Use nrf51 dk to connect to a bluetooth device

RE: Use nrf51 dk to connect to a bluetooth device

MartinBL — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 06:29:39 GMT

I don't have experience with BT Classic and I'm not sure what you mean. You want to hook the HC06 to the nRF51 DK via wired UART and then send data over the air using a virtual UART? This should be no problem. In fact there is an example in the SDK, ble_app_uart demonstrating this. The example establishes a virtual UART and sends data to, e.g., an iPhone or Android app and at the same time connects to the J-Link Segger chip on the nRF51 DK via (wired) UART and sends data to an emulated COM port via the USB cable. In your case you could just chose to send data back and forth to the HC06 instead of the Segger chip.

RE: Use nrf51 dk to connect to a bluetooth device

jizh1000 — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 20:13:27 GMT

Hi Martin, thank you for your answer. Now I am certain that the treadmill uses classic Bluetooth module.So Nrf 51 dk won't connect with it. But I have another idea to use a classic Bluetooth module. The question is, if I connect a classic Bluetooth module such as hc06 to the uart of nrf51dk, will the virtual com of uart also work at the same time with the classic Bluetooth module? since I need virtual com to transfer data to the host computer. I notice that the BLE on nrf51 dk can work with virtual com at the same time, how is this achieved?

RE: Use nrf51 dk to connect to a bluetooth device

MartinBL — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 08:41:56 GMT

Hi. What @michaeld said. You can use your nRF51 DK (or a smartphone) together with Master Control Panel (or sniffer software like Wireshark) and try to connect with the treadmill. If you can connect and read the services then you should be alright. But as @michaeld said the treadmill manufacturer might have used some security or proprietary protocol that will ruin your project. And the nRF51 is Bluetooth Low Energy (aka Bluetooth Smart, aka Bluetooth 4.x) only. You will not be able to connect to devices using older Bluetooth protocols.

RE: Use nrf51 dk to connect to a bluetooth device

michaeld — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 13:45:02 GMT

Only if the treadmill communicates with Blue Tooth Smart protocol and you can see the packets with the sniffer then if there isn't any security or brand specific protocol than you could connect to it.

RE: Use nrf51 dk to connect to a bluetooth device

jizh1000 — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 13:40:55 GMT

Hi, Thank you for your answer. If nRF51 can sniff the communication packets between the treadmill and the phone using the sniff software. Does it mean that nRF51 can connect to the treadmill? Thanks.

RE: Use nrf51 dk to connect to a bluetooth device

michaeld — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 13:32:52 GMT

I think this is not possible because the nRF51 device can only communicatie with the Bluetooth Smart/Low energy protocol. But if the treadmill is enabeld with this protocol then it might be possible yes.