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  • Case ID: 302564
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Android Bluetooth 5.1 Direction Finding (AoA / AoD) in android app.

Tasawar Khaliq

Hi,
    As an IoT Mobile app manager, my company goal is to provide development services for iOT-based (Android/ iOS) apps. We are currently developing an indoor map or positioning system product. As BLE 5.1 now supports direction finding of BLE devices so that users can track their location or position according to nearby Bluetooth 5.1-based beacons or devices.

We have an nRF52833 DK board-based device and Android mobile supporting Bluetooth 5.2 So how can I check the AoA /AoD or antenna Array whatsoever data is required to calculate position, in the nRF Connect app? Any info on Advertising data to check the direction data is available in the nRF52833 DK board which we have? OR by Default, the firmware of the nRF52833 DK board is not showing the direction-finding features and we have to write the firmware? If yes then from where I can get the demo firmware to test the direction-finding feature?

Also, we have an nRF52840 DK board but I think that not supports direction finding.

Please help and explain every concern in the question because we develop apps using the nordic board.

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  • 0

    Hello Tasawar,

     So how can I check the AoA /AoD or antenna Array whatsoever data is required to calculate position, in the nRF Connect app?

    You can't get this data from the nRF Connect App. In order to calculate the distance using Bluetooth Direction Finding, you have to send packets with a CTE extension (I know that not all smartphones are able to use this, but I've seen a few that brag about being able to send CTE's).

    What you need for a Direction Finding setup to work is to have a locator (reciever), and a tag (beacon). On the locator side, you also need an antenna array (eg. this one from Insight SiP). The CTE is then compared on each of these antennas, which is used to calculate I/Q values and from there calculate the angles. This procedure is also explained in further detail here in our whitepaper on direction finding.

    If yes then from where I can get the demo firmware to test the direction-finding feature?

    You can get the firmware to test direction finding in our nRF Connect SDK. There are samples for both the locator and tag, for both with and without connection. These will give you the I/Q data, but does not include an angle algorithm. That is something you will have to create yourself (note that this is no small undertaking, but everything you theoretically need is mentioned in the whitepaper).

    Also, we have an nRF52840 DK board but I think that not supports direction finding.

    Correct, only the nRF52833 and nRF5340 support both locator and tag roles. Starting off with the '33 sounds like a good choice.

    Regards,

    Elfving

  • 0 in reply to Elfving

       First of all thank you so much for answering my query. One more thing that we are mobile app developers and we need already developed firmware so that our board or device can advertise the direction/location data. So in short how we can setup our board without firmware development? 

    Elfving said:
    You can't get this data from the nRF Connect App

    Any app (Android / iOS) name you know through which I can check if the board is prepared. 

  • 0 in reply to Tasawar Khaliq
    Tasawar Khaliq said:
    One more thing that we are mobile app developers and we need already developed firmware so that our board or device can advertise the direction/location data.

    I might be misunderstanding you here.

    Is what you developed able to transmit Bluetooth packets with CTE data? If so, you might be able to use it along with some third party antenna and angle algorithm board. If you do not transmit standard Bluetooth CTE packets, but a custom solution, then I am not sure how you would be able to find a finished third party board that supports your solution. 

    In either case, finished products are not what we provide. I am here to help you with technical questions regarding our products. When it comes to finding finished third party products I can't do much for you. You could potentially check out companies like Insight SiP or uBlox and if they offer what you need. Or potentially look into creating this yourself.

    Tasawar Khaliq said:
    Any app (Android / iOS) name you know through which I can check if the board is prepared. 

    I do not know of any. And as I mentioned about phone CTE support, not all phones have it.

    Regards,

    Elfving

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  • 0 in reply to Tasawar Khaliq
    Tasawar Khaliq said:
    One more thing that we are mobile app developers and we need already developed firmware so that our board or device can advertise the direction/location data.

    I might be misunderstanding you here.

    Is what you developed able to transmit Bluetooth packets with CTE data? If so, you might be able to use it along with some third party antenna and angle algorithm board. If you do not transmit standard Bluetooth CTE packets, but a custom solution, then I am not sure how you would be able to find a finished third party board that supports your solution. 

    In either case, finished products are not what we provide. I am here to help you with technical questions regarding our products. When it comes to finding finished third party products I can't do much for you. You could potentially check out companies like Insight SiP or uBlox and if they offer what you need. Or potentially look into creating this yourself.

    Tasawar Khaliq said:
    Any app (Android / iOS) name you know through which I can check if the board is prepared. 

    I do not know of any. And as I mentioned about phone CTE support, not all phones have it.

    Regards,

    Elfving

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