Interfacing Bluetooth USB Dongle with Microcontroller

[shingadaddy]

how to interface micro controller and bluetooth

Yep. Thats a good one. Lots of companies make them. Also note that one of the suggested applications for this module is "USB DONGLE". If it were placed in a DONGLE, that would be one of the "INTELLIGENT" or "DRIVERLESS" dongles if this module was used. However "DRIVERLESS" is a bit of a misnomer since a virtual com port driver is usually invoked because the onboard radio electrronics usual fake the PC into thinking there is a USB to RS232 com port hooked into the usb port on the PC. We like the idea of the RADIO parts being easily/quickly removable for secuity reasons. Hence my desire to use a dongle. Blueroomelectronics makes some good suggestion regarding your project and the device you have found should be good. Somewhere on the site that this module comes from will probably have a list of commands for controlling it via UART. Good luck with your project.

 

[koolhoney07]

bluetooth+microcontroller+interfacing

hey thank u so much for ur valuable suggestions....


1. now i want to know how the coding is to be done on microcontroller(i.e,using AT commands, C coding or Assembly?????) for communication betwn bt and mc.

2.where can i easily get these bluetooth modules and microcontrollers in India(if possible in andra pradesh)?????

 

[shingadaddy]

bluetooth interface for microcontrollers

Well to start with I looked around on the BLUEPACKET site

**broken link removed**

This seems to be the point on the web that comes up while googling BP20372.
I didn't find any info on the related command set that this device needs and the site seems to have a lot of pages that are still "under construction". I'll have to say good luck to you about getting the needed data. They probably will get it to you but I suppose you'll have to ask for it. Maybe I didn't surf enough??:|

"AT" commands are just ASCII data that you will need to send to the bluetooth module of your choice, typically from the UART port on the microcontroller of your choice. Some Bluetooth modules use "AT" commands and some just roll their own version of commands like Roving Networks. Roving Network has their command set published on the web.

http://www.rovingnetworks.com/documents/BlueportII-ref-guide.pdf.

A similar module to the one you mentioned is the RN-41. You can get them at Digikey. The Roving Networks device is CLASS 1 (LONG RANGE) but you can control the output power with commands.

1. Maybe I missed it but I don't recall you mentioning which microcontroller you have used before and which one you are going to use for this application. If you have used one before and are familiar with its hardware enough to know if it has a UART port, then you can use any language that is available for that microcontroller . Basic, C, Assembly.... Whatever. Your choice. But it has to be targeted to THAT MICROCONTROLLER. The UART port should be accessible with any decent software package. You write the code to produce the MODULE SPECIFIC commands that your specific Bluetooth module requires. ("AT" or otherwise )

2. I am unfamiliar with what is available in India but I can tell you that Digikey ships world wide within legal technology limits and Digikey DOES NOT HAVE the bluetooth module you are referencing.

Again I wish you good luck..

Added after 5 hours 22 minutes:

Oh and just for anybody thats interested, I just ordered a couple of those RN-USB-X devices from Roving Networks. I plan on driving these USB dongles with my microcontroller through the Vinculum device in DATA mode, which just passes whatever the Vinculum chip gets on it's UART port straight through and out on USB. The RN-USB-X fakes the PC into thinking a USB to RS232 com port (An FTDI 232R), just got plugged in. Technically this *IS* exactly what the thread is about but its not your every day run of the mill $12.00 Bluetooth dongle. At $70.00 Still cheaper than the $100 RS232 to bluetooth and does not require power from a wall wart or battery. I'll let you all know how it goes if you're interested.

 

[koolhoney07]

implementing bluetooth stack in microcontroller

hey thank u thanksss a lottt....the information u hav given is definetely very useful

i have some more little doubts regarding my prj..pls make it clear na..

1. is it enough to connect a mc to a bt module directly or do we need any software to be installed in mc to access the data from the bluetooth module??????

2.after the connection between bt module and mc....how the other device(i.e,mobile with bt feature) wil recognise this bt module to send some data(i.e,contact no.) to dat module???

ohhh is it possible to communicate with dongle???yep am interested in knowing about ur project in detail...seems to be very interesting

 

[koolhoney07]

pic microcontrollers bluetooth

hey friends....pls do reply for my above post..


i wil b very thankful to u all...

 

[koolhoney07]

wpan bluetooth adapter microcontroller

hey what happend....y no response from anyone...some one try out and help mee something yaar....i need those details at any cost...i need them for my project which i have to submit in the near days....

plsssssssssss helpppp

Added after 3 minutes:

hey @shingadaddy, u said that u trying interface with BT dongle....pls can u let me know that in detail..

 

[blueroomelectronics]

microcontroller interface to bluetooth dongle

You been told what parts you need. What else do you want? Febuary 1 is only a couple weeks away.

 

[koolhoney07]

interface bluetooth module to microcontroller

hey noooo....am asking for the other....just refer the above scrapss..

i.e,
1. is it enough to connect a mc to a bt module directly or do we need any software to be installed in mc to access the data from the bluetooth module??????

2.after the connection between bt module and mc....how the other device(i.e,mobile with bt feature) wil recognise this bt module to send some data(i.e,contact no.) to dat module???

 

[krishnasty]

bluetooth microcontroller phone

hi,
i am doing a similar project in which a UC wil be connected to a bluetooth dongle. this embedded system when connected to the PC will be able to send some information which i feed to different bluetooth devices . i was going thru the post and wanted to know if anybody was successfull in getting the interfacing done properly. i am also doing the same implementation in java. using jdk, i have designed a code which will send txt files to cell phones via bluetooth dongle connected to the pc. i now want the hardware thing to be done.
pls help me out.
thnx

 

[blueroomelectronics]

modify bluetooth dongle as modem

I take it you're using a RS232 type Bluetooth dongle with a microcontroller.

REMEMBER the USB dongles do not work with a microcontroller.

 

[krishnasty]

l2cap stack on mcu

k..
then do u have ne other approach to design such a system??

 

[blueroomelectronics]

how to interface microcontroller and bluetooth

Yes use a module with standard serial I/O (not USB)

 

[shingadaddy]

otg bluetooth interfacing dongle

Dongle, Module, Adapter, Widget...I seem to be seeing a mix of terms so just fer giggles I'll offer some standards here so we can be on the same page:

USB Bluetooth Dongle: A USB device that plugs into a USB port on a PC or other piece of equipment. Sometimes also called ADAPTER and can be DUMB or INTELLIGENT.
DUMB EXAMPLE: **broken link removed**
INTELLIGENT EXAMPLE:**broken link removed**

Bluetooth Module: A complete bluetooth device for embedding into other equipment that has on board intelligence and usually has a choice of desired interface options such as RS232 (whether TTL or true RS232 voltage levels) SPI, I2C, I2S. Usually a small PCB with various mounting options.
Example: http://www.rovingnetworks.com/bluetooth-modules.php

RS232 Bluetooth ADAPTERS: Sometime refered to as a DONGLE. Usually considered a plug on device with a 9 pin D tyype connector that adapts true RS-232 voltage levels and communication protocols to Bluetooth. These are INTELLIGENT. Like the one recommended earlier by blueroomelectronics.
Another example or **broken link removed**.

Now for a quick where I'm at in my project...... I am having trouble getting the Vinculum into DATA MODE. It does it with my DUMB bluetooth dongle but *NOT* if I have NOTHING plugged in or if I have a FLASHDISK plugged in. Factory support says it should go into DATA MODE in any of these conditions. So until I get it to work in ANY of these CONDITIONS like they say, this Vinculum is a NO-GO.

 

[shingadaddy]

bluetooth interfacing with 8051

2 completely seperate circuit cards with the Vinculum on them and still no DATAACK response as advertised. Still contacting support. Won't hear back from them til tomorrow.

 

[krishnasty]

pic usb bluetooth

guys, i tried to work something out. i have managed to use a bluetooth dongle to push(not transfer) the text written on the comp to any bluetooth device using java.. i have the code that has to tranfered. i just need the hardware where i can connect a designed system to the comp on one end and a dongle on the other end and that will work as my external device..any ideas???

 

[shingadaddy]

ic microcontroller bluetooth

So you have a JAVA app that you run on your computer. This same computer has a USB bluetooth dongle plugged into it. So you type stuff into the JAVA app and this is "PUSHED" out to a device.. "Any bluetooth device?" It's easy enough to get a couple of computers set up with a bluetooth dongle on each and fire up hyperterminal. Using SPP you can type on one computer and see it received on the other one. After DISCOVERING and PAIRING and PASSKEYING

What is the "any device" that you tested with?

 

[krishnasty]

bluetooth mcu

whenever u fire up a hyper-terminal, there r few things which r involved.
1st- the second computer asks for the permission to to accept the incoming connection. if the host declines it, the data WONT be passed. the code which i wrote elminates that situation. the data which i would send will be recieved on the device without its permission. i.e., it will be forced on the host.
2nd- whenever we use a bluetooth conventionally, the data transmission is one on one. the code which i wrote is actually broadcasting the data instead of the going to one on one connection. this is helpful when u have multiple bluetooth devices in range.
i just found a little glitch in my code. i have a nokia 6600 and i was able to send the data on my cell. but when i tried the same thing with motorolla cell( which my frnd owns), it was not succesfull. the problem, which i suppose is with the port number. i am not able to figure out which port moto uses for obect reception.
anyways, i am still trying and will keep u updated if any thing comes up. meanwhile, did anybody come up with the hardware stuff?
guys help me out..
thnx..

 

[niket_304]

nxp isp1160

Hello guys...

Its now more than 2 years I started this thread. My intention was to take advantage of very low cost and easily available Bluetooth dongles for data and audio communication. But I think after a lot of discussion and nearly 100 posts, it seems to be impossible to design a complete embedded device interfaced with bluetooth dongle.

Well, I am already out of this issue since a long time. But the scenario after two years is lil bit changed. BT Dongles are more cheaper, MCU based systems with USB hosts are easily available, mcu manufacturere are dying to give any kind of support and Open Source environment has become more known and favorable.

I am currently working on Embedded Linux (uClinux), and this platform has led me to come up with new idea.

I think the main problem of interfacing BT dongle was :
1. MCu with USB Host
2. BT Stack (Driver) to manage USB dongle connected to USB port

These can be solved by using higher end MCUs like ARM, Coldfire, MSP...which supports uClinux (www.uclinux.org).
I think uclinux is already equipped with BT stack and driver software for Bluetooth dongles. I presume that all the higher end MCUs based boards on which uclinux is running will definately have USB host controller. In this way, we dont hav to develop any 'Stack' or 'Drivers'.

Although this is entirely new domain, people with some kind of experience in Embedded linux and ARM/MSP based system design can easily do this.

 

[shingadaddy]

bluetooth microcontrol driver nasıl

Niket_304:
Yes there are more and more controllers coming out with full USB support. And enough horsepower to run the USB and Bluetooth stacks. And the IP is costed in if not nearly free.

krishnasty:
Basically the same reply to you as Niket_304 but I'd be a little more concerned about the legality of what you are doing. I'm thinking being able to "PUSH" things onto devices without permission would be considered inappropriate or just plain old "HACKING". In a professional setting, this would not be a viable solution.

 

[krishnasty]

proxi usb bluetooth pic

i agree with u that the legality of such system might be dangerous or HACKING, as u said, but i had something else in mind when i started the concept. i appreciate ur concern and thats y not leaking out my code. but since, i want to show the entire project in my university, thats y i am continuing it.
also, bout uclinux havin bluetooth stack in it, can it cross compile with java?? and which microprocessor can it support? i am naive on the embedded front and thats y wanted some input in form of design or concept so that atleast i know where to start from.