Binary Sensor Profile

Bluetooth® Profile Specification

▪ Revision: v1.0
▪ Revision Date: 2019-07-02
▪ Group Prepared By: PUID Working Group
▪ Feedback Email: [email protected]

Abstract:
The Binary Sensor Profile (BSP) enables a Collector device to receive status reports from binary (open/closed,
on/off, etc.) sensors.

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 Binary Sensor Profile / Profile Specification

Revision History
Revision Number Date Comments

v1.0 2019-07-02 Adopted by the Bluetooth SIG Board of Directors.

Contributors

Name Company

Hironari Ushikubo NTT DOCOMO

Frank Berntsen Nordic Semiconductor

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Contents
1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Profile dependencies ............................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Conformance ........................................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Bluetooth specification release compatibility............................................................................. 5
1.4 Language ................................................................................................................................ 5
1.4.1 Language conventions ...................................................................................................................... 5
1.4.2 Reserved for Future Use................................................................................................................... 6
1.4.3 Prohibited ......................................................................................................................................... 6
2 Configuration................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Roles ....................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Role/service relationships ........................................................................................................ 7
2.3 Concurrency limitations/restrictions .......................................................................................... 7
2.4 Topology limitations/restrictions ............................................................................................... 7
2.5 Transport dependencies .......................................................................................................... 7
3 Sensor role requirements ............................................................................................................... 8
3.1 Incremental Binary Sensor Service requirements ..................................................................... 8
3.1.1 Additional requirements for Low Energy transport .............................................................................. 8
4 Collector role requirements ............................................................................................................ 9
4.1 GATT sub-procedure requirements .......................................................................................... 9
4.2 Service discovery................................................................................................................... 10
4.2.1 Binary Sensor Service discovery ..................................................................................................... 10
4.3 Characteristic discovery ......................................................................................................... 10
4.3.1 Binary Sensor Service characteristic discovery ................................................................................ 10
4.4 BSS Control Point and BSS Response procedures ................................................................ 10
4.4.1 Get Sensor Status Command Procedure ......................................................................................... 10
4.4.2 Setting Sensor Command Procedure .............................................................................................. 11
4.4.3 Sensor Status Event Procedure ...................................................................................................... 11
5 Protocol requirements .................................................................................................................. 12
6 Segmentation and reassembly ..................................................................................................... 13
7 Connection establishment procedures ........................................................................................ 14
8 Security considerations ................................................................................................................ 15
8.1 Sensor security considerations............................................................................................... 15
8.2 Collector security considerations ............................................................................................ 15
9 Acronyms and abbreviations........................................................................................................ 16
10 References..................................................................................................................................... 17
Appendix A: Binary Sensors with wearable devices ......................................................................... 18

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1 Introduction
The Binary Sensor Profile, in conjunction with the Binary Sensor Service [1], provides two characteristics
that are used for a protocol between the client and a server to transfer the status of binary sensors on the
server side.

1.1 Profile dependencies

This profile is compatible with any Core Host, as defined in the Bluetooth Core Specification [2], that
includes the Generic Attribute Profile (GATT).

1.2 Conformance
If conformance to this specification is claimed, all capabilities indicated as mandatory for this specification
shall be supported in the specified manner (process-mandatory). This also applies to all optional and
conditional capabilities for which support is indicated.

1.3 Bluetooth specification release compatibility

This specification is compatible with Bluetooth Core Specification 5.0 or later [2].

1.4 Language
1.4.1 Language conventions
The Bluetooth SIG has established the following conventions for use of the words shall, must, will,
should, may, can, is, and note in the development of specifications:

shall is required to – used to define requirements.

must is used to express:

a natural consequence of a previously stated mandatory requirement.

OR

an indisputable statement of fact (one that is always true regardless of the

circumstances).

will it is true that – only used in statements of fact.

should is recommended that – used to indicate that among several possibilities one
is recommended as particularly suitable, but not required.

may is permitted to – used to allow options.

can is able to – used to relate statements in a causal manner.

is is defined as – used to further explain elements that are previously required

or allowed.

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note Used to indicate text that is included for informational purposes only and is
not required in order to implement the specification. Each note is clearly
designated as a “Note” and set off in a separate paragraph.

For clarity of the definition of those terms, see Core Specification Volume 1, Part E, Section 1.

1.4.2 Reserved for Future Use

Where a field in a packet, Protocol Data Unit (PDU), or other data structure is described as "Reserved for
Future Use" (irrespective of whether in uppercase or lowercase), the device creating the structure shall
set its value to zero unless otherwise specified. Any device receiving or interpreting the structure shall
ignore that field; in particular, it shall not reject the structure because of the value of the field.
Where a field, parameter, or other variable object can take a range of values, and some values are
described as "Reserved for Future Use," a device sending the object shall not set the object to those
values. A device receiving an object with such a value should reject it, and any data structure containing
it, as being erroneous; however, this does not apply in a context where the object is described as being
ignored or it is specified to ignore unrecognized values.
When a field value is a bit field, unassigned bits can be marked as Reserved for Future Use and shall be
set to 0. Implementations that receive a message that contains a Reserved for Future Use bit that is set
to 1 shall process the message as if that bit was set to 0, except where specified otherwise.
The acronym RFU is equivalent to Reserved for Future Use.

1.4.3 Prohibited
When a field value is an enumeration, unassigned values can be marked as “Prohibited.” These values
shall never be used by an implementation, and any message received that includes a Prohibited value
shall be ignored and shall not be processed and shall not be responded to.
Where a field, parameter, or other variable object can take a range of values, and some values are
described as “Prohibited,” devices shall not set the object to any of those Prohibited values. A device
receiving an object with such a value should reject it, and any data structure containing it, as being
erroneous.
“Prohibited” is never abbreviated.

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2 Configuration
2.1 Roles
The profile defines two roles: the Sensor role and the Collector role:

• The Sensor role applies to the device that reports binary sensor status to a Collector device.

• The Collector role applies to the device that receives data from a Binary Sensor device.

The device acting in the Sensor role shall be a GATT Server.

The device acting in the Collector roll shall be a GATT Client.

Hereafter, this document will simply refer to these devices that implement such roles as a Sensor and a
Collector.

2.2 Role/service relationships

The following diagram shows the relationship between service and profile roles. Profile roles are
represented by blue boxes and the services are represented by a gray box.

Figure 2.1: Relationship between services and profile roles

For a wearable device with limited resources, the implementer can choose to implement the Alert
Notification Profile Client role to receive notification via a device implementing the Binary Sensor Profile
Collector role. For more information, see Binary Sensors with wearable devices.

2.3 Concurrency limitations/restrictions

The Binary Sensor profile may run concurrently with other profiles.

2.4 Topology limitations/restrictions

There are no topology limitations or restrictions.

The Sensor shall use the GAP Peripheral role.

The Collector shall use the GAP Central role.

2.5 Transport dependencies

This profile is specified for operation over Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) transport.

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3 Sensor role requirements

The following table describes support of the Sensor, which shall instantiate one and only one instance of
the Binary Sensor Service as a primary service.

The Sensor role shall have one instance of the Binary Sensor Service.

Service Server

Binary Sensor Service M

Table 3.1: Binary Sensor Service requirements

M: Mandatory

3.1 Incremental Binary Sensor Service requirements

This section describes the incremental Binary Sensor Service requirements.

3.1.1 Additional requirements for Low Energy transport

Sections 3.1.1.1 and 3.1.1.2 describe the requirements for Bluetooth LE transport.

3.1.1.1 Service UUIDs AD Type

While in a GAP Discoverable Mode for initial connection to a Collector, the Sensor should include the
Binary Sensor Service UUID defined in [3] in the Service UUIDs AD type field of the Advertising Data or
Scan Response Data to enable the Collector to identify a Binary Sensor before initiating a connection.

3.1.1.2 Local Name AD Type

To enable the Collector to identify a Binary Sensor before initiating a connection, the Sensor should
include the Local Name, containing either the complete or shortened value of the Device Name
characteristic as defined in [2], either in its Advertising Data or in its Scan Response Data.

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4 Collector role requirements

Table 4.1 describes support of the Collector requirements:

Profile Requirement Section Support in <client role>

Service Discovery 4.2 M

- Binary Sensor Service Discovery 4.2.1 M

Characteristic Discovery 4.3 M

- Binary Sensor Service Characteristic Discovery 4.3.1 M

Binary Sensor procedures 4.4 M

- Get Sensor Status Command Procedure 4.4.1 M

- Setting Sensor Command Procedure 4.4.2 M

- Sensor Status Event Procedure 4.4.3 M

Table 4.1: Profile requirements for the Collector

M: Mandatory

4.1 GATT sub-procedure requirements

Table 4.2 describes the GATT sub-procedure requirements for a Collector.

GATT Sub-Procedure <client role> Requirements

Discover All Primary Services C.1

Discover Primary Services by Service UUID C.1

Discover All Characteristics of a Service C.2

Discover Characteristics by UUID C.2

Write Characteristic Value M

Indications M

Table 4.2: Additional GATT sub-procedure requirements

C.1: Mandatory to support at least one of these service discovery sub-procedures.

C.2: Mandatory to support at least one of these characteristic discovery sub-procedures.
M: Mandatory

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4.2 Service discovery

The Collector shall perform primary service discovery using either the GATT Discover All Primary
Services sub-procedure or the GATT Discover Primary Services by Service UUID sub-procedure.

4.2.1 Binary Sensor Service discovery

The Collector shall discover the Binary Sensor Service (BSS).

4.3 Characteristic discovery

As required by GATT, the Collector shall be tolerant of two additional characteristics in the service
records of services used with this profile. These two characteristics are described in Sections 4.3.1.1 and
4.3.1.2.

4.3.1 Binary Sensor Service characteristic discovery

The Collector shall perform either the GATT Discover All Characteristics of a Service sub-procedure or
the GATT Discover Characteristics by UUID sub-procedure in order to discover the characteristics of the
service.

4.3.1.1 BSS Control Point characteristic

The Collector shall discover the BSS Control Point characteristic.

4.3.1.2 BSS Response characteristic

The Collector shall discover the BSS Response characteristic.

The GATT Discover All Characteristic Descriptors sub-procedure shall be used to discover the Client
Characteristic Configuration descriptor.

4.4 BSS Control Point and BSS Response procedures

Prior to executing any of the procedures described in Sections 4.4.1 through 4.4.3, the Collector shall
configure the Client Characteristic Configuration descriptor of the BSS Response characteristic to enable
indications. The Collector shall execute the GATT Write Characteristic Value sub-procedure when writing
the BSS Control Point characteristic. The Collector shall execute the GATT Indications sub-procedure to
receive indications on the BSS Response characteristic.

4.4.1 Get Sensor Status Command Procedure

The Collector shall write a Get Sensor Status Command Message to the BSS Control Point characteristic
of the Binary Sensor Service.

The Get Sensor Status Command Message shall have exactly 1 parameter.

The Sensor Type Parameter shall be set to the type of sensor the Collector is requesting information for.

The Collector shall wait for a Get Sensor Status Response Message indicated on the BSS Response
characteristic of the Binary Sensor Service.

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4.4.2 Setting Sensor Command Procedure

The Collector shall write a Setting Sensor Command Message to the BSS Control Point characteristic of
the Binary Sensor Service.

The Setting Sensor Command Message shall have at least two parameters as described below:

• The Sensor Type Parameter shall be set to the type of sensor that the Setting Sensor Command
Message shall act on.

• The Report Status Parameter shall be set to On or Off.

For a Single Sensor, the Setting Sensor Command Message may include one Name parameter.

For a Multiple Sensor, the Setting Sensor Command Message may include a Name parameter for each
sensor element.

The Collector shall wait for a Setting Sensor Response Message indicated on the BSS Response
characteristic of the Binary Sensor Service.

4.4.3 Sensor Status Event Procedure

The Collector shall accept an unsolicited Sensor Status Event whenever the Collector is not processing a
Get Sensor Status Procedure or a Setting Sensor Command Procedure.

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5 Protocol requirements
The Collector shall implement the protocol as described in the Binary Sensor Service [1]. The Collector
shall support all defined sensor types and the Named Sensors option.

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6 Segmentation and reassembly

The Collector shall implement the segmentation and reassembly as described in the Binary Sensor
Service [1].

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7 Connection establishment procedures

There are no connection establishment requirements beyond those already in the Generic Access Profile
(GAP).

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8 Security considerations
This section describes the security requirements for both Sensor and Collector.

8.1 Sensor security considerations

This section describes the security requirements for the Sensor.

All supported characteristics specified by the Binary Sensor Service shall be set to LE security mode 1
and security level 2 as defined in [2] Volume 3, Part C.

8.2 Collector security considerations

This section describes the security requirements for the Collector.

The Collector may bond with the Sensor.

The Collector shall accept any request by the Sensor for LE security mode 1 level 2, level 3, or level 4 as
defined in [2] Volume 3, Part C.

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9 Acronyms and abbreviations

Acronym/Abbreviation Meaning

BSP Binary Sensor Profile

BSS Binary Sensor Service
GAP Generic Access Profile
GATT profile Generic Attributes (GATT) profile
HD human detection sensor
O/C open/closed sensor
VIB vibration sensor
Table 9.1: Acronyms and abbreviations

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10 References
[1] Binary Sensor Service Specification
[2] Bluetooth Core Specification, Version 5.0 or later
[3] Service UUIDs, Characteristic, and Descriptor descriptions accessible via the Bluetooth SIG Assigned
Numbers

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Appendix A: Binary Sensors with wearable devices

This appendix describes an alternate method that an implementer might use for notifications from binary
sensors.

For a wearable device with limited resources, the implementer can choose to implement the Alert
Notification Profile Client role to receive notification via a device implementing the Binary Sensor Profile
Collector role. The wearable device then receives alerts from a smart device running the Binary Sensor
Profile as shown in Figure A.1.

Figure A.1: Relationship between the Binary Sensor Profile and the Alert Notification Profile

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