diff --git a/src/packages/harp-data/src/harp/data/__init__.py b/src/packages/harp-data/src/harp/data/__init__.py
index c8208f1..99e3a7d 100644
--- a/src/packages/harp-data/src/harp/data/__init__.py
+++ b/src/packages/harp-data/src/harp/data/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
+from ._read import read
 from ._reader import parse_to_dataframe, payload_to_dataframe
 
 __all__ = [
+    "read",
     "parse_to_dataframe",
     "payload_to_dataframe",
 ]
diff --git a/src/packages/harp-data/src/harp/data/_read.py b/src/packages/harp-data/src/harp/data/_read.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fb7973f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/packages/harp-data/src/harp/data/_read.py
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+from typing import Any
+
+import pandas as pd
+from harp.protocol import (
+    PayloadType,
+    RegisterBase,
+    RegisterFloat,
+    RegisterFloatArray,
+    RegisterS8,
+    RegisterS8Array,
+    RegisterS16,
+    RegisterS16Array,
+    RegisterS32,
+    RegisterS32Array,
+    RegisterS64,
+    RegisterS64Array,
+    RegisterU8,
+    RegisterU8Array,
+    RegisterU16,
+    RegisterU16Array,
+    RegisterU32,
+    RegisterU32Array,
+    RegisterU64,
+    RegisterU64Array,
+    decode_payload_type,
+)
+from harp.protocol._constants import _HEADER_LEN, _TIMESTAMP_LEN
+
+from ._reader import Source, _read_bytes, parse_to_dataframe
+
+_SCALAR_REGISTER: dict[PayloadType, Any] = {
+    PayloadType.U8: RegisterU8,
+    PayloadType.S8: RegisterS8,
+    PayloadType.U16: RegisterU16,
+    PayloadType.S16: RegisterS16,
+    PayloadType.U32: RegisterU32,
+    PayloadType.S32: RegisterS32,
+    PayloadType.U64: RegisterU64,
+    PayloadType.S64: RegisterS64,
+    PayloadType.Float: RegisterFloat,
+}
+
+_ARRAY_REGISTER: dict[PayloadType, Any] = {
+    PayloadType.U8: RegisterU8Array,
+    PayloadType.S8: RegisterS8Array,
+    PayloadType.U16: RegisterU16Array,
+    PayloadType.S16: RegisterS16Array,
+    PayloadType.U32: RegisterU32Array,
+    PayloadType.S32: RegisterS32Array,
+    PayloadType.U64: RegisterU64Array,
+    PayloadType.S64: RegisterS64Array,
+    PayloadType.Float: RegisterFloatArray,
+}
+
+
+def _infer_native_register(raw: bytes) -> type[RegisterBase[Any]]:
+    """Build a native register class from the first frame's header.
+
+    Reads the payload-type byte, the length byte and the timestamp flag to derive
+    the element type and element count, then returns the matching scalar or array
+    register from :mod:`harp.protocol`.
+    """
+    if len(raw) < _HEADER_LEN:
+        raise ValueError(f"buffer too short to contain a Harp frame header ({len(raw)} bytes)")
+    info = decode_payload_type(raw[4])
+    stride = int(raw[1]) + 2
+    payload_offset = _HEADER_LEN + (_TIMESTAMP_LEN if info.has_timestamp else 0)
+    payload_bytes = stride - payload_offset - 1  # trailing checksum byte
+    count = payload_bytes // info.element_size
+    address = int(raw[2])
+    if count == 1:
+        return _SCALAR_REGISTER[info.payload_type]
+    return _ARRAY_REGISTER[info.payload_type](address, length=count)
+
+
+def read(
+    source: Source,
+    *,
+    timestamp: bool = True,
+    message_type: bool = False,
+) -> pd.DataFrame:
+    """Read a single register's binary data, inferring its native layout.
+
+    ``source`` may be a file path, raw bytes, or an open binary file. The element
+    type, length and timestamp presence are read from the first frame; values
+    decode to the matching native numpy type (no enum or bit-mask decoding).
+    """
+    raw = _read_bytes(source)
+    if len(raw) == 0:
+        return pd.DataFrame()
+    register = _infer_native_register(raw)
+    return parse_to_dataframe(register, raw, timestamp=timestamp, message_type=message_type)
diff --git a/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py b/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py
index 6e2d57e..abce77c 100644
--- a/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py
+++ b/src/packages/harp-protocol/src/harp/protocol/__init__.py
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@
     AnonymousPayload,
     Column,
 )
-from ._payload_type import PayloadType
+from ._payload_type import (
+    PayloadType,
+    PayloadTypeInfo,
+    decode_payload_type,
+    encode_payload_type,
+)
 from ._register import (
     RegisterBase,
     RegisterU8,
@@ -64,6 +69,9 @@
     "MessageType",
     # Payload type
     "PayloadType",
+    "PayloadTypeInfo",
+    "decode_payload_type",
+    "encode_payload_type",
     # Message
     "HarpMessage",
     "ParsedHarpMessage",