Return-Path: MIME-Version: 1.0 Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:28:34 +0100 Message-ID: Subject: RFCOMM Remote Port Negotiation From: Andrea Galbusera To: linux-bluetooth@vger.kernel.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Sender: linux-bluetooth-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: Hello list, This days I have been thinking about a project, which involves replacing a serial cable with a bluetooth based solution. Nothing new, you'd say and that's exactly what I thought at first. Than I had to face this fact. Such an application involves communication between two host over a serial connection with a baudrate that changes over time. What I need is a "fully transparent" replacement for a serial cable and it needs to be compatible with the current software. I know RFCOMM standard does provide multiplexor frames and RPN commands in particular, which allow for remote bluetooth device to be aware of any change in serial communication parameters on the other side. It also became pretty clear to me that what I'm supposed to realize is an RFCOMM Type 2 device. According to RFCOMM specification, a Type 2 device is an intermediate device that has a physical RS-232 serial port on top of RFCOMM. My question is? How would one implement such a thing with Linux? I'm not a kernel expert at all but, if my understanding is correct, rfcomm_recv_rpn() function in net/bluetooth/rfcomm/core.c is designed to reply to RPN frames (as required by the protocol specification) but does not provide any mechanism to signal other layers (maybe the tty device) of any remote request for changing port settings. Is my understanding correct? Does this mean that Linux RFCOMM kernel layer is currently designed for Type 1 devices only? Even thinking to a user space solution for my problem does not seem easy at all to me. When the remote host changes line settings, RFCOMM layer will send RPN command accordingly (linux does so when changing tty settings). How to get such an information on the other side if rfcomm_recv_rpn() does, in fact, short-circuit RPN commands in the kernel? I'm quite surprised no one ever had this requirement! I couldn't find much about RPN in the list archives and even on google. Also I noticed that many bluetooth-serial adapters on the market do behave the same way Linux does, and they simply reply to RPN without carrying out any request to change settings on their serial port. This could mean I'm completely on a wrong path! Please! I ask you, bluetooth gurus, to improve my understanding, if possible. If in the end you do think reasonable any extension to the current kernel implementation, which take into account such a scenario, I'd be glad to participate and help. Thank you in advance Regards, AndreA