What is Communication Protocol? From the earliest development of technology, different systems and devices have needed to communicate with each other. The set of rules we use to govern how communication functions across a network of devices is known as the communications protocol. These rules include the way communications are synchronized, the syntax, error detection and corrections and so on, with a goal of improving communications reliability. Components of a Communications Protocol If you are developing for a specific network, or simply use one frequently, it can be really helpful to understand the communications protocol being used, and what it involves. While there are numerous different protocols in use today, they all share similar components: Syntax — How your data is structured and formatted for transmission. Semantics — This tells the receiving device the meaning of each section of bits it receives, setting out how new information is shared across the network. Timing — The speed of transmission and the timing of transmission within the connection that data is sent. Why do Communications Protocols Matter? Think about any technology you use, and you will find systems that communicate with each other. Whether its your computer, which has communications internally, such as between the processor and graphics card, and externally, with a printer or other PC on the network, your phone, and so on, all of these things use communications to accomplish the tasks you are trying to do. Reliable, fast communications are essential for the technology we use every day to function, even something we take for granted, such as the internet itself. All these things rely on a variety of different communications protocols, and without them, your digital world would be a very different place. Communication Protocol Example Internet aside, probably the most common communication protocol you use every day is the humble Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol. From when your computer talks to a printer when you plug the USB cable in, to your phone syncing with your car’s infotainment system, USB communications are everywhere. Sticking to the automotive world, the Controller Area Network (CAN Bus) and similar CANopen protocols are used extensively, although they connect the various systems in your car, rather than be something you will use yourself like USB. Things like stability control, which rely on data from sensors all over the car, couldn’t function without the CAN Bus. None of these systems could function without communication protocols. The Universal Importance of Communication Protocols Communication, and especially data exchange, drives the modern world, and every bit sent between devices relies on a communication protocol of one type or another. From computers to cars, machinery to phones, cameras, the sound systems at a concert you attend, planes, ships and everything in between, all of it needs communications protocols to work the way we expect them to. Conclusion We have already mentioned USB, and of course the HTTP protocol that powers the internet, but there are so many others. You can shop at an online store the other side of the world and download digital music or books, all thanks to communications protocols. But as we develop ever more complex systems and needs, there is no doubt that new protocols will develop, maintaining the speed and reliability needed for increasingly complex data sharing.
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