Central role in a mesh proxy node.

[Gaurav]

Hi,

I have a BLE sensor node (firmware not modifiable) that takes up a peripheral role and starts advertising when powered up. Typically, one can scan for the node from a smartphone, initiate a connection and receive the sensor data from it.

For my use-case, I want to send this sensor data over a BLE mesh network (using nRF52832 modules) to extend the range of communication between the BLE sensor node and the smartphone.

Now, the problem is the connection between the BLE sensor node and the mesh (proxy) node.

From my understanding, I need to have a device running a central role and the mesh stack at the same time to which my sensor node can connect.

Currently, the proxy server (a light-switch server which allows for proxy connection) and the proxy client (a light-switch client which allows for proxy connection) both take up the peripheral role and advertises packets to which a smartphone (central) can connect to.

So, how can I have my proxy node to take up the central role (scans for the sensor node and initiate a BLE connection) in a mesh network?

Is there any suitable example that I can look at?

Thank you.

[Mttrinh]

Hi,

From my understanding, I need to have a device running a central role and the mesh stack at the same time to which my sensor node can connect.

Yes, this is correct, but I don't think the proxy feature is what you need. I think you need coexistence, running both Mesh and BLE central simultaneously. We have some documentation on coexistence between BLE and Mesh functionality, have a look at it here. There are also some examples how the nRF5 SDK features can be simultaneously used with nRF5 SDK for Mesh, have a look here. That way you be able to connect to your BLE sensor node and communicate with the Mesh network.

Just to clear up what the proxy feature is. The proxy feature allows you to receive and transmit mesh messages between GATT and advertising bearers. The light switch client/server with proxy, is a proxy server application which can be provisioned by a GATT-based provisioner(like our nRF Mesh app) and can be connected by a Proxy client(can be an app on your phone) to interact with the mesh. The Proxy Client acts like any other mesh device, but sends all its mesh communication over BLE to a Proxy Server, which relays it into the mesh.

It depends on what you need but I assume you want something like the image attached? Then you also need a node which runs both Mesh and BLE peripheral role, that can connect to your smartphone.