ON Semiconductor RSL10 User manual

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DOCUMENT NUMBER M-20847-002
1.RSL10 USB Dongle User Guide
When developing Bluetooth low energy applications, you often need to establish a connection between a
peripheral that is being developed and a central device that can help verify and diagnose the behavior of the
peripheral.
To serve this purpose, ON Semiconductor developed the combination of the RSL10 USB Dongle and the
Bluetooth® Low Energy Explorer. The Dongle is plugged into a computer that has the Bluetooth Low Energy
Explorer software installed. The Dongle can then act as a generic central device with which a software developer can
do anything that a typical central application would do, such as advertising scanning, establish a connection, and list
services and characteristics.
1. RSL10 USB DONGLE
1.1 Key Features
• Bluetooth v.5.0, single (Bluetooth low energy) mode compliant
• Supports Master and Slave Modes
• Supports up to four connections
• Integrated Bluetooth low energy stack
• Radio performance
• Transmit power: +6 dBm to -17 dBm
• Receiver sensitivity: -94 dBm
• Host interfaces
• USB (virtual COM port emulation)
• Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer software to diagnose Bluetooth low energy connections during application
development
• Bluetooth 5, CE, FCC, IC and Japan certified
1.2 Electrical Characteristics
NOTE: The ratings in Table 1 are absolute maximum ratings beyond which the module can be
permanently damaged. These are not maximum operating conditions. The maximum
recommended operating conditions are in Table 2.
Table 1. Absolute Maximum Ratings
Rating Min Max Unit
Storage Temperature -40 +85 °C
VBUS -0.3 6.5 V
Table 2. Recommended Operating Conditions
Rating Min Max Unit
Operating Temperature Range -40 +85 °C
VBUS 3.6 5.5 V

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1.3 Certifications
1.3.1 Bluetooth
The RSL10 USB Dongle is Bluetooth qualified and listed as an End Product.
1.3.2 FCC
FCC ID: 2APD9-RSL10USB1
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. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
NOTE: 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.
1.3.3 ISED
IC: 23763-RSL10USB1
HVIN: RSL10V1.02
This device complies with Industry Canada’s licence-exempt RSSs. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause interference; and (2) This device must accept any interference, including
interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence.
L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) l'appareil ne doit pas produire de brouillage, et (2)
l'utilisateur de l'appareil doit accepter tout brouillage radioélectrique subi, même si le brouillage est susceptible d'en
compromettre le fonctionnement.
CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3(B) – This Class B Digital Apparatus Complies with Canadian ICES-003.

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Cet Appareil numerique de la classe (B) est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
1.3.4 Japan
The RSL10 USB Dongle has the Japanese certification number R209-J00300:
2. BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY EXPLORER SOFTWARE
2.1 Introduction
Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer is a desktop application that runs on Windows®, developed to work with the
RSL10 USB Dongle. The application allows developers to quickly become familiar with developing, testing, and
evaluating Bluetooth low energy devices. Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer lets you scan for your device, read
advertising data, connect, and discover services. You can then pair and bond to your device, read and write to
characteristics, subscribe to notifications, and receive characteristics updates. The application also features a logging
section, which displays the details of processes in the underlying structure, allowing for easier troubleshooting.
List of software features:
1. Scanning and reading advertising data
2. Connecting, pairing, and bonding
3. Service and characteristic discovery
4. Reading and writing of characteristics
5. Support for notifications and indications
6. Listing paired/bonded devices
7. Radio transmission power selection
8. Local device firmware updates
9. An external script for updating the dongle firmware
2.2 Before Using Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer
1. Install the Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer software.
2. Plug the RSL10 USB Dongle into a USB port. You might be prompted to install device driver software. You
can either:
• Follow the link in the error dialog to obtain the driver from the web.
• Find the driver in ON Semiconductor /Driver /CP210x_windows_Drivers.zip where you installed the
Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer. Unzip and install the appropriate .exe file.
3. Open the windows Device Manager and check which com port has been assigned (see Figure 1).
Now you can start Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer.
WARNING: RF Exposure Compliance
The antenna(s) used for this transmitter must be installed to provide a separation distance of at least 1 cm from all
persons and must not be co-located or operating in conjunction with any other product antenna or transmitter.
L'antenne utilisée pour le produit doit être installée de manière à assurer une distance de séparation d'au moins
1 cm de toutes les personnes et ne doit pas être installée en même temps ou fonctionner en conjonction avec une autre
antenne ou émetteur de produit.

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Figure 1. Assigned COM Port
2.3 Using Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer
In the Start Menu, browse to:
•All Programs > ON Semiconductor > > Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer
• If you are running Windows 10: ON Semiconductor > RSL10 dongle > Bluetooth Low Energy
Explorer.exe
Select the Com Port which has been assigned during installation (see Figure 2, and Section 2.2, “Before Using
Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer” on page 3).

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Figure 2. Select COM Port
The Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer window is split into three main areas with an occasional fourth area, as shown
in Figure 3:
1. List of visible Bluetooth low energy technology devices
2. Details of the selected device
3. Log information
4. The User action area on the right of the screen, is visible only when needed, such as for bonding data. You
enter passkeys in this area when they are required.
Figure 3. Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer Window Areas
2.3.1 Establishing Connection and Discovering Services
General working procedure (see Figure 4, above):

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1. Start Scanning by toggling the switch.
2. Select your device.
3. Make a connection to the device.
4. When you want to discover or update services, click the Discover Services button.
5. Switch to the new tab Services.
6. Depending on the services and characteristics offered by the connected device, values can be read and/or
modified.
Figure 4. Establish Connection
2.3.2 The Services Tab
The content of the Services tab depends on the services and characteristics offered by the connected device.
All characteristics sub-procedures are implemented; Figure 5 is an example of how some of the sub-procedures
(depending on the device) might be displayed in the Services tab:
• Clicking Read reads the characteristics value.
• Clicking Write writes a change to the characteristics value.
• The characteristics writing properties Write Request or Write Without Response are displayed if either or both
are supported.
• Some services offer a continuous update. Ticking the notification or indication box sets the characteristic in the
service to be continuously updated.

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Figure 5. Services Tab of a Connected Device
NOTE: Some parameters are only accessible over an encrypted connection (see Section 2.4, “Enable
Encrypted Connection”).
2.4 Enable Encrypted Connection
So far the connection has not been encrypted. To access all parameters, the connection needs to be changed to an
encrypted connection.
1. The supported encryption settings can be selected in Setup Menu > Security, as shown in Figure 6. The
Security Manager abbreviations are defined in Table 3 on page 8.

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Figure 6. Setting the Security Options
2. To change the connection to an encrypted one without saving bond information, press the Encrypt button as
shown in Figure 7.
3. To have an encrypted connection and saved pairing information, press Bond/Pair as shown in Figure 7.
4. If a passkey is needed, it is displayed, or can be entered in the user action area (see Section 2.3, “Using
Bluetooth Low Energy Explorer” on page 4, and Figure 3 on page 5).
Figure 7. Menu for an Encrypted Connection
Table 3. Security Manager Abbreviation Meanings
Abbreviation Definition
Bond Bonding
Mitm Man in the Middle
Lesc LE Security Connections

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2.5 Initial Connection Settings
Figure 8 shows where you can set the initial connection settings before connecting. Once they are set, they become
the default connection parameter settings for any device that you want to connect to.
To open the Connection Parameter window, press Setup > Connection. The numbered areas in Figure 8 are as
follows:
1. Initial connection parameter settings before connecting to the device. For a description of the parameter
settings, see Figure 9.
2. Minimum Connection Event Length in milliseconds
3. Maximum Connection Event Length in milliseconds
4. Scan Window in milliseconds
5. Scan Interval in milliseconds
Figure 8. General Connection Settings
Alternatively, you can update the connection parameters while connected, using the Update button in the Services
tab, which is shown in Figure 9.
In Figure 9:
•Interval is the connection interval in multiples of 1.25 ms units

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•Slave Latency is the number of connection events
•Timeout is in multiples of 10 ms units.
Figure 9. Connection Parameter Window Update
2.6 Bond Manager
The Bond Manager is accessible in the main menu under Settings > Bonds:
In the Bond Manager window, all currently active bonds are displayed. There is also the option to delete them.
(See Figure 10.)