Multiple buttons devices controlling multiple output devices using BLE

[kian79]

Hi,

I have an application where I have for example 5 BLE transmitting devices . Each device has one push button and each device is assigned to a number 1-5. I also have 10 BLE receiving devices, each comes with a simple LCD. In my application, whenever a button is pressed, it should transmit to all the BLE receivers and display the button number on the LCD.

I need to implement this using BLE and not other wireless protocols. Can anyone advise on how this can be best implemented? I am using this in a small office environment (max distance between devices is 30m with 1 wall in-between). Will the multi-link-multi-role demo be a good starting point for this?

https://github.com/NordicPlayground/nrf52-ble-multi-link-multi-role

What BLE services do I need? Or what modifications to the example do I need to make?

Thanks in advance.

[mtsunstrum]

One BLE Central role can connect to multiple BLE Peripheral roles.

Once a BLE connection is established, the Centrals and Peripherals can both equally transmit and receive.

If you can assign one device as a BLE Central, (effectively a "master" of the system), then that BLE Central would initiate connections with all BLE peripherals, and then you are off the races

With this approac, your 5 "push button" BLE peripherals would report a button press back to the Central, and the Central would relay message onto the 10 "LCD" devices.

Possible, but awkward. Also, establishing 15 concurrent connections would be a major stretch. The Central could connect / poll / disconnect from each device, and that would work.

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In your scenario, you are likely looking for something like BLE Mesh functionality.

.

[kian79]

I was initially thinking of mesh, but the implementation looks too complicated for me to understand. I figured that I might not need long range so I will want to avoid mesh if possible.