Exploring Bluetooth Data Rate and Current Consumption

General
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Exploring Bluetooth Data Rate and Current Consumption

Hello everyone! I’ve been experimenting with Bluetooth data rates and current consumption using two nRF52833 DK development kits connected with nRF21540 modules. It’s been an interesting journey, and I wanted to share my findings and some questions I have along the way.

My Setup and Observations

I configured both devices to continuously send 244-byte packets. When the devices are close to each other, I noticed that the average current consumption reaches up to 60mA at 1.8V. However, when I move them about 5 meters apart, the current drops significantly to around 20mA at the same voltage. This makes me think that some connections might be failing, leading to intervals where no data is being sent.

I also tested different RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) levels and observed conflicting results. In one test, RSSI didn’t seem to correlate with data rate—high data rates were maintained even with low RSSI. But in another test, lower RSSI resulted in lower data rates, which aligns with the current consumption changes I noticed. This inconsistency has me a bit puzzled.

Questions and Thoughts

  1. Packet Loss: Does the drop in current consumption when moving the devices apart indicate packet loss? How can I confirm this?
  2. RSSI and Data Rate Relationship: Which of the two test results is accurate? Does RSSI affect data rate, or is it independent?
  3. Optimizing Data Rate: How can I ensure consistent high data rates regardless of distance? Is there a way to adjust parameters to minimize packet loss?

I’d love to hear from anyone who has experience with Bluetooth data rates and current consumption. Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Additional Experiments

I also tried adjusting the connection parameters, keeping the interval and latency the same as in the default settings. The results were consistent, which makes me think the issue might not be with the parameters themselves but perhaps with the environment or hardware setup.

Looking Forward

This exploration has been both challenging and rewarding. I’m eager to dive deeper into understanding how Bluetooth performance is affected by various factors and how to optimize it for different use cases. If anyone has resources or tips, please share them!

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your thoughts and experiences!

Best regards,
[Your Name]