Seven-Layer RPnP™ Architecture — Unified Discovery-to-P2P Hardware Compatibility Stack for AI Robots
Abstract
Field: Robot hardware compatibility standards; layered architecture; AI robot interoperability
Problem Solved: No prior hardware compatibility standard for robotics defines a complete layered architecture from physical discovery through safety, AI compatibility, and peer-to-peer network capability in a unified, certifiable stack. Existing standards address individual layers in isolation without defining their interrelationship as a coherent compatibility architecture.
Disclosure Summary: RPnP™ defines a seven-layer hardware compatibility architecture — Layer 0 through Layer 6 — as a unified stack governing AI robot interoperability from physical discovery to peer-to-peer network coordination. Each layer has a single responsibility, defined interfaces to adjacent layers, and a corresponding certification profile. The architecture is the first to integrate safety attestation and AI mode declaration as mandatory hardware compatibility layers rather than optional software features.
Key Technical Details:
• Layer 0 Discovery: mDNS/DNS-SD extended with robot-specific 64-bit capability bitmask
• Layer 1 Hardware: AI Robot Port Type-A (32-pin) and Type-B (48-pin) physical connectors
• Layer 2 Firmware: ROS2 HAL extended with RPnP-specific HAL API functions
• Layer 3 Power: USB-PD extended with RPnP Power Classes P1 (60W), P2 (240W), P3 (2,400W)
• Layer 4 Safety Affirmity™: continuous active safety broadcast at minimum 10Hz
• Layer 5 AI Compatibility: Local/General AI coexistence and mode declaration
• Layer 6 RP2P Bridge: hardware-level network protocol capability handshake
• Five certification profiles: Core (L0–2), Full (L0–3), Safe (L0–4), AI Compatible (L0–5), P2P Complete (L0–6)
• Partial layer conformance within a profile does not qualify for certification
Prior Art Differentiation: The OSI model defines network protocol layers. USB defines a physical and logical connectivity stack. ROS2 defines a firmware abstraction layer. No prior standard unifies physical connectivity, firmware interface, power, safety attestation, AI mode declaration, and network protocol capability into a single certifiable seven-layer hardware compatibility architecture for AI robots.
Creative Commons License
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Recommended Citation
Wang, Edward D. H., "Seven-Layer RPnP™ Architecture — Unified Discovery-to-P2P Hardware Compatibility Stack for AI Robots", Technical Disclosure Commons, ()
https://www.tdcommons.org/dpubs_series/10481