Docs / THETA BLE API

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Getting Started

From RICOH THETA V, camera control such as shooting via Bluetooth Low Energy communication is available.

This section explains the following flow for shooting a still image.

  1. Bluetooth authentication
  2. Acquire and set shooting properties
  3. Shoot a still image
  4. Check for file saving
  5. Wake camera up from sleep

Below, the Bluetooth device is called Central device, RICOH THETA is called Peripheral device.

1. Bluetooth authentication

RICOH THETA authenticates a central device via Web API and Bluetooth API. The camera does not use pairing.

Register the central device UUID to camera from Web API command camera._setBluetoothDevice, and turn the Bluetooth module ON with option _bluetoothPower.

Request (Register a central device)

POST /osc/commands/execute
{
    "name": "camera._setBluetoothDevice",
    "parameters": {
        "uuid": "01234567-89ab-cdef-0123-456789abcdef"
    }
}

Response

{
    "name": "camera._setBluetoothDevice",
    "state": "done",
    "results": {
        "deviceName": "00101234"
    }
}

Request (Bluetooth power ON)

POST /osc/commands/execute
{
    "name": "camera.setOptions",
    "parameters": {
        "options": {
            "_bluetoothPower": "ON"
        }
    }
}

Response

{
    "name": "camera.setOptions",
    "state": "done"
}

Search for the camera with deviceName obtained in registration, and set the central device UUID via Bluetooth API to authenticate.
Use Auth Bluetooth Device via Bluetooth API.

Write (Authenticate the central device)

Service: "0F291746-0C80-4726-87A7-3C501FD3B4B6" (Bluetooth Control Command)
Characteristic: "EBAFB2F0-0E0F-40A2-A84F-E2F098DC13C3" (Auth Bluetooth Device)
Property: Write
Value: "01234567-89ab-cdef-0123-456789abcdef"

2. Acquire and set shooting properties

Acquire the shooting properties.

The following shows an example of acquiring the ISO sensitivity (ISO.)

Read

Service: "1D0F3602-8DFB-4340-9045-513040DAD991" (Shooting Control Command)
Characteristic: "ABB94D51-189F-455B-951D-ABE9B0333080" (ISO)
Property: Read

Response

    0x4001

Set the shooting properties.

The following shows an example of setting ISO sensitivity to 400.

Write

Service: "1D0F3602-8DFB-4340-9045-513040DAD991" (Shooting Control Command)
Characteristic: "ABB94D51-189F-455B-951D-ABE9B0333080" (ISO)
Property: Write
Value: 0x9001

3. Shoot a still image

Operate the shutter. The command used depends on whether still images are shot by single shooting or continuous shooting.

Set File Format and Capture Mode at first, and shoot a single still image by command Take Picture or shoot images or video continuously by command Continuous Shooting. The example for single still image shooting is as follows.

Write (Set still image format)

Service: "1D0F3602-8DFB-4340-9045-513040DAD991" (Shooting Control Command)
Characteristic: "E8F0EDD1-6C0F-494A-95C3-3244AE0B9A01" (File Format)
Property: Write
Value: 0x00

Write (Set still capture mode)

Service: "1D0F3602-8DFB-4340-9045-513040DAD991" (Shooting Control Command)
Characteristic: "78009238-AC3D-4370-9B6F-C9CE2F4E3CA8" (Capture Mode)
Property: Write
Value: 0x00

Write (Shoot a still image)

Service: "1D0F3602-8DFB-4340-9045-513040DAD991" (Shooting Control Command)
Characteristic: "FEC1805C-8905-4477-B862-BA5E447528A5" (Take Picture)
Property: Write
Value: 0x01

4. Check for file saving

The shooting status notification tells us completion of file save: Take Picture for single still image or Continuous Shooting for continuous shooting. The notification does not depend on the type of API. For example, the shooting status notification will be changed by shutter button of the camera.

Notify (Status of still image shooting)

Service: "1D0F3602-8DFB-4340-9045-513040DAD991" (Shooting Control Command)
Characteristic: "FEC1805C-8905-4477-B862-BA5E447528A5" (Take Picture)
Property: Notify
Value: 0x00

5. Wake camera up from sleep

Some services become disabled when the camera goes to sleep. In that case, wake the camera up by Camera Power and start from 1. Bluetooth authentication again.

Write

Service: "8AF982B1-F1FF-4D49-83F0-A56DB4C431A7" (Camera Status Command)
Characteristic: "B58CE84C-0666-4DE9-BEC8-2D27B27B3211" (Camera Power)
Property: Write
Value: 0x01