METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MULTI-STAGE DEVICE FILTERING IN A BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY DEVICE

• US 20110319020A1
• Filed: 07/20/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kwan, Chikan, Zhuang, Yuan, Kapur, Ash, Ibrahim, Brima, Walley, John, Desai, Prasanna, Polo, Angel, Roy, Latha, Grunert, Norbert
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0061 Error detection codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A Bluetooth low energy (BLE) device receives advertising packets from an advertising BLE device. The BLE device filters the received advertising packets utilizing hardware to search for the advertiser. If the advertiser is not found by the hardware, the packet filtering continues utilizing firmware. Device identity information, comprising non-private and/or private device identities, of preferred BLE devices is partitioned to form a different white list for the hardware, firmware, and host, respectively, to concurrently support privacy and white listing. If the advertiser is found by the hardware, the hardware sends a response to the advertiser following a successful CRC check performed in the hardware. If the advertiser is found by the firmware, the device identity information of the advertiser is inserted in the white list for the hardware. The host may be awakened based on the device configuration and/or attribute type information of the received advertising packets.

Claims

1. A method for communication, the method comprising:

in a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) device;

filtering packets received from an advertising BLE device, wherein said filtering utilizes hardware of said BLE device; and

if said advertising BLE device is not identified by said hardware filtering, filtering said received packets from said advertising BLE device utilizing firmware of said BLE device.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising partitioning device identity information for a plurality of preferred BLE devices to form a white list for said hardware, a white list for said firmware and a white list for a host of said BLE device, respectively.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said device identity information comprises private device identity information and/or non-private device identity information for said plurality of preferred BLE devices.

4. The method according to claim 2, comprising searching, utilizing said hardware, for device identity information of said advertising BLE device in said white list for said hardware.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising performing, in said hardware, a cyclic redundancy check on said received packets based on said search.

6. The method according to claim 5, comprising sending a response, by said hardware, to said advertising BLE device for said received packets based on said cyclic redundancy check.

7. The method according to claim 4, comprising searching, utilizing said firmware, for said device identity information of said advertising BLE device in said white list for said firmware, if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is not found by said hardware.

8. The method according to claim 7, comprising inserting said device identity information of said advertising BLE device in said white list for said hardware, if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is found by said firmware.

9. The method according to claim 7, comprising awakening said host of said BLE device, if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is not found by said firmware.

10. The method according to claim 7, comprising awakening said host of said BLE device based on attribute type information of said received packets, if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is not found by said firmware.

11. A system for communication, the system comprising:

one or more processors and/or circuits for use in a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) device, said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to;

filter packets received from an advertising BLE device, wherein said filtering utilizes hardware of said BLE device; and

filter said received packets from said advertising BLE device utilizing firmware of said BLE device, if said advertising BLE device is not identified by said hardware filtering.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to partition device identity information for a plurality of preferred BLE devices to form a white list for said hardware, a white list for said firmware and a white list for a host of said BLE device, respectively.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said device identity information comprises private device identity information and/or non-private device identity information for said plurality of preferred BLE devices.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to search, utilizing said hardware, for device identity information of said advertising BLE device in said white list for said hardware.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to perform, in said hardware, a cyclic redundancy check on said received packets based on said search.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to send a response, by said hardware, to said advertising BLE device for said received packets based on said cyclic redundancy check.

17. The system according to claim 14, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is not found by said hardware, search, utilizing said firmware, for said device identity information of said advertising BLE device in said white list for said firmware.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is found by said firmware, insert device identity information of said advertising BLE device in said white list for said hardware.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is not found by said firmware, awaken said host of said BLE device.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to if said device identity information of said advertising BLE device is not found by said firmware, awaken said host of said BLE device based on attribute type information of said received packets.