System overview

This system overview provides a description of the main hardware components and functionalities of the nRFready Smart Remote 3 for nRF52 remote control reference design.

The main hardware components in the reference design are the following:

See Assembling Smart Remote 3 hardware for assembly instructions for the Smart Remote 3 DK add-on.

Communication in the system is digital and packet-based, which means that data between the remote control and the host is exchanged as discrete packets of information. The nRF device checks the status of the trackpad and the keypad matrix before sending this information to the host. The driver on the computer decodes the packages allowing you to use the remote control as both a pointing device and keypad.

Note: The term host refers to a Bluetooth® Smart Ready compliant device that supports the HID-over-GATT profile. Windows 10, for instance, natively supports the HID-over-GATT profile if Bluetooth Smart Ready hardware is connected to the system. A computer with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, NVS package and Bluetooth 4.0 dual-mode (Smart Ready) hardware can also be a host.

The flexibility of the remote control allows you to experiment with your own firmware and functionality. After pairing, the trackpad, accelerometer, and free-space navigation can be enabled and calibrated.

For further details on the software and firmware included, consult the firmware documentation, code API, or the code itself.

Parent topic: Smart Remote 3 for nRF52 User Guide