Smartphone detector

[almaz_1c]

Hi!

When I scan for BLE devices using "nrf UART 2.0" application I get a list of all available BLE devices. While running that application a bluetooth is activated on smartphone.

I need to develop firmware for NRF51822 to be able for detect smartphone with activated BLE.Does it possible to detect that smartphone using NRF51822 and get its MAC address? Should I configure NRF51822 as BLE_GAP_ADV_TYPE_ADV_SCAN_IND beacon for it as explained here: devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../ ?

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

If you setup the phone to advertise on BLE, it can be detected by the nRF51822 in the same way the board is detected by the phone. You will need to run one of the ble_central examples from the SDK. Note that not all phone support advertising on BLE, but most new models does. You can setup advertising in nRF Connect app for Android in the Advertiser tab.

[almaz_1c]

Thank you for answer! Does it (advertising) exactly what phone do while scanning for existing BLE devices such as beacons?

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

No, when advertising you are acting as the beacon and send out packages. This is the mechanism in BLE that is used to let other devices know you are present. While scanning, you are receiving these advertisement packages. I would recommend you to read this blog post, which describes the concept of advertising and scanning.

[almaz_1c]

Thank you for link. Seems I need to act as advertiser to get scan request from smartphone that in scanning now?

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

If active scanning is enabled, the central (scanner) will send a scan request to the peripheral (advertiser), and the peripheral will respond with a scan response (if enabled). When the central receive an advertising packet from the peripheral, it can choose to connect to the device, or keep scanning for other devices (or both).