Configure ELA Innovation beacons

Our step-by-step guide to configure the beacons and sensors using Device Manager software.

Configure ELA Innovation beacons with Device Manager

The TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Learn how we at reelyActive configure the rugged beacons for real-time sensing and location

What will this accomplish?
The packet type(s), advertising interval and identifiers of ELA Innovation beacons will be configured from a host PC.
How to capture the data?
ELA Innovation offers Device Manager Connector for PCs. Our Pareto Anywhere open source IoT middleware processes the data for any application.
How long does this take?
Once the host PC is set up, beacons can be configured in under a minute.

Prerequisites

ELA Innovation beacons, the Device Manager PC software, and a NFC reader.

Prepare host PC   Step 1 of 3

Run Device Manager PC on the host PC with a NFC reader.

Why Device Manager PC?
Device Manager PC is the vendor-maintained software that is required to configure the beacons.
Any alternatives?
ELA Innovation beacons can be pre-configured by the manufacturer.
Device Manager host PC setup

Install Device Manager PC Part 1

Install the Device Manager PC software using the Windows installer provided with the download.

An instructional video is available on the Device Manager Suite web page.

Connect NFC reader Part 2

Connect the NFC reader to a free USB port on the host PC and validate that it is recognised by Windows.

ELA Innovation recommends the ACR1252U USB NFC reader.

Prepare Device Manager PC Part 3

Run the Device Manager PC software by double-clicking on the Desktop icon or selecting from the Windows Start menu, and observe the welcome screen.

Device Manager PC welcome screen

Click the Play icon in the NFC Programmer box to open a dialog to select the connected NFC reader.

Device Manager NFC programmer selection

Click the ACS ACR1252 button* to select the connected NFC reader. The NFC reader panel should appear.

*If a different model of reader is connected, select that instead.

Device Manager NFC Tag Configuration

Click the Gear icon in the NFC reader panel to open the TAG Configuration panel.

It is now possible to configure beacons via NFC from the TAG Configuration panel, which is covered in Step 2.

Configure the beacon(s)   Step 2 of 3

Configure beacons one-at-a-time from the host PC via NFC.

What packet format?
We recommend the Manufacturer data format as it allows identification as ELA Innovation beacons and ensures unambiguous interpretation of sensor data.
What advertising interval?
The advertising interval is always a compromise of battery life vs. update rate: consult the Autonomy Charts to make an informed decision.
Device Manager PC configuration overview

Read the current configuration Part 1

Place the beacon on the NFC reader and click the Read icon in the TAG Configuration panel.

Information about the version, technology and firmware of the beacon should appear, as well as logical groupings of configurable parameters.

Device Manager PC tag read

Edit the configuration Part 2

Edit the parameters in each logical grouping as required for the intended application.

The Advanced BLE grouping, when available, provides the option to advertise manufacturer data and battery level. The recommended settings are:

Manufacturer Data Enable True
Battery in Scan Response True

Using manufacturer data ensures that the beacon will be recognised as an ELA Innovation device by its Company ID, and that the sensor data will be processed accordingly.

For gateway infrastructure that is configured to actively scan devices, the battery option is an efficient way to relay the battery level in a scan response packet.

Device Manager PC Advanced BLE

Manufacturer data must be enabled for accurate device classification in HPE Aruba IoT Operations.

Write the configuration Part 3

Click the Write icon in the TAG Configuration panel to update the configuration of the beacon.

A popup should appear confirming the success of the write.

Device Manager PC tag write

The beacon is now configured. Repeat Step 2 for each beacon. Observing the advertised data is covered in Step 3.

Observe data in Pareto Anywhere   Step 3 of 3

Optionally observe the transmitted data in your web browser.

What's Pareto Anywhere?
Pareto Anywhere is open source IoT middleware that makes the data from just about anything usable.
Can other software be used?
Yes. Any software that can receive and interpret Bluetooth Low Energy packets can be used.
ELA Innovation Data in Pareto Anywhere

Install Pareto Anywhere (OPTIONAL) Part 1

Follow one of our tutorials to install Pareto Anywhere on your platform of choice:

Observe the /context API (OPTIONAL) Part 2

Browse to the /context API of the Pareto Anywhere instance, specifying the beacon's identifier in the route as follows:

http://pareto.local/context/device/e467dd123456/2

Change pareto.local to the IP address and port (ex: 127.0.0.1:3001) as required, and the identifier of the device (ex: e467dd000000) to that of your beacon.*   The /2 at the end specifies that the identifier is an EUI-48.

*alternatively, open the Devices Observer web app and select the beacon's identifier from the list of detected devices.

ELA Innovation beacon in Pareto Anywhere /context API

Enjoy the data (OPTIONAL) Part 3

Our cheatsheet details the raddec and dynamb JSON output from the Pareto Anywhere open source middleware.

Contributor
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Tutorial prepared with ♥ by jeffyactive.

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