Bluetooth Mesh Commissioning Mobile Software - Video Demo

A brief overview of BLE Mesh Commissioning mobile application.

One of the first thing that needs to be done for any BLE mesh network is network configuration. The configuration process includes defining what applications the network should support (e.g. lighting, HVAC, security), what groups of devices will be in the network and how these groups will interact with each other. These relationships can be very simple (e.g. all lights in the room should be controlled by one switch and listen to one sensor). Often the relationships are much more complex, and the same device should be a part of the multiple groups (for example latitudinal rows of lights listen to the different sensors and longitudinal rows of lights are controlled by the different switches).

This video shows how to do network configuration (define BLE mesh applications, devices groups and how these groups interact) in the mobile applications. In the final software product network configuration will be done by the engineers via the web interface, while field commissioners will apply pre-set configuration to the actual BLE mesh devices on site.

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The first thing that needs to be done after BLE mesh devices are installed is to make them a part of the network. This process is called provisioning. Under the hood, a provisioning process involves data exchange between a provisioner (in our case - BLE Mesh Commissioning mobile application) and a device. As a result of this process, a device receives required keys that allows it to become a part of the BLE mesh network and exchange messages with other devices from the same network.

Field commissioners do not need to know any of the details of the provisioning process. They simply get a list of the unprovisioned BLE mesh devices in the mobile application, and provision each device in the network with one click of a button.

This video shows the process of provisioning new devices into the BLE mesh network.

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After BLE mesh devices are installed on site and are provisioned into the network, field commissioners need to apply the network configuration (defined in Network Configuration part) to the actual on site devices. In other words, they need to select devices that should be a part of each application, and make on site devices a part of one or several pre-defined groups.

Under the hood, the process involves sending corresponding application key(s) to each device, binding each key to the relevant models installed on the device, and making each device a publisher (informing it which element / model should publish to which group), a subscriber (informing it which element / model should listen to which publisher), or any combination of the above. Howerver, field commissioners do not need to know any of these details. All they need to do is to (a) check off all devices that should be a part of a specific application, and apply this setting with one click and (b) check off all devices that should be a part of the specific group and apply this setting with one click. Field commissioners can either make multiple devices a part of one group or application, or apply multiple groups / applications to a selected device.

The video demonstrates how to apply preset applications and groups to the provisioned network devices.

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After configuration parameters are applied to the provisioned network devices, you have a functioning BLE mesh network. In the smart lighting network above, you will have light fixtures that automatically adjust their dimming level based on the ambient light sensors and / or occupational sensors input. You will be able to turn lights on and off and change lights dimming level using switches.

However, often field installers need to set or adjust certain parameters - the exact adjustable parameters depend on what types of devices and functionality you have. It could be default light level, light level range, timing intervals for the light control model, how often a sensor broadcasts received data, etc., etc.

In the more complex scenarios, you may want to define and save one or more scenes (the state of the ble mesh devices that can be recalled later), and / or define a schedule for changing the devices state automatically (e.g. all light should go off at 7:00 pm every day).

As an example of this process, BLE Mesh Commissioning mobile applications includes an option to set up a default light level and light level range for the devices with the Light Lightness model installed. A user can change light level using a slider in the mobile application, select the right brightness, then make it a default, minimum or maximum light level.

This video demonstrates how to set light lightness parameters using BLE Mesh Commissioning mobile application.

Fill out a form on this page to request access to BLE Mesh Commissioning application demo.