Host Controller Interface (HCI)
The HCI provides a command interface to the
baseband controller and link manager, and access to hardware status and
control registers. Essentially this interface provides a uniform method of
accessing the Bluetooth baseband capabilities.The HCI exists across 3
sections, the Host - Transport Layer - Host Controller. Each of the
sections has a different role to play in the HCI system.
For more details : Download the HCI
Specification from the SIG website, or visit the Documents
Page.
The HCI is functionally broken up into
3 separate parts :

*Diagram Source: Courtesy of Bluetooth SIG,HCI Specs,
Fig 1.2 , p 544
4.1.1 HCI Firmware
(location: Host Controller)
HCI Firmware , is located on the Host
Controller , (e.g. the actual Bluetooth hardware device).
The HCI firmware implements the HCI Commands for the Bluetooth hardware by
accessing baseband commands, link
manager commands, hardware status registers, control registers, and event
registers. The term Host Controller means the HCI-enabled
Bluetooth device
4.1.2 HCI Driver
(location: Host)
HCI Driver , which is located on
the Host (e.g. software entity). The
Host will receive asynchronous notifications of HCI events, HCI events are
used for notifying the Host when something occurs. When the Host discovers
that an event has occurred it will then parse the received event packet to
determine which event occurred. The term Host means the HCI-enabled
Software Unit.
The HCI Driver and Firmware communicate via the Host
Controller Transport Layer , i.e. a definition of the several
layers that may exist between the HCI driver on the host system and the
HCI firmware in the Bluetooth hardware. These intermediate layers, the
Host Controller Transport Layer, should provide the ability to transfer
data without intimate knowledge of the data being transferred. Several
different Host Controller Layers can be used, of which 3 have been defined
initially for Bluetooth : USB , UART and
RS232. The Host should receive asynchronous notifications of HCI
events independent of which Host Controller Transport Layer is used.
The HCI provides a uniform command method
of accessing the Bluetooth hardware capabilities. The HCI Link commands
provide the Host with the ability to control the link layer connections to
other Bluetooth devices. These commands typically involve the Link Manager
(LM) to exchange LMP
commands with remote Bluetooth devices. The HCI Policy commands are used
to affect the behaviour of the local and remote LM. These Policy commands
provide the Host with methods of influencing how the LM manages the
piconet. The Host Controller and Baseband commands, Informational
commands , and Status commands provide the Host access to
various registers in the Host Controller.
The Host Controller Transport Layer provides transparent
exchange of HCI-specific information. These transporting mechanisms
provide the ability for the Host to send HCI commands, ACL
data, and SCO data to the Host
Controller. These transport mechanisms also provide the ability for the
Host to receive HCI events, ACL data, and SCO data from the Host
Controller. Since the Host Controller Transport Layer provides transparent
exchange of HCI-specific information, the HCI specification specifies the
format of the commands, events, and data exchange between the Host and the
Host Controller.
The Link Control commands allow the
Host Controller to control connections to other Bluetooth devices. When
the Link Control commands are used, the Link Manager (LM) controls how the
Bluetooth piconets and scatternets
are established and maintained. These commands instruct the LM to create
and modify link layer connections with Bluetooth remote devices, perform Inquiries
of other Bluetooth devices in range, and other LMP commands.
The Link Policy Commands provide methods for the Host to
affect how the Link Manager manages the piconet. When Link Policy Commands
are used, the LM still controls how Bluetooth piconets and scatternets are
established and maintained, depending on adjustable policy parameters.
These policy commands modify the Link Manager behaviour that can result in
changes to the link layer connections with Bluetooth remote devices.
The Host Controller & Baseband Commands provide access
and control to various capabilities of the Bluetooth hardware. These
parameters provide control of Bluetooth devices and of the capabilities of
the Host Controller, Link Manager, and Baseband. The host device can use
these commands to modify the behaviour of the local device.
The Informational Parameters are
fixed by the manufacturer of the Bluetooth hardware. These parameters
provide information about the Bluetooth device and the capabilities of the
Host Controller, Link Manager, and Baseband. The host device cannot modify
any of these parameters.
The Host Controller modifies all status
parameters. These parameters provide information about the current state
of the Host Controller, Link Manager, and Baseband. The host device cannot
modify any of these parameters other than to reset certain specific
parameters.
The Testing commands are used to provide
the ability to test various functionality's of the Bluetooth hardware.
These commands provide the ability to arrange various conditions for
testing.
4.3.1 Flow
Control
Flow control is used in the direction
from the Host to the Host Controller to avoid filling up the Host
Controller data buffers with ACL data destined for a remote device
(connection handle) that is not responding. It is the Host that manages
the data buffers of the Host Controller.
A number of different events are
defined for the HCI layer. The events provide a method to
return parameters and data associated for each event. 32 HCI different
events have been implemented so far, they range from Inquiry Complete
Event to Page Scan Repetition Mode Change Event. See the
main HCI specs for mode details.
A large number of error codes have
been defined for the HCI layer. When a command fails, Error codes are
returned to indicate the reason for the error. 35 HCI error codes have so
far been defined, from Unknown HCI Command to LMP PDU Not
Allowed.See the main HCI specs for mode details.
The objective of the HCI UART
Transport Layer is to make it possible to use the Bluetooth HCI over a
serial interface between two UARTs on the same PCB. The HCI UART Transport
Layer assumes that the UART communication is free from line errors. Event
and data packets flow through this layer, but the layer does not decode
them.
The objective of the HCI RS232 Transport
Layer is to make it possible to use the Bluetooth HCI over one physical
RS232 interface between the Bluetooth Host and the Bluetooth Host
Controller. Event and data packets flow through this layer, but the layer
does not decode them.
The objective of the Universal Serial Bus
(USB) Transport Layer is to the use a USB hardware interface for Bluetooth
hardware (which can be embodied in one of two ways: as a USB dongle, or
integrated onto the motherboard of a notebook PC). A class code will be
used that is specific to all USB Bluetooth devices. This will allow the
proper driver stack to load, regardless of which vendor built the device.
It also allows HCI commands to be differentiated from USB commands across
the control endpoint.
Note , the above text contains excerpts from the Bluetooth SIG's
Specification, as well as various interpretations of the Specs. For
complete details of the various sections, consult the actual Bluetooth
Specification. |