In the description of some electronic devices such as phones, you can find support ANT+, the question naturally arises, what kind of opportunity is this and how the presence of ANT + can help the user.

What is ANT+

ANT+ is a wireless communication standard (similar to Bluetooth), its purpose is to transfer information between devices with support ANT+. Uses the same frequency as Bluetooth. One device acts as a sensor from which information is received and the second, which acts as a Hub device receiving data.

Support is implemented in devices due to the use of a special chip that allows you to transfer information between devices, the communication range is about 30 meters.

The alliance that developed this standard chose the niche of medicine and home use for implementation. The success of this standard depends on the number of devices that will support it, since the alliance includes many famous and influential companies, such as HbbTV, EBU, France Televisions, Institut für Rundfunktechnik, OpenTV, Philips, Samsung, SES ASTRA, Sony, TF1, the rate of release of devices with support for this standard is quite high.

How ANT+ works

For example, you have an ANT+-enabled gate opener in your home, your phone has special program which uses ANT+ connection, if the gate opens, your phone will receive a message about the triggering of the sensor installed on the gate.

Second use case(in medicine): the patient is equipped with sensors signaling his condition, using the ANT + connection, the doctor, nurse, being in the next room, can monitor the patient's condition on the phone or other device with which the status sensors are connected via ANT +.

Disadvantages of ANT+

Some users have reported ANT+ crashes when using other Bluetooth enabled devices at the same time, especially on the same device, for example if you have an ANT+ connected heart rate monitor and are exercising while also connected via Bluetooth. wireless headphones Since both devices use the same frequency, there is (sometimes) packet loss.

The future of this standard, most likely narrow niches, the main advantage this standard- energy saving, since the connection via ANT + is 70% less energy-intensive than via Bluetooth.

Electronics is developing rapidly, and the most familiar household appliances are getting functions that no one could attribute to them before. The usual smartphone has big set opportunities. Today we will talk about ANT technology, find out what it is and discuss the features.

What is ANT+?

This is a special protocol that allows a mobile device to receive information from nearby sensors. This is data from:

  • speed sensors
  • pedometers
  • heart rate sensors
  • calorie counters

So that your mobile device can freely contact devices that measure your condition and physical activity, it is equipped with a special wireless communication module that supports the transport of information via the ANT + protocol. There are many examples of such a module - among the most common is the WCN3680 manufactured by Qualcomm. Data transmission is carried out at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, the communication range is approximately three tens of meters.

Principle of operation

ANT+ refers to adaptive synchronous protocols, where each connection occurs between two components, one of which is a slave and the other is a master.

Differences from Bluetooth

An inquisitive mind has already noticed a certain similarity between Bluetooth and ANT+. Despite the common frequency of operation, the two communication standards have a number of differences from each other. They have a different packet structure, different channel spacing and reception range - Bluetooth works at a distance of up to 50 meters.

ANT+ outperforms its competitor in terms of power consumption. In sleep and active modes, the consumption is approximately identical, but when initiating communication sessions, the difference is obvious. Features of the ANT+ format allow it to send less additional data. There are other points, the difference on each of which is small separately, but in total an overweight of 30 percent is planned. The presence of this protocol will be a positive factor for people giving great importance smartphone power consumption.

Conclusion:

ANT + is a kind of technology that allows you to connect many devices to your gadget at once. So far, it will only be useful to fans of utilities related to sports. But that's not all - the list of supported applications is growing rapidly, owners of devices with this technology can control music playback, view navigation data, and so on.

With the development of IT technologies and the emergence of numerous devices and gadgets for various tasks, the life of a modern person becomes easier, because due to the automation of many processes, time is significantly saved. A decade ago, such significant steps in technical equipment seemed something unreal or very distant. Today, you won’t surprise anyone with a coffee maker that makes coffee on its own, or some kind of fitness tracker, not to mention familiar smartphones equipped with incredibly wide functionality with great capabilities. Manufacturers annually release innovative wearable devices, and the development of the “Internet of Things” is rapidly gaining momentum. The technology in the house has “smartered” and the direct participation of a person is no longer mandatory, because home systems, household appliances and other benefits are able to interact with each other and with the outside world through communication networks, performing tasks in automatic mode. The smartphone, on the other hand, becomes a control center where data from various devices can flow. Many are used today wireless technologies, including the well-known Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, there are also less popular, but quite promising, for example, ANT +, referred to as ANT HAL Service in a smartphone. It will be about how this communication protocol is used and why it is needed at all with such an abundance of existing technologies.

Purpose of ANT + in the phone.

What is ANT+

Not all users are aware of the presence of the ANT + protocol and, when purchasing a smartphone that supports the technology, they may be puzzled by the question of what kind of ANT HAL Service is present in the device's functionality. Innovations are being introduced into familiar devices so quickly that ignorance of their existence and purpose is quite common. ANT+ is a wireless secure data transfer protocol used on modern devices. The technology has found application mainly in the fields of sports and health of a person and his home. ANT+ with a communication range of up to 30 meters provides the collection and transmission of data from sensors to the control device, and in many ways is now in trend due to the constant calls of society for a healthy lifestyle, as well as the production of all kinds of sports gadgets associated with this. At the same time, such benefits are not only a tribute to fashion, but in a number of situations and an urgent need. Thus, the technology will be useful for monitoring the health status of patients with heart disease, diabetes and other serious illnesses that require constant monitoring. The ANT protocol, whose main feature is low power consumption, was developed back in 2004, its operation is carried out in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. The ANT Plus standard, in turn, is a software extension that efficiently performs tracking, collecting and transmitting information. Most often, the protocol is applicable in sports and medical equipment. So, ANT+ is widely used for many devices:

  • Fitness equipment;
  • Speed ​​sensors;
  • Activity sensors;
  • Bicycle computers;
  • Pedometers;
  • Heart rate monitors;
  • Heart rate monitors;
  • Glucometers;
  • Calorimeters;
  • Scales;
  • Lighting control;
  • Music player management;
  • Location tracking;
  • Transport monitoring;
  • Tire pressure monitoring system.

This list is by no means complete and is constantly being updated. A smartphone with a wireless communication module that supports the ANT + standard is capable of receiving data from such equipment. So far, not every device has such equipment, but given the pace of production of devices with technology support (implemented by integrating a special chip), the development prospects are quite good and in the near future a deeper implementation of the standard is likely.

Principle of operation

The protocol is able to provide communication between two components, where one device in the connection is the sensor where the data comes from, while the other receives them. At the same time, any devices supporting the standard can constitute a logical connection and transmitting information can receive it in another formed connection with another object. ANT+ Plugins includes system elements that allow smartphone apps to access ANT+-enabled devices regardless of Android OS version. On smartphones of well-known manufacturers Samsung, Sony, etc., the possibility has already been implemented, unlike "apples", but this does not mean that the technology cannot be applied to them. You can work with the adaptive standard even without integrated hardware support, via an OTG cable and an ANT+ USB stick using the ANT+ USB Service application. So, for mobile devices with USB / OTG, computers and devices with MacOS, you need a USB adapter.

To make it clearer what kind of ANT HAL Service program is in a smartphone, we can cite as an example any system installed in the house with an electronic sensor, from where signals will be sent to the control center, that is, the phone where the software is installed using ANT + transmission. The technology is also convenient when used for medical purposes, for example, when a doctor located at some distance from the patient (of course, within the range of the standard) receives data from sensors from the patient about his condition.

Differences from Bluetooth

ANT+ is similar to the famous Bluetooth wireless protocol, and they work on a common frequency, but they have a number of differences:

  • Different package structure;
  • The interval between channels in the case of ANT + is 1 Hz, and for Bluetooth LE- 2 Hz.
  • The range of data transmission using ANT + reaches 30 meters versus 50 for the old-timer Bluetooth, although in practice, in the presence of interference, the figure can be reduced by a factor of three;
  • The main advantage of ANT+ is low power consumption (about 50-70% savings), which favorably affects the autonomy of the smartphone.

The information transmitted by the sensors of the equipment can be received by different devices, with the ANT HAL Service for Android, it is possible to simultaneously run several applications with support for one communication module. The standard in question sends less additional data for the same amount, and fewer transactions are needed for each connection.

Pluses in favor of ANT + adds a small energy consumption when scanning, as well as initiating a connection and other processes, so from the point of view of saving charge on the side Android devices with ANT HAL Service there are significant benefits. In some cases, data packets are lost during data transmission due to connection different devices simultaneously to Bluetooth and ANT+ and using the same frequency. We are not talking about replacing Bluetooth, especially since the narrow focus of the ANT + standard should be taken into account, but many of the functions inherent in the “experienced” protocol are quite feasible using the new technology.

Modern sports gadgets are often equipped with both Bluetooth Low Energy and ANT +. Both technologies transmit data over a short distance while consuming very little power. Let's understand what Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ANT+ are.

In 2003, ANT+ was first used in running sensors from Nike. Seeing great potential, Garmin acquired the technology in 2006, and ANT+ is now the de facto standard among sports devices. ANT Technology+ allows sensors to operate on one miniature battery for more than a year.

Bluetooth in December 2009, in turn, released a low energy technology, also known as Bluetooth Smart.

Differences between ANT+ and Bluetooth LE

The fundamental difference between these two technologies is that the signal from ANT + sensors can be received by an unlimited number of devices. That is, if, for example, you are exercising with a trainer, then he can see on his watch the indicators of your heart rate sensor, cadence, power meter. You can also see data on your bike computer and watch at the same time. While Bluetooth LE allows you to receive data from different sensors, but only on one device.

The undoubted advantage of Bluetooth is its prevalence on such devices as mobile phone and laptop. In order to transmit ANT+ data to a computer, you will have to purchase a special receiver for $30. Some phones have ANT+ built in, but of course Bluetooth is much more common.

The speed of data transfer in both systems is approximately the same. Bluetooth has the potential to be faster, but it is limited by device manufacturers to save power.

In 2017, many devices began to be released with built-in Bluetooth and ANT +. This is perhaps the most convenient solution.

If you're going to be using Zwift and you're faced with the choice of which connection to use, many cyclists recommend Bluetooth because they find data transfer more stable. And in Zwift, this is very important, because if your power drops to zero even for one second, you risk falling behind the peloton.

This service is similar to system components that allow other forms of wireless communication on your phone (ie. WiFi, NFC) and will not work or use system resources unless you run an application that requires Ant Wireless. It will be pre-installed by the device manufacturer so that the built-in ANT is already present in your mobile device in order to work. If you do not intend to use this function, there will be no effect on your system and no further action not required.

If this service is not preinstalled on your phone, you may still be able to enable wireless http://www.thisisant.com/developer/ant/ant-in-android/ for more information.

What is an ant?

Ant is a very energy efficient wireless technology. ANT allows you to connect and use various other Ant or Ant+ devices. Today, this service allows you to connect to popular Ant+ compatible sports/fitness/health devices such as heart rate sensors, fitness equipment, sporting goods, scales and more. In the future it will be possible to use Ant to enable many new applications from your mobile device such as home automation control of lighting, temperature and door lock. Visit www.thisisant.com for more information.

How to use:

This system service cannot be started directly. It will run automatically in the background when any application that requires wireless ant.
Ant+ enabled apps also usually require downloading ant plugins http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dsi.ant.plugins.antplus

Some popular applications upgraded with Ant+:
* Samsung S Health
* Garmin Fit™
* SportsTracker on STL
* Application
* My Tracks
* Run .GPS trainer UV
* IpBike, IpWatts, IpPeloton, IpSmartHr
* hinged
* Five
* MapMyFITNESS/ride/run/walk+/hike/boom

Ant application development:

Requires Android Permissions:

Full network access: normal to never upload or download any data over the internet. This permission is required only because it is possible to install a normal android emulator (i.e. for development purposes) in which case it is wrong to communicate with the ANT flash drive on the Windows host PC using the Ant emulator android tools. This message requires internet permission, but communicates only from the local computer.

Change system settings: This allows you to initialize whether the ant should be turned off or saved on Airplane mode.

Bluetooth Admin: on some hardware configurations ant may require system level communication with bluetooth. However, this service does not start Bluetooth scanning or creating a Bluetooth connection.

More:
* Ant and Ant+ in general http://www.thisisant.com
* Ant for android