feat: improve ergonomics for serialization format

Goal: To make the serialization format more sensible instead of it being a reflection of our internal (ie private) data model.

- mostly handled with #[serde()] macros (renaming, flattening)
- renamed NetworkCoordinate::position to heightvec which is a better name, even if not seen in the published interface
- changed HeightVector from a tuple struct to a named struct so we can control serde on a field-by-field basis
- updated README, tests, and doc tests to match

Signed-off-by: Stephen Waits <steve@waits.net>

README.md

@@ -114,24 +114,36 @@ usage examples.
 
 The repository includes an example which loads a n-to-n latency sample from
 PlanetLab and iterates on `NetworkCoordinate`s until some low-enough mean error
-is reached. The output is a JSON array of elements that look like this:
+is reached. The output is a JSON array of elements which contain the NC's
+position, its height (or stem latency estimate), and its estimation of error
+(lower is better) that look like this:
 
 ```json
-  {
-    "position": [
-      {
-        "inner": [     # Euclidean position (3D in this case):
-          9.249476,      # first dimension; "x"
-          23.747225,     # second dimension; "x"
-          -6.473008      # third dimension; "x"
-        ]
-      },
-      72.10599         # Height component (estimate of stem latency in milliseconds)
-    ],
-    "error": 2.9166403 # Estimated error (lower is better)
-  },
-
+{
+  "position": [
+    5.563593,
+    -2.332495,
+    7.3957834
+  ],
+  "height": 55.56651,
+  "error": 3.241348
+}
 ```
+Adding some detail to these three fields:
+
+- `position`: Estimated position of this node (or `NetworkCoordinate`) on the
+  network core. Think of this like the node's endpoint into the Internet
+  backbone. This is a cartesian coordinate in a multi-dimensional latency space
+  (in this case 3D), measured in milliseconds.
+- `height`: Estimated stem time, which is the time from the node itself to the
+  backbone. So, for example this might represent the latency between your
+  node's actual location, like your home, and the point at which it gets into
+  the highest-speed, core part of the Internet. Height helps adjust for
+  [triangle inequality violations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_inequality),
+  which are common on the Internet.
+- `error`: Estimated error of the current `position`, and `height`. Lower is
+  better.
+
 To run the example, first clone the repository locally:
 
 ```bash

src/height_vector.rs

@@ -63,7 +63,11 @@ use crate::vector::Vector;
 ///
 /// - `N`: the dimensionality of the vector portion (i.e. non-height) of the Vivaldi height vector
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
-pub(crate) struct HeightVector<const N: usize>(Vector<f32, N>, f32);
+pub(crate) struct HeightVector<const N: usize> {
+    #[serde(flatten)]
+    position: Vector<f32, N>,
+    height: f32,
+}
 
 //
 // **** Implementations ****
@@ -83,13 +87,17 @@ impl<const N: usize> HeightVector<N> {
             *i = rng.generate::<f32>();
         }
         let height = rng.generate::<f32>().abs();
-        Self(Vector::<f32, N>::from(vec), height).normalized()
+        Self {
+            position: Vector::<f32, N>::from(vec),
+            height,
+        }
+        .normalized()
     }
 
     /// The magnitude of a Vivaldi height vector is defined as the magnitude of the vector plus the
     /// height value.
     pub(crate) fn len(&self) -> f32 {
-        self.0.len() + self.1
+        self.position.len() + self.height
     }
 
     /// A normalized Vivaldi height vector is just like a normalized vector: the vector scaled
@@ -101,7 +109,10 @@ impl<const N: usize> HeightVector<N> {
             Self::new()
         } else {
             // otherwise scale it by the inverse of its magnitude like any normal vector
-            Self(self.0 / len, self.1 / len)
+            Self {
+                position: self.position / len,
+                height: self.height / len,
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -118,7 +129,10 @@ impl<const N: usize> HeightVector<N> {
     /// In this case, valid means the height is positive, and none of the components are NaN or
     /// Inf.
     pub(crate) fn is_invalid(&self) -> bool {
-        self.0.is_invalid() || self.1.is_nan() || self.1.is_infinite() || self.1 < 0.0
+        self.position.is_invalid()
+            || self.height.is_nan()
+            || self.height.is_infinite()
+            || self.height < 0.0
     }
 }
 
@@ -129,14 +143,20 @@ impl<const N: usize> HeightVector<N> {
 impl<const N: usize> Default for HeightVector<N> {
     /// Default value for a Vivaldi height vector is just the defaults of its children types.
     fn default() -> Self {
-        Self(Default::default(), Default::default())
+        Self {
+            position: Default::default(),
+            height: Default::default(),
+        }
     }
 }
 
 impl<const N: usize> From<([f32; N], f32)> for HeightVector<N> {
     /// Convert from a `([f32; N], f32)` (vector, height) to a Vivaldi height vector type.
     fn from(value: ([f32; N], f32)) -> Self {
-        let ret = Self(Vector::<f32, N>::from(value.0), value.1);
+        let ret = Self {
+            position: Vector::<f32, N>::from(value.0),
+            height: value.1,
+        };
         if ret.is_valid() {
             ret
         } else {
@@ -150,7 +170,10 @@ impl<const N: usize> Add for HeightVector<N> {
 
     /// Add two Vivaldi height vectors.
     fn add(self, rhs: Self) -> Self::Output {
-        let ret = Self(self.0 + rhs.0, self.1 + rhs.1);
+        let ret = Self {
+            position: self.position + rhs.position,
+            height: self.height + rhs.height,
+        };
         if ret.is_valid() {
             ret
         } else {
@@ -165,7 +188,10 @@ impl<const N: usize> Sub for HeightVector<N> {
     /// Subtract two Vivaldi height vectors. Note that this is the difference in the vectors
     /// and the summation of the heights, as defined by Vivaldi's author.
     fn sub(self, rhs: Self) -> Self::Output {
-        let ret = Self(self.0 - rhs.0, self.1 + rhs.1);
+        let ret = Self {
+            position: self.position - rhs.position,
+            height: self.height + rhs.height,
+        };
         if ret.is_valid() {
             ret
         } else {
@@ -179,7 +205,10 @@ impl<const N: usize> Mul<f32> for HeightVector<N> {
 
     /// Multiply a Vivaldi height vector by a scalar. Works the same as normal vector scaling.
     fn mul(self, rhs: f32) -> Self::Output {
-        let ret = Self(self.0 * rhs, self.1 * rhs);
+        let ret = Self {
+            position: self.position * rhs,
+            height: self.height * rhs,
+        };
         if ret.is_valid() {
             ret
         } else {
@@ -220,9 +249,9 @@ mod tests {
             let a = HeightVector::<2>::from(([fx0 ,fy0 ],fh0 ));
             let b = HeightVector::<2>::from(([fx1 ,fy1 ],fh1 ));
             let c = a+b;
-            assert_eq!(c.0[0], fx0 + fx1);
-            assert_eq!(c.0[1], fy0 + fy1);
-            assert_eq!(c.1, fh0 + fh1);
+            assert_eq!(c.position[0], fx0 + fx1);
+            assert_eq!(c.position[1], fy0 + fy1);
+            assert_eq!(c.height, fh0 + fh1);
         }
 
         #[test]
@@ -234,9 +263,9 @@ mod tests {
             let a = HeightVector::<2>::from(([fx0 ,fy0 ],fh0 ));
             let b = HeightVector::<2>::from(([fx1 ,fy1 ],fh1 ));
             let c = a-b;
-            assert_eq!(c.0[0], fx0 - fx1);
-            assert_eq!(c.0[1], fy0 - fy1);
-            assert_eq!(c.1, fh0 + fh1);
+            assert_eq!(c.position[0], fx0 - fx1);
+            assert_eq!(c.position[1], fy0 - fy1);
+            assert_eq!(c.height, fh0 + fh1);
         }
 
         #[test]
@@ -249,9 +278,9 @@ mod tests {
             if fm < 0.0 {
                 assert_approx_eq!(b.len(), 1.0)
             } else {
-                assert_eq!(b.0[0], fx * fm);
-                assert_eq!(b.0[1], fy * fm);
-                assert_eq!(b.1, fh * fm);
+                assert_eq!(b.position[0], fx * fm);
+                assert_eq!(b.position[1], fy * fm);
+                assert_eq!(b.height, fh * fm);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -279,9 +308,9 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_from() {
         let a = HeightVector::<2>::from(([1.0, 2.0], 3.0));
-        assert_eq!(a.0[0], 1.0);
-        assert_eq!(a.0[1], 2.0);
-        assert_eq!(a.1, 3.0);
+        assert_eq!(a.position[0], 1.0);
+        assert_eq!(a.position[1], 2.0);
+        assert_eq!(a.height, 3.0);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -289,9 +318,9 @@ mod tests {
         let a = HeightVector::<2>::from(([1.0, 2.0], 3.0));
         let b = HeightVector::<2>::from(([3.0, 2.0], 1.0));
         let c = a + b;
-        assert_eq!(c.0[0], 4.0);
-        assert_eq!(c.0[1], 4.0);
-        assert_eq!(c.1, 4.0);
+        assert_eq!(c.position[0], 4.0);
+        assert_eq!(c.position[1], 4.0);
+        assert_eq!(c.height, 4.0);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -299,23 +328,23 @@ mod tests {
         let a = HeightVector::<2>::from(([1.0, 2.0], 3.0));
         let b = HeightVector::<2>::from(([3.0, 2.0], 1.0));
         let c = a - b;
-        assert_eq!(c.0[0], -2.0);
-        assert_eq!(c.0[1], 0.0);
-        assert_eq!(c.1, 4.0);
+        assert_eq!(c.position[0], -2.0);
+        assert_eq!(c.position[1], 0.0);
+        assert_eq!(c.height, 4.0);
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn test_mul_scalar() {
         let a = HeightVector::<2>::from(([1.0, 2.0], 3.0)) * 10.0;
-        assert_eq!(a.0[0], 10.0);
-        assert_eq!(a.0[1], 20.0);
-        assert_eq!(a.1, 30.0);
+        assert_eq!(a.position[0], 10.0);
+        assert_eq!(a.position[1], 20.0);
+        assert_eq!(a.height, 30.0);
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn test_serde() {
         // start with JSON, deserialize it
-        let s = "[{\"inner\":[1.0,2.0,3.0]},4.0]";
+        let s = "{\"position\":[1.0,2.0,3.0],\"height\":4.0}";
         let a: HeightVector<3> = serde_json::from_str(s).unwrap();
 
         // make sure it's the right length and works like we expect a normal NC

src/lib.rs

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 //!
 //! // mock up a remote NC for the sake of this example (normally the node would actually receive
 //! // this from a remote node)
-//! let received_msg = "{\"position\":[{\"inner\":[1.5,0.5,2.0]},0.1],\"error\":1.0}";
+//! let received_msg = "{\"position\":[1.5,0.5,2.0],\"height\":0.1,\"error\":1.0}";
 //! let remote_nc: NetworkCoordinate<3> = serde_json::from_str(received_msg).unwrap();
 //!
 //! // mock up a measured RTT between us and that node (normally the nodes would coordinate
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
 //!
 //! // mock up a remote NC for the sake of this example (normally the node would actually receive
 //! // this from a remote node)
-//! let received_msg = "{\"position\":[{\"inner\":[1.5,0.5,2.0]},0.1],\"error\":1.0}";
+//! let received_msg = "{\"position\":[1.5,0.5,2.0],\"height\":0.1,\"error\":1.0}";
 //! let remote_nc: NetworkCoordinate<3> = serde_json::from_str(received_msg).unwrap();
 //!
 //! // estimate the RTT to this remote node without measuring it directly

src/network_coordinate.rs

@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ const MIN_ERROR: f32 = f32::EPSILON;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct NetworkCoordinate<const N: usize> {
-    position: HeightVector<N>,
+    #[serde(flatten)]
+    heightvec: HeightVector<N>,
     error: f32,
 }
 
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ impl<const N: usize> NetworkCoordinate<N> {
     ///
     pub fn estimated_rtt(&self, rhs: &Self) -> Duration {
         // estimated rss is euclidean distance between the two plus the sum of the heights
-        Duration::from_secs_f32((self.position - rhs.position).len() / 1000.0)
+        Duration::from_secs_f32((self.heightvec - rhs.heightvec).len() / 1000.0)
     }
 
     /// Given another Vivaldi [`NetworkCoordinate`], adjust our coordinateto better represent the actual round
@@ -166,11 +167,12 @@ impl<const N: usize> NetworkCoordinate<N> {
         // δ = cc × w
         let delta = C_DELTA * w;
         // xi = xi + δ × (rtt − ‖xi − xj ‖) × u(xi − xj)
-        self.position = self.position + (self.position - rhs.position).normalized() * delta * error;
+        self.heightvec =
+            self.heightvec + (self.heightvec - rhs.heightvec).normalized() * delta * error;
 
         // if we ended up with an invalid coordinate, return a new random coordinate with default
         // error
-        if self.position.is_invalid() {
+        if self.heightvec.is_invalid() {
             *self = Self::new()
         }
 
@@ -193,7 +195,7 @@ impl<const N: usize> Default for NetworkCoordinate<N> {
     /// A default `NetworkCoordinate` has a random position and DEFAULT_ERROR
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
-            position: HeightVector::<N>::random(),
+            heightvec: HeightVector::<N>::random(),
             error: DEFAULT_ERROR,
         }
     }
@@ -258,8 +260,8 @@ mod tests {
 
         // verify the initial error
         let error =
-        (slc.error.powf(2.0) + nyc.error.powf(2.0) + lax.error.powf(2.0) + mad.error.powf(2.0))
-            .sqrt();
+            (slc.error.powf(2.0) + nyc.error.powf(2.0) + lax.error.powf(2.0) + mad.error.powf(2.0))
+                .sqrt();
         assert_eq!(error, 400.0);
 
         // iterate plenty of times to converge and minimize error
@@ -292,11 +294,11 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_serde() {
         // start with JSON, deserialize it
-        let s = "{\"position\":[{\"inner\":[1.5,0.5,2.0]},0.1],\"error\":1.0}";
+        let s = "{\"position\":[1.5,0.5,2.0],\"height\":0.1,\"error\":1.0}";
         let a: NetworkCoordinate<3> = serde_json::from_str(s).unwrap();
 
         // make sure it's the right length and works like we expect a normal NC
-        assert_approx_eq!(a.position.len(), 2.649_509, 0.001);
+        assert_approx_eq!(a.heightvec.len(), 2.649_509, 0.001);
         assert_eq!(a.error, 1.0);
         assert_eq!(a.estimated_rtt(&a).as_millis(), 0);
 
@@ -308,9 +310,9 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn test_estimated_rtt() {
         // start with JSON, deserialize it
-        let s = "{\"position\":[{\"inner\":[1.5,0.5,2.0]},25.0],\"error\":1.0}";
+        let s = "{\"position\":[1.5,0.5,2.0],\"height\":25.0,\"error\":1.0}";
         let a: NetworkCoordinate<3> = serde_json::from_str(s).unwrap();
-        let s = "{\"position\":[{\"inner\":[-1.5,-0.5,-2.0]},50.0],\"error\":1.0}";
+        let s = "{\"position\":[-1.5,-0.5,-2.0],\"height\":50.0,\"error\":1.0}";
         let b: NetworkCoordinate<3> = serde_json::from_str(s).unwrap();
 
         let estimate = a.estimated_rtt(&b);

src/vector.rs

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Vector<T, const N: usize>
 where
     T: Float + Serialize + for<'d> Deserialize<'d>,
 {
+    #[serde(rename = "position")]
     #[serde_as(as = "[_; N]")]
     inner: [T; N],
 }
@@ -279,7 +280,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_serde() {
         let a = Vector::<f32, 3>::from([1.0, 2.0, 3.0]);
         let s = serde_json::to_string(&a);
-        assert_eq!(s.as_ref().unwrap(), "{\"inner\":[1.0,2.0,3.0]}");
+        assert_eq!(s.as_ref().unwrap(), "{\"position\":[1.0,2.0,3.0]}");
         assert!(s.is_ok());
     }
 }