BLE question nRF8002

[Phil]

Hello all,

we want to design a new product. in short description, it can be view as a key fob dongle and an access reader. the key fob can be a stand alone key fob ( as this description : link text ) OR a smartphone with Bluetooth enable ( iOS, Android or Windows Phone devices).

we want to know approximately the distance between the keyfob and the reader (only know if the dongle is in 1meter distance or less).

we plan to use the nRF8002 chip for the reader and for the keyfob.

1/ if the keyfob is the smartphone, does we only should pair the smartphone to the reader, to get the RSSI level ? or should we write some application on the smartphone ?

2/ is the nRF8002 the best choice ? as it it notice as "proximity IC" .. I don't understand exctly the differences between the 8001 and the 8002 chip ?

thanks for your advice, best regards Phil

[Asbjørn]

Q1: You can test it out with apps available from for example Nordic. Have a look at the nRFtoolbox or nRF proximity. In the long run, if you are planning on launching a product, I would recommend to create your own app to handle the connection.

Q2: I would recommend you to have a look at the nRF51822 as this is a much more flexible solution. The nRF8002 is a single chip BLE solution, but it comes with a limited set of functionality. The nRF8001 must be controlled by an external MCU, but it's much more flexible in what it can do. The nRF51822 is a single chip BLE solution, but it has even better flexibility than the nRF8001.