Need to add small (under 12x10mm) BLE module to handheld device to be able to periodically download data from the device to smartphone, handheld device can provide its data via I2C pins.

[Alex]

Hello, we have a handheld device with Microchip (ex. Atmega) Microcontroller that essentially monitors and records different environmental conditions and stores them them into memory.  In the nutshell it is just a temperature log device. We want to add functionality to be able to download its stored data via BLE to smartphone phone or tablet.  Data size is not large, about 1kByte per session.

We reserved PCB space for BLE module, space is about 10x15mm and also reserved 3.3V power and I2C pins to be able to communicate with BLE device.

Can you please suggest the best solution for this problem, what module to buy, and what is the best(easiest) tool to write program for it so that our handheld device can push data to it via I2C protocol and then the BLE device will further sent that data to smartphone or perhaps another BLE enabled device.

[awneil]

So you have an existing product, and you're adding BLE to it - yes?

IF you were starting from scratch, there would probably be no point in having the separate microcontroller - the Nordic chips can certainly do anything that an ATMega could ...

[Alex]

Correct, we have existing project that is already in production and BLE is a bonus that can be added since we had reserved I2C and power pins to be able to add any peripherals in future and this is one of those cases.

I do understand now that BLE modules are essentially a powerful microcontrollers with RF functionality by BLE protocol. So with next projects I will enforce to build product around BLE module from start.

[awneil]

Alex said:

BLE modules are essentially a powerful microcontrollers with RF functionality

Not all modules allow you to program the chip(s) inside them.

As ever, you need to study the documentation carefully to understand exactly what you are - and are not - getting.

Alex said:

with next projects I will enforce to build product around BLE module

No, don't just blindly do that! You need to think about the specific requirements of each case and how best to meet them.