a match.
After the match is found the provider calls createLiability(demand, offer)
method from the contract factory where demand
and offer
are serialized.
Below is the package diagram for the Robonomics communication stack:
The factory deserializes arguments and recovers promisee and promisor addresses from signatures.
Next step is token transfer. The factory transfers cost tokens from the promisee address and validatorFee and lighthouseFee from the promisor address to the new liability address.
Note
You should approve sufficient amount of tokens for the factory.
Note
It’s not required to approve tokens from the promisor address if fees are null.
Now the factory emits a NewLiability event with the liability address. An agent gets the address, reads fields, perform a task and at the same time writes a log file in rosbag format.
When the work is done the agent sends a Result message with the following fields: hash of the rosbag file, a success flag, a signature. If the validator field is not null it means that only validator is able to finalize the liability.
After the successful liability finalization the agent gets cost tokens. Otherwise, the promisee gets tokens back.