How do you choose between BLE and LoRaWAN?
Choose BLE for short-range connectivity, frequent data exchange, or indoor positioning applications. Choose LoRaWAN when devices need to transmit small amounts of data over long distances with low power consumption. The best choice depends on coverage, data requirements, infrastructure, and positioning needs.
What is the difference between BLE and LoRaWAN?
BLE supports short-range wireless communication with relatively high data rates and is widely used for proximity sensing, indoor positioning, and device connectivity. LoRaWAN supports long-range, low-power communication, making it suitable for transmitting small amounts of sensor data across large areas.
How does Bluetooth positioning work?
Bluetooth positioning uses signals transmitted by BLE devices to estimate their locations. Common methods include RSSI, which estimates proximity from signal strength, and AoA, which measures the direction of incoming signals. A positioning system processes these measurements to calculate or estimate device locations.
What are the advantages and limitations of Bluetooth RSSI positioning?
RSSI-based positioning is affordable, easy to deploy, and works with standard BLE broadcasts. However, signal strength is affected by walls, people, interference, and device orientation, making positioning accuracy less consistent. It is better suited for proximity detection and approximate location tracking than precise positioning.
How do you choose between Bluetooth 5.1 AoA and UWB?
UWB is well suited for applications requiring very high positioning accuracy, often reaching centimeter-level precision under suitable conditions. Bluetooth AoA offers high-accuracy positioning with potentially lower hardware costs and more cost-effective expansion, making it a practical choice for large-scale indoor tracking.
What beacon settings can be configured through the GATT protocol?
You can configure the parameters supported by BeaconPlus firmware, including:
• UUID
• Major Number
• Minor Number
• Tx Power, which affects broadcast range and power consumption
• Advertising Interval
No custom firmware is required. These settings can be read and updated directly from your app using standard GATT commands.
Which broadcast frames does the IN100 chip natively support, and what is the maximum number of broadcast frames that can be set simultaneously?
The chip natively supports Apple iBeacon and Google Eddystone protocols. While the hardware officially supports up to three concurrent advertising frames, Minew tags are currently limited to two standard frames due to existing memory constraints.
What type of advertising frame does the MBeacon firmware broadcast by default, and how can I check the battery level?
By default, it broadcasts only Apple’s iBeacon frame. To retrieve battery data, the scanning device must receive the beacon’s broadcast and then send a scan request. The beacon will return a response packet containing the current battery level.
What repeater products does Minew currently offer?
The repeater products on sale include the MBT02 Asset Bluetooth Repeater, the MWC01 Bluetooth Badge Repeater, and the MWC03 Bluetooth LTE Location Badge.
Can the G2 gateway and locator work with a customer’s own tags?
Currently not supported. They only work with Minew beacons ang tags using our protocol.
Why do BLE tags have multiple advertising frames? Can they be combined into one?
Different frames follow standards like iBeacon and Eddystone or our own formats, each carrying different data. Multiple frames ensure compatibility and complete data transmission. If you need fewer frames or a custom frame with more data, please contact us for tailored solutions.
What environment is recommended for testing an AoA locator and beacon, and for parsing IQ values?
For best results, keep the beacon within a 90-degree tilt angle of the locator and maintain at least one meter of distance between them to ensure more accurate phase difference readings.