Tatwah Technology IT008 Bluetooth Beacon and Tags Instruction Manual

June 13, 2024
Tatwah Technology

Tatwah Technology IT008 Bluetooth Beacon and Tags

Product Information

The Beacon IT008 (M_26 module) is a product manufactured by Tatwah Technology Co., Ltd. It operates using a broadcast protocol based on the Bluetooth BLE protocol. The beacon is designed to be installed in a suitable location and continuously or periodically broadcast to its surrounding environment. It has different operational modes, including Operational Active, Operational Active_Alarm, Operational Passive_Alarm, and Configuration mode. The beacon also supports alarm broadcasts in certain modes.

The product specifications are as follows

  • Product Name : Beacon IT008 (M_26 module)
  • Part Number : IT005 Tag IT008
  • Dimensions: 91.3548.6422mm
  • Battery Type : 2*AA battery

The beacon supports communication protocols such as BLE 5.0, iBeacon, and Eddystone.

Product Usage Instructions

  1. Scanning for Nearby Beacons: To connect to the BLE beacon, initiate a scan on the central device to detect nearby beacons. During the scanning phase, listen for beacon advertisements.
  2. Advertisement Packets: BLE beacons periodically broadcast advertisement packets containing essential information. Filter these packets to identify specific BLE beacons based on their unique identifiers.
  3. Establishing a Connection: Once you identify the target beacon, initiate a connection request from the central device. If the beacon is available and within range, it will respond, and a connection will be established.
  4. Interacting with the Beacon: After the connection is established, you can request additional information from the beacon, such as sensor data or configuration parameters. You can also send commands or updates to the beacon.

Beacon IT008 (M_26 module) Operation Instructions

The beacon is using a broadcast protocol based on the Bluetooth BLE protocol. It is usually installed in a suitable location, and it will broadcast continuously or periodically to its surrounding environment.
The beacon allows to create Bluetooth? Low Energy (Bluetooth LE) 5.0 solutions. Besides basic Bluetooth LE advertising functionality via radio transmission, the beacon allows additional functionality thanks to the add-on hardware components: a green and a red LED, a push button and an accelerometer. The accelerometer can be configured for detection of specific events.

Currently the following events are supported: free fall, single tap, double tap, activity/movement and flip-flop.
There are two aspects concerning the beacon firmware.
On the one hand there is a firmware implemented as a release HEX file with functionality as described in this document. A major objective in the implementation is low current consumption hence long battery lifetime. There are many parameters that affect the behavior of the firmware. The release firmware has default values for these parameters.

Firmware Functionality
The beacon can be in five modes

  • Transport & Warehousing
  • Configuration
  • Operational Active
  • Operational Active_Alarm
  • Operational Passive_Alarm

By Operational mode we refer to the actual mode that is configured and can be either Operational Active, Operational Active_Alarm or Operational Passive_Alarm.

Transport & Warehousing mode
As its name suggests, this mode is meant for the beacon to be silent for a long period and only to be woken up when needed. Therefore, this mode has no advertising broadcast.

Wake-up can occur on possible events

  • Accelerometer event
  • Short press on push button

On wakeup the beacon goes to the configured Operational mode.

Operational Active mode
In this mode the beacon does an undirected advertising (broadcast) with frame content defined by the configuration parameters. The broadcast can be either connectable or non-connectable. When it is connectable, the beacon reverts to Configuration mode on connection by a (central) client, where a new configuration can be uploaded. The connectable option should only be used for testing purposes.
Based on configuration settings, the push button and/or accelerometer can be enabled.
On occurrence of the alarm state, which is triggered by either a long press of the push button or on accelerometer event, the beacon stops advertising for a given period (alarm duration timer), after which it restarts normal broadcast.

Operational Active_Alarm mode
This mode is similar to the Operational Active mode, except that during the alarm state the beacon broadcasts an alarm frame instead of being silent.
On occurrence of the alarm state, the beacon starts an undirected alarm broadcast for a given period (alarm duration timer), after which it restarts normal broadcast.

Operational Passive_Alarm mode
This mode is similar to the Operational Active_Alarm mode, except that the beacon is silent until an event occurs.

Configuration mode
This mode is used for testing and configuration. In this mode the beacon does undirected connectable advertising. This mode is entered when the Operational mode is connectable and a (central) client connects. When connected the (central) client can interact with the Configuration Service in the beacon. The only way to leave the Configuration mode is by uploading and activating a valid TLV file.

Alarm broadcast
The broadcast in the alarm state of modes Operational Active_Alarm and Operational
Passive_Alarm consists of just one frame type and can be either connectable or nonconnectable1.

Behavior on reset
On reset the beacon checks whether valid TLV configuration file is present in flash. If so its configuration values are used. If no TLV file is present or is erroneous, the beacon uses the default configuration.

To show which of these is the case the beacon flicks LEDs just after startup

  • Twice green LED when TLV content is used.
  • Green LED followed by red LED when TLV configuration is not supported.
  • Twice red LED when TLV configuration is supported but TLV data are erroneous.

The Connection Process
Connecting to BLE beacons typically involves the following steps

  1. Scanning for Nearby Beacons : The central device initiates a scan to detect nearby BLE beacons. During this scanning phase, the central device listens for beacon advertisements.
  2. Advertisement Packets: BLE beacons periodically broadcast advertisement packets containing essential information, including their unique identifier, transmission power, and additional data.
  3. Identifying Target Beacons : The central device filters these packets to identify specific BLE beacons it wants to connect to, based on their unique identifiers.
  4. Establishing a Connection : Once the central device identifies a target beacon, it initiates a connection request. If the beacon is available and within range, it responds, and a connection is established.
  5. Interacting with the Beacon : After the connection is established, the central device can request additional information from the beacon, such as sensor data or configuration parameters. Conversely, it can also send commands or updates to the beacon.

Product specification

Tatwah-Technology-IT008-Bluetooth-Beacon-and-Tags-01

Product usage scenario

  • Asset tracking and location in an industrial environment.
  • People flow management, secure access control, People monitoring in certain areas.

Product installation method
The beacon can be stuck onto objects with a strong adhesive surface on its backside. For removable versions, the Beacon can be supplied with an extra strong Velcro surface

FCC Warning
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.

Operation is subject to the following two conditions

  1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
  2. this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Any Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures

  • Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
  • Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
  • Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
  • Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

FCC RF exposure statement
The device has been evaluated to meet general RF exposure requirement. The device can be used in portable exposure condition without restriction.

IC Caution
Radio Standards Specification RSS-Gen, issue 5

  • This device contains licence-exempt transmitter(s)/receiver(s) that comply with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s licence-exempt RSS(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions
  • This device may not cause interference.
  • This device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

RF exposure statement
The device has been evaluated to meet general RF exposure requirement. The device can be used in portable exposure condition without restriction.

Add.: No.9 Shuiyi South Road, Taifeng Industrial Park, Xiaolan Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, China, 528415 tatwah SA (Back Office) – www.tatwah.net
Add.: Rue de Lausanne 47 CH-1110 Morges Switzerland

References

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