Bluetooth™ low energy data transfer communication system and method
A method for data transfer includes establishing a first wireless connection between a transceiver and a handheld device, the transceiver initially operating in an peripheral role and the handheld device operating in a central role; switching a role of both the transceiver and the handheld device in response to establishing the first wireless connection, the transceiver module switching from the peripheral role to the central role, and the handheld device from the central role to the peripheral role; and establishing a second wireless connection between the transceiver and the handheld device subsequent to the switching.
1. A method for data transfer, comprising:
establishing a first wireless connection between a lock transceiver module and a handheld device transceiver module, the lock transceiver module initially operating in a peripheral role and the handheld device transceiver module operating in a central role, the peripheral role connection interval less than a central role connection interval;
switching a role of both the transceiver module and the handheld device transceiver module in response to establishing the first wireless connection, the lock transceiver module switching from the peripheral role to the central role, and the handheld device transceiver module from the central role to the peripheral role such that the lock transceiver module sets the connection interval to a faster rate; and
establishing a second wireless connection between the lock transceiver module and the handheld device transceiver module subsequent to the switching to transfer credential data to operate a lock, wherein establishing the second wireless connection comprises reverting the lock transceiver module to the advertisement role in response to the second connection not occurring within a predetermined time period.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lock transceiver module is a Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) module that switches into the central role subsequent to the first wireless connection.
3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising disconnecting the first wireless connection prior to establishing the second wireless connection.
4. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the first wireless connection while establishing the second wireless connection.
5. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising advertising from the handheld device transceiver module at a maximum advertising rate subsequent to switching the role thereof, wherein wirelessly transmitting advertisements at the maximum rate is at a rate of 32 times per second.
6. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising operating the first wireless connection interval at a normal transmission rate then operating the second wireless connection interval at a maximum transmission rate greater than the first transmission rate, wherein the normal advertisement rate is one (1) advertisement per second and the maximum rate is at a rate of 32 times per second.
7. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting advertisements from the lock transceiver module according to a normal advertising rate for a Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) module prior to establishing the first wireless connection, wherein the normal advertisement rate is one (1) advertisement per second.
8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the handheld device transceiver module is initially operating in the central role with a connection interval of 20-30 milliseconds.
9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lock transceiver module is initially operating in the peripheral role with a connection interval at a minimum of 7.5 milliseconds.
10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein iOS does not limit the minimum connection interval that can be used when the handheld device transceiver is the peripheral.
11. A method for data transfer for a lock, comprising:
wirelessly transmitting advertisements from a lock transceiver module;
establishing a first wireless connection between the lock transceiver module and a handheld device transceiver module;
switching the lock transceiver module to a central role from a peripheral role in response to the first wireless connection;
switching the handheld device transceiver module to a peripheral role from a central role in response to the first wireless connection, the peripheral role connection interval less than a central role connection interval such that the lock transceiver module sets the connection interval to a faster rate; and
establishing a second wireless connection between the lock transceiver module and the handheld device transceiver module to transfer credential data to operate a lock.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising disconnecting the first connection prior to establishing the second connection.
13. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting advertisements from the lock transceiver module according to a normal advertising rate prior to establishing the first connection, wherein the normal advertisement rate is one (1) advertisement per second.
14. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting advertisements from the handheld device transceiver module at a maximum transmission rate subsequent to the first wireless connection, wherein wirelessly transmitting advertisements at the maximum rate is at a rate of 32 times per second.
15. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the handheld device transceiver module commands the lock transceiver module to switch into the central role subsequent to the first wireless connection.
16. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising disconnecting the first wireless connection prior to establishing the second wireless connection.
17. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein establishing the second wireless connection comprises reverting the lock transceiver module to the advertisement role in response to the second connection not occurring within a predetermined time period.
18. A handheld device, comprising:
a handheld device transceiver module operable to provide both a Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) central role and a Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) peripheral role;
a power supply;
a memory to store executable instructions; and
a processor in communication with the memory and the power supply, the processor operable to execute the executable instructions to switch the handheld device transceiver module from the Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) central role to the Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) peripheral role in response to an initial connection with a lock transceiver module, wherein the executable instructions command the lock transceiver module to switch to a central role from a peripheral role subsequent to the first wireless connection, wherein the handheld device transceiver module is initially operating in the central role with a connection interval of 20-30 milliseconds and the lock transceiver module is initially operating in the peripheral role with a connection interval at a minimum of 7.5 milliseconds to transfer credentials data to operate a lock.
19. The handheld device as recited in claim 18 , wherein the transceiver is initially operating in the Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) central role to receive advertisements.
20. The handheld device as recited in claim 18 , wherein the handheld device is a phone.
21. The handheld device as recited in claim 18 , wherein the lock is a lock.
22. The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the overall time to operate the lock is about 1.5 seconds.