User's Manual

Rev: e
© 2030 Free2move AB
Page 18(45)
Extended range Bluetooth
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Module - F2M03GXA
Datasheet
4.2.2 Extra Functionality
The firmware extends the standard Bluetooth functionality with the following features:
• Supports BlueCore Serial Protocol (BCSP) - a proprietary, reliable alternative to the standard
Bluetooth (H4) UART Host Transport.
• Provides a set of approximately 50 manufacturer-specific HCI extension commands. This command
set (called BCCMD – “BlueCore Command”) provides:
o Access to the module’s general-purpose PIO port
o The negotiated effective encryption key length on established Bluetooth links
o Access to the firmware’s random number generator
o Controls to set the default and maximum transmit powers - these can help to reduce
interference between overlapping, fixed-location piconets
o Dynamic UART configuration
o Radio transmitter enable/disable - a simple command connects to a dedicated hardware
switch that determines whether the radio can transmit.
• The firmware can read the voltage on a pair of the module’s external pins (normally used to build a
battery monitor, using either VM or host code).
• A block of BCCMD commands provides access to the module’s Persistent Store (PS) configuration
database. The database sets the device’s Bluetooth address, Class of Device, radio (transmit
class) configuration, SCO routing, LM, USB and DFU constants, etc.
• A UART “break” condition can be used in three ways:
o Presenting a UART break condition to the module can force the module to perform a
hardware reboot.
o Presenting a break condition at boot time can hold the module in a low power state,
preventing normal initialisation while the condition exists.
o With BCSP, the firmware can be configured to send a break to the host before sending
data - normally used to wake the host from a Deep Sleep state.
• The DFU standard has been extended with public/private key authentication, allowing
manufacturers to control the firmware that can be loaded onto their Bluetooth modules.
• A modified version of the DFU protocol allows firmware upgrade via the module’s UART.
• A block of “radio test” or Built-In Self-Test (BIST) commands allows direct control of the module’s
radio. This aids the development of modules’ radio designs and can be used to support Bluetooth
qualification.
• Virtual Machine (VM). The VM allow development of customer applications on the module.
Although the VM is mainly used with “RFCOMM builds” (alternative firmware builds providing
L2CAP, SDP and RFCOMM), the VM can be used with this build to perform simple tasks such as
flashing LEDs via the module’s PIO port.
• Hardware low power modes: Shallow Sleep and Deep Sleep. The module drops into modes that
significantly reduce power consumption when the software goes idle.
SCO channels are normally routed over HCI (over BCSP). However, up to three SCO channels can be
routed over the module’s single PCM port (at the same time as routing any other SCO channels over HCI).