1. Insights into designing short range communication interface for IOT
Bluetooth Low Energy
Insights into designing short range communication interface for IOT
Presented By: Amir Rix
Director, Strategic Solutions, TandemG
October 31, 2017
Amir Rix

2. Some background - IoT
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3. Some background - BLE Capabilities and limitations overview
Advantages – power, simplicity, available handy peers and gateways (mobile)
Disadvantages – throughput, security (*), range
Common use cases – cable replacement, display replacement, physical accessibility, location/presence
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4. Some background – BLE stack
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5. Insight #1 - Hardware Select the correct vendor Chip vs. Module
Capabilities: features supported, SDKs, samples
Maturity – Popular? Any deployed products based on it?
Longevity
support/community
Chip vs. Module
Quantity vs. NRE
Time-to-market
Certification and regulation (SIG)
RF risks
Focus
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6. Insight #2 - Security
As of BLE Version 4.2, the spec offers features to enhance privacy and security, significantly enhanced in BLE 5 (June 16’)
An IoT device is a connected computer - an entry point to your smart home, smart car, and anywhere your data is
A hacked IoT device is a potential BOT
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7. Insight #3- Profile GAP role: Central / Peripheral
GATT service (standard or proprietary)
Server / Client
E.g. Temperature, Glucose, Battery
Multiple services w/ multiple characteristics
Multiple characteristics vs. consolidated, could sometimes be used for throughput reasons.
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8. Insight #4 - Power Save Rx/Tx power consumption
Advertising interval, Scan interval and Scan window (Time to scan and discover)
Connection parameters – Connection interval and slave latency (Time to connect)
Read vs. Notification vs. indication
Connection interval: Determines how often the Central will ask for data from the Peripheral. When the Peripheral requests an update, it supplies a maximum and a minimum wanted interval. The connection interval must be between 7.5 ms and 4 s.
Slave latency: By setting a non-zero slave latency, the Peripheral can choose to not answer when the Central asks for data up to the slave latency number of times. However, if the Peripheral has data to send, it can choose to send data at any time. This enables a peripheral to stay sleeping for a longer time, if it doesn't have data to send, but still send data fast if needed. The text book example of such device is for example keyboard and mice, which want to be sleeping for as long as possible when there is no data to send, but still have low latency (and for the mouse: low connection interval) when needed.
Amir Rix

9. Insight #5 - Compatibility
Android
Integral part since Jelly Bean (4.3), Oreo (8.0) already has API for BLE 5
Sensitivity to Manufacturer, ROM, OS version (e.g.,
iOS
Integral part since iOS 5, iPhone 8 already supports BLE 5
BluetoothDesignGuidelines.pdf (Updated 16/6/17)
Lower max throughput (weighed against UX)
A way around MFi program
Amir Rix

10. Thank You! Feel free to contact me amir@tandemg.com +972-54-9509704
Amir Rix