Alexa.BrightnessController Interface 3

Implement the Alexa.BrightnessController interface in your Alexa add-on so that users can control the brightness of devices, such as light bulbs. For more details about smart home add-ons, see Connect Your Device Cloud with Smart Home Add-ons. Use the Alexa.BrightnessController interface for devices that you know support brightness control instead of the more general Alexa.PercentageController interface. If you want to control the power level of an endpoint such as a dimmer switch, use the Alexa.PowerLevelController interface instead. For the list of languages that the Alexa.BrightnessController interface supports, see List of Alexa Interfaces and Supported Languages. For the definitions of the message properties, see Alexa Interface Message and Property Reference.

Utterances

The Alexa.BrightnessController interface uses the pre-built voice interaction model. After the user says one of the following utterances, Alexa sends a corresponding directive to your add-on. The following examples show some user utterances:

Reportable properties

The Alexa.BrightnessController interface uses the brightness property as the primary property. The property is an integer with valid values from 0 to 100 inclusive. If you use the brightness property to represent a change, valid values are from –100 to 100 inclusive.

Discovery

You describe endpoints that support Alexa.BrightnessController by using the standard discovery mechanism described in Alexa.Discovery. Set retrievable to true for all the interfaces and properties that you report when Alexa sends your add-on a state report request. Set proactivelyReported to true for interfaces and properties that you proactively report to Alexa in a change report. For the full list of display categories, see display categories. To let Alexa know the health of your device, also implement the Alexa.EndpointHealth interface.

Discover response example

The following example shows a Discover.Response message for a light that supports the Alexa.BrightnessController and Alexa.ColorController interfaces.

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa.Discovery",
            "name": "Discover.Response",
            "payloadVersion": "3",
            "messageId": "Unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID"
        },
        "payload": {
            "endpoints": [{
                "endpointId": "Unique ID of the endpoint",
                "manufacturerName": "Manufacturer of the endpoint",
                "description": "Description to be shown in the Alexa app",
                "friendlyName": "Living Room Light",
                "displayCategories": ["LIGHT"],
                "additionalAttributes": {
                    "manufacturer": "Manufacturer of the endpoint",
                    "model": "Model of the device",
                    "serialNumber": "Serial number of the device",
                    "firmwareVersion": "Firmware version of the device",
                    "softwareVersion": "Software version of the device",
                    "customIdentifier": "Optional custom identifier for the device"
                },
                "cookie": {},
                "capabilities": [{
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.BrightnessController",
                        "version": "3",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "brightness"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.ColorController",
                        "version": "3",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "color"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa.EndpointHealth",
                        "version": "3",
                        "properties": {
                            "supported": [{
                                "name": "connectivity"
                            }],
                            "proactivelyReported": true,
                            "retrievable": true
                        }
                    },
                    {
                        "type": "AlexaInterface",
                        "interface": "Alexa",
                        "version": "3"
                    }
                ]
            }]
        }
    }
}

Directives

Alexa sends the following Alexa.BrightnessController interface directives to your add-on.

SetBrightness directive

Support the SetBrightness directive so that users can set the brightness value of a device. The following examples show user utterances:

SetBrightness directive example

The following example shows a request to set the brightness to 50 percent.

{
    "directive": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa.BrightnessController",
            "name": "SetBrightness",
            "messageId": "Unique version 4 UUID",
            "correlationToken": "Opaque correlation token",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "OAuth2.0 bearer token"
            },
            "endpointId": "Endpoint ID",
            "cookie": {}
        },
        "payload": {
            "brightness": 50
        }
    }
}

SetBrightness directive payload

The following table shows the payload details for the SetBrightness directive.

Property	Description	Type	Required
`brightness`	Identifies the percentage brightness to set the device to. If the device is `OFF`, turn on the device at this brightness level.	Integer	Yes

SetBrightness response

If you handle a SetBrightness directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.Response event. A successful response confirms that the endpoint completed the requested action. Include the values of all properties that changed in the context object. You can respond synchronously or asynchronously. If you respond asynchronously, include a correlation token and a scope with an authorization token. The following example shows a SetBrightness response.

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa",
            "name": "Response",
            "messageId": "Unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID",
            "correlationToken": "Opaque correlation token that matches the request",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "OAuth2.0 bearer token"
            },
            "endpointId": "Endpoint ID"
        },
        "payload": {}
    },
    "context": {
        "properties": [{
            "namespace": "Alexa.BrightnessController",
            "name": "brightness",
            "value": 50,
            "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
            "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 500
        }]
    }
}

SetBrightness directive error handling

If you can’t handle a SetBrightness directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.ErrorResponse event.

AdjustBrightness directive

Support the AdjustBrightness directive so that users can adjust the brightness value of a device. The following examples show user utterances:

AdjustBrightness directive example

The following example shows a request to adjust the brightness lower by 25 percent.

{
    "directive": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa.BrightnessController",
            "name": "AdjustBrightness",
            "messageId": "Unique version 4 UUID",
            "correlationToken": "Opaque correlation token",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "OAuth2.0 bearer token"
            },
            "endpointId": "Endpoint ID",
            "cookie": {}
        },
        "payload": {
            "brightnessDelta": -25
        }
    }
}

AdjustBrightness directive payload

The following table shows the payload details for the AdjustBrightness directive.

Property	Description	Type	Required
`brightnessDelta`	Amount by which to change the brightness. If the device is `OFF`, turn on the device at the adjusted brightness level.	Integer	Yes

AdjustBrightness response

If you handle an AdjustBrightness directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.Response event. A successful response confirms that the endpoint completed the requested action. Include the values of all properties that changed in the context object. You can respond synchronously or asynchronously. If you respond asynchronously, include a correlation token and a scope with an authorization token. The following example shows an AdjustBrightness response.

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa",
            "name": "Response",
            "messageId": "Unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID",
            "correlationToken": "Opaque correlation token that matches the request",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "OAuth2.0 bearer token"
            },
            "endpointId": "Endpoint ID"
        },
        "payload": {}
    },
    "context": {
        "properties": [{
            "namespace": "Alexa.BrightnessController",
            "name": "brightness",
            "value": 75,
            "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
            "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 1000
        }]
    }
}

AdjustBrightness directive error handling

If you can’t handle an AdjustBrightness directive successfully, respond with an Alexa.ErrorResponse event.

State reporting

Alexa sends a ReportState directive to request information about the state of an endpoint. When Alexa sends a ReportState directive, you send a StateReport event in response. The response contains the current state of all the retrievable properties in the context object. You identify your retrievable properties in your discovery response. For details about state reports, see Understand State and Change Reporting.

StateReport response example

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa",
            "name": "StateReport",
            "messageId": "Unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID",
            "correlationToken": "Opaque correlation token that matches the request",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "OAuth2.0 bearer token"
            },
            "endpointId": "Endpoint ID"
        },
        "payload": {}
    },
    "context": {
        "properties": [{
            "namespace": "Alexa.BrightnessController",
            "name": "brightness",
            "value": 75,
            "timeOfSample": "2017-02-03T16:20:50.52Z",
            "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 1000
        }]
    }
}

Change reporting

You send a ChangeReport event to report changes proactively in the state of an endpoint. You identify the properties that you proactively report in your discovery response. For details about change reports, see Understand State and Change Reporting.

ChangeReport event example

{
    "event": {
        "header": {
            "namespace": "Alexa",
            "name": "ChangeReport",
            "messageId": "Unique identifier, preferably a version 4 UUID",
            "payloadVersion": "3"
        },
        "endpoint": {
            "scope": {
                "type": "BearerToken",
                "token": "OAuth2.0 bearer token"
            },
            "endpointId": "Endpoint ID"
        },
        "payload": {
            "change": {
                "cause": {
                    "type": "PHYSICAL_INTERACTION"
                },
                "properties": [{
                    "namespace": "Alexa.BrightnessController",
                    "name": "brightness",
                    "value": 75,
                    "timeOfSample": "2024-02-03T16:17:00.00Z",
                    "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
                }]
            }
        }
    },
    "context": {
        "namespace": "Alexa.EndpointHealth",
        "name": "connectivity",
        "value": {
            "value": "OK"
        },
        "timeOfSample": "2024-02-03T16:15:00.00Z",
        "uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 0
    }
}

Get Started

Connect Your Device to Alexa

Certify Your Device

Developer Reference

Alexa.BrightnessController Interface 3

Utterances

Reportable properties

Discovery

Discover response example

Directives

SetBrightness directive

SetBrightness directive example

SetBrightness directive payload

SetBrightness response

SetBrightness directive error handling

AdjustBrightness directive

AdjustBrightness directive example

AdjustBrightness directive payload

AdjustBrightness response

AdjustBrightness directive error handling

State reporting

StateReport response example

Change reporting

ChangeReport event example

​Utterances

​Reportable properties

​Discovery

​Discover response example

​Directives

​SetBrightness directive

​SetBrightness directive example

​SetBrightness directive payload

​SetBrightness response

​SetBrightness directive error handling

​AdjustBrightness directive

​AdjustBrightness directive example

​AdjustBrightness directive payload

​AdjustBrightness response

​AdjustBrightness directive error handling

​State reporting

​StateReport response example

​Change reporting

​ChangeReport event example

​Related topics

Utterances

Reportable properties

Discovery

Discover response example

Directives

SetBrightness directive

SetBrightness directive example

SetBrightness directive payload

SetBrightness response

SetBrightness directive error handling

AdjustBrightness directive

AdjustBrightness directive example

AdjustBrightness directive payload

AdjustBrightness response

AdjustBrightness directive error handling

State reporting

StateReport response example

Change reporting

ChangeReport event example

Related topics