iBeacon

iBeacon Basic Operation

1. Setup monitoring beacons

func initiateRegion(ref:BeaconHandler){
    let uuid: NSUUID = NSUUID(UUIDString: "<UUID>")
    let beacon = CLBeaconRegion(proximityUUID: uuid, identifier: "")
    locationManager?.requestAlwaysAuthorization()    //cllocation manager obj.
    beacon?.notifyOnEntry = true
    beacon?.notifyOnExit = true
    beacon?.notifyEntryStateOnDisplay = true
    locationManager?.startMonitoringForRegion(beacon!)
    locationManager?.delegate = self;
    // Check if beacon monitoring is available for this device
    if (!CLLocationManager.isMonitoringAvailableForClass(CLBeaconRegion)) {
        print("error")
    }
    locationManager!.startRangingBeaconsInRegion(self.beacon!)
}

1. Location manager enter and exit region

func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didEnterRegion region: CLRegion) {
    if(region.isKindOfClass(CLBeaconRegion)) {
        locationManager!.startRangingBeaconsInRegion(self.beacon!)
    }
}

func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didExitRegion region: CLRegion) {
    if(region.isKindOfClass(CLBeaconRegion)) {
        locationManager!.stopRangingBeaconsInRegion(self.beacon!)
    }
}

1. Location manager range beacon

func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didRangeBeacons beacons: [CLBeacon], inRegion region: CLBeaconRegion) {
    print(beacons.first.major)
}

Scanning specific Beacons

beacon = CLBeaconRegion(proximityUUID: <#NSUUID#>, major: <#CLBeaconMajorValue#>, identifier: <#String#>) // listening to all beacons with given UUID and major value
 beacon =    CLBeaconRegion(proximityUUID: <##NSUUID#>, major: <##CLBeaconMajorValue#>, minor: <##CLBeaconMinorValue#>, identifier: <##String#>) // listening to all beacons with given UUID and major and minor value

Ranging iBeacons

First, you have to request authorization of location services

let locationManager = CLLocationManager()
locationManager.delegate = self
locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()
// OR locationManager.requestAlwaysAuthorization()

Then you can get all iBeacons’ information inside didRangeBeacons

func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didRangeBeacons beacons: [CLBeacon], inRegion region: CLBeaconRegion) {
    for beacon in beacons {
        print(beacon.major)
        print(beacon.minor)
    }
}

Parameters

|Parameters|Details |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|--- |manager|CLLocationManager reference |region|CLRegion could be circular region (geofence or beacon region) |beacons|Array of CLBeacon contains all ranged beacons

Remarks

Beacons are IOT objects. We are focusing on those which conform to iBeacon protocol a Apple standard. Each beacon is a one way device which transmits 3 things

1. UUID
2. Major
3. Minor

We can scan iBeacons by setting up our CLLocation manager object to scan for beacons for particular UUID. All beacons with the given UUID will be scanned.

CLLocation manager also gives call on enter and exit of beacon region.