System Architecture Overview

Hardware Platform

reTerminal Sticky runs on an ESP32-S3 chip with these main hardware resources:

  • Main chip: ESP32-S3 dual-core processor
  • RAM: 8MB PSRAM
  • Storage: 32MB Flash + MicroSD card expansion
  • Communication: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi + BLE 5.0
  • Display: 3.97-inch e-ink screen (800×480)
  • Sensors: Temperature & humidity, 3-axis accelerometer, microphone

Software Architecture Layers

Sticky’s firmware uses a layered architecture:

Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)

Handles low-level hardware interaction:

  • Display driver (e-ink screen control)
  • Touch driver (capacitive touchscreen input)
  • Sensor drivers (temperature/humidity, accelerometer)
  • Communication drivers (Wi-Fi, BLE)
  • Storage drivers (Flash, SD card)

System Service Layer

Provides core system functionality:

  • Power management (sleep/wake strategies)
  • Network management (Wi-Fi connection & reconnection)
  • Bluetooth service (BLE pairing & communication)
  • OTA service (firmware updates)
  • Timer service (scheduled wake & task scheduling)

Application Runtime Layer

Manages app loading, execution, and switching:

  • App lifecycle management
  • Page rendering engine
  • Event dispatch system
  • Data persistence

Application Layer

Specific functional apps like Clock, Weather, To-do, etc. Each app runs independently and interacts with the system through standard interfaces.

Key Design Principles

  1. Low Power First: Architecture designed with low power as the core goal, supporting deep sleep and timed wake
  2. App Isolation: Each app runs independently without affecting others
  3. OTA Updatable: Both firmware and apps support OTA updates
  4. Cloud Collaboration: Device and Seeedash app work together through the cloud

Next Steps

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