Overview
What is Remote Comms?
Remote Comms is one piece of Milwaukee Tool's Connected Products Platform (CPP).
This part of the platform focuses on direct device-to-cloud communication and enables products with cellular or WiFi connectivity to securely communicate with our cloud infrastructure without requiring a phone to act as an intermediary.
ONE-KEY tools communicate locally via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to the ONE-KEY mobile app. Remote Comms is different in that it enables always-on, direct cloud connectivity for next-generation products that can connect independently and without BLE.
Who Should Use These Docs?
| Audience | Start here |
|---|---|
| Firmware Engineers | Device Provisioning → Device Shadows → Asset Scans → OTA |
| Software Engineers | API Reference and Device Shadows for reading/writing device state |
| QA & Support | Normal Device Operation for verification checklists and debugging steps |
What This Section Covers
| Section | What's inside |
|---|---|
| Device Provisioning | Two-phase certificate model, manufacturing setup, MQTT fleet provisioning, certificate rotation |
| Device Shadows | Reading and updating device state via MQTT shadow topics |
| Asset Scans | Publishing nearby Bluetooth tool detections for location tracking |
| OTA | Over-the-air firmware update delivery via AWS IoT Jobs |
| Operational Certificate Rotation | Replacing the operational certificate before expiry or in response to a platform-triggered job |
| Greengrass Reference Implementation | The deployable AWS IoT Core Greengrass gateway that implements this contract on real hardware and serves as the platform test harness. |
Platform Capabilities
🔐 Device Identity & Security
Every device receives a unique identity (MPBID) just like any other connected product. Products that support remote direct-to-cloud communication also receive an X.509 certificate managed through AWS IoT. We provide services for certificate provisioning, rotation, and revocation, so product teams can focus on their product's unique capabilities.
📡 Remote Communication
The platform maintains device shadows (virtual representations of device state) to track the last known state of devices, even when they're offline. Devices update their shadows directly via platform-provided standard MQTT topics.
We also provide RESTful APIs for software clients to access device shadows and manipulate the desired state of connected devices. By manipulating shadows, software clients can remotely configure and control devices in the field.
🔄 Over-the-air updates
The platform unlocks the ability for devices to "self-update" firmware in the field without any involvement from end users. We provide mechanisms to deliver OTA payloads to devices and instructions about how and when to apply those updates.
Architecture Overview
Quick Links
API References
- HTTPS API Reference: Certificate management, device configuration, shadow access
- MQTT Topics Reference: Full topic list for shadows, asset scans, and jobs
Sections
- Device Provisioning
- Device Shadows
- Asset Scans
- OTA
- Operational Certificate Rotation: Certificate lifecycle management and rotation procedures
- Greengrass Reference Implementation: the deployable IoT Core Greengrass gateway (and the experimental Edge Mesh proof-of-concept)
Get Help
- Teams: #digital-cpp-support
- Service Now: Open a ticket
Owned by the CPP Identity & Remote Comms team