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I'm trying to do something with this HCI module I got, which uses a CSR Bluecore6 chip. I'm very new to this, so I'd just want to make it perform inquiry scan only (i.e. make it discoverable). To do that, do I need to implement a bluetooth stack or do CSR chips already support that? The datasheet of the module isn't very helpful. Since it's a HCI module only, do I need to implement it inside an external MCU or within the chip?

Any other advise on what to expect will be much appreciated!

Thanks

Kar
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  • Apart from a CSR Bluecore6, what SW / Tools did you get with it? E.g. did you get the CSR Bluesuite tools; these allow you to access the HCI API for testing/production. This will help answer your question. – Simon Peverett Jul 11 '11 at 11:18
  • Do you have access to the Bluetooth Core Spec (V4.0)? HCI Inquiry command is specified in Vol 2, Part E, Section 7.1.1. (www.bluetooth.org - login & account required). – Simon Peverett Jul 11 '11 at 11:22
  • @Pev, unfortunately the module doesn't come with anything else. No SW or tools. Re. the Core Spec, I should be reading Part E Sections 6.1 - 6.5, instead of 7.1.1, since I'm after inquiry scan rather than inquiry, right? In order to set those parameters, e.g., Scan_Enable, can the external MCU interact with the chip directly? How much of the stack is required to be implemented in order to just inquiry scan and page scan? Thanks. – Kar Jul 11 '11 at 15:14
  • @kate_r My bad, you are correct (I was looking at it from the wrong end). You only need the enough of the HCI protocol to write or reed the Inquiry scan parameters, depending on which protocol you are going to use e.g. H4, etc... Also whether you are going to use USB or UART interface. – Simon Peverett Jul 11 '11 at 16:49
  • Since my experiment is just to try to make a HCI module do inquiry scanning, I think I won't enable an USB or UART interface now -- just have it run off the MCU and not to be connected to a PC. Is that possible? If I use H4, can you suggest ways to get started and to look for the required part of the protocol? Thanks! – Kar Jul 11 '11 at 19:13

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If it is an HCI module then it will only support the standard bluetooth HCI interface and you must provide a stack on your MCU. CSR also provide a stack implementation (http://www.csr.com/products/19/csr-synergy) for most embedded devices.

Simon Peverett
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  • Right. But if I only want it to perform inquiry scan (and perhaps page scan as well), but nothing else, then do I need to implement the entire stack? What is the complexity of enabling only inquiry scan and page scan? – Kar Jul 11 '11 at 10:40
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you don't need a full stack just to perform inquiry / page scan, you can try to connect the module via its HCI interface to a PC or external MCU and send HCI commands to setup the scans, there are few PC tools lie the hciconfig tool on Linux

Dennis Mathews
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