Bidirectional BLE Communication via Mode Switching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication protocols lack bidirectional communication capabilities, preventing peripheral devices from confirming message receipt by hub devices and limiting programming or reprogramming, especially in non-connectable undirected advertising mode.
Innovation Solution
Implement a method where BLE devices alternately switch between scanning and advertising modes to enable bidirectional communication, allowing feedback and programming, without requiring a complete BLE stack, using low-cost and space-saving hardware components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If non-connectable undirected advertising mode is used, then power consumption is reduced and hardware requirements are simplified, but bidirectional communication capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic role swapping where BLE devices alternately switch between advertising and scanning modes. This dynamic behavior enables bidirectional communication without requiring both devices to maintain full BLE stacks simultaneously, thus reducing power consumption while restoring communication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic advertising and scanning intervals with defined duty cycles. Devices alternate between transmitting advertising packets and scanning for packets in a periodic manner, enabling bidirectional communication while maintaining low power consumption during non-active periods.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complete BLE firmware stack is implemented for bidirectional communication, then communication capability is improved, but device complexity and hardware requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential advertising and scanning functionalities from the complete BLE stack, eliminating the need for connection establishment, pairing, and other full-stack protocols. This extraction enables bidirectional communication using minimal firmware, reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of implementing expensive, complex full BLE stacks on both devices, the system uses simple, lightweight advertising/scanning packets that are transmitted periodically. These simplified communication objects replace the need for complex protocol stacks.
3Use of energy by moving object
If peripheral device only advertises without connection capability, then power consumption is reduced, but feedback reception and programming capability are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional advertising model by enabling the advertising device to also function as a scanner. The peripheral device advertises packets containing feedback information, and the hub scans and receives this feedback, enabling bidirectional information flow without requiring the peripheral to maintain connection state.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method, to a computer program and to a system to establish wireless communication between at least two Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices the method comprising the steps of: - switching a first BLE device (20) into a scanning mode (SM), - switching a second BLE device (30) into an advertising mode (AM), and broadcasting a first advertising packet (31) from the second BLE device, - switching the second BLE device (30) into the scanning mode (SM), - receiving the first advertising packet (31) by first BLE device (20), and - switching the first BLE device (20) into the advertising mode (AM), and broadcasting a second advertising packet (21) from the first BLE device (30).