Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

Charlie — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:51:57 GMT

Hi,

I did some research on this topic. The following discussion shows you can add parser for your commands message in nrf\applications\asset_tracker_v2\src\cloud\nrf_cloud_integration.c

NRF_CLOUD_EVT_RX_DATA_GENERAL event, but when your device is on RCC idle state, it will miss these MQTT messages.

(+) Sending commands from nrfcloud terminal to LTE Device - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com)

(+) How to receive data from nRF cloud to LTE device - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com)

(+) nRF Cloud and the nRF 9160 - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com)

(+) Sending AT commands from nrfcloud terminal to LTE Device - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com)

I think the better way is to add the configuration on device shadow, then the device will compare and load the new configuration if something changes whenever it reconnects with nRF Cloud. Again, you need to add parser after

NRF_CLOUD_EVT_RX_DATA_SHADOW for the configuration. There is one related discussion I handled before, you will not have the same issue since your shadow would not so big.

(+) Receiving MQTT Shadow Data before NRF_CLOUD_EVT_READY - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com)

Best regards,

Charlie

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

witch_mountain — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:52:39 GMT

Hi Charlie,

I'm in the process of trying to implement a function that lets me read the messages from the nRF Cloud terminal and if I get a certain phrase then I set my GPIO pins to HIGH. I've been looking through the documentation for the Cloud Log and I'm able to find information on how to send messages to the Cloud but I'm not sure where to find more information on receiving information?

https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/libraries/networking/nrf_cloud_log.html#lib-nrf-cloud-log

Basically what I'm looking for is being able to read the message content received from the cloud terminal. I am able to tell if I did receive data from the terminal now I want to be able to read and use that information.

Do you have any recommendations on where to look?

Thanks!

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

Charlie — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:12:25 GMT

You can refer to nRF9160 Product Specification (nordicsemi.com).

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

witch_mountain — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 13:02:56 GMT

Gotcha, that makes this a little easier for me as someone who's trying to figure how to begin learning to code with the Thingy!

One quick question, when you configure the pins how do you differentiate between the GPIO pins on the nRF52 chip and the nRF91 chip? I want to toggle the pins associated with the NMOS transistors so I know they are P0.13-16. so do I just use 13-16 or is there another way to reference them.

Thanks!

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

Charlie — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:53:48 GMT

[quote user="witch_mountain"]

So what I would need to do then is add some code to the Asset Tracker to define GPIO control? That means using #include <drivers/gpio.h> correct?

I can't remember/find where I read it in provided documentation but it had something along the lines of if you want to have access to Cloud capabilities you can have the asset tracker running in the background and then have new code uploaded to do other things but I'm not sure if that even correct/how that would be implemented?

[/quote]

Just share you some idea:

For GPIO control, you can easily find some sample codes in devzone, or just refer to the AT#XGPIO implementation source codes.

For the message parsing, let's say you send a message "GPIO HIGHT" from nRF Cloud, add a filer for this command in message receiver codes (it currently prints out all received messages in log) and set GPIO=1 under it.

Best regards,

Charlie

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

witch_mountain — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:43:04 GMT

Hi Charlie,

[quote userid="93921" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/112929/communication-with-nrfcloud-from-external-devices/496590"]Any REST client(e.g. nRF Cloud Device management terminal, your own cloud service, postman)--------SendDeviceMessage-----> nRF Cloud ---------MQTT API---------> nRF91 Device[/quote]

I was slightly confused when the documentation for this Endpoint but the message path clears that up thank you.

[quote userid="93921" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/112929/communication-with-nrfcloud-from-external-devices/496590"]When you run Assert Tracker v2 sample, the shell only support AT commands from modem. You need to add codes for GPIO operation when the device receives some specific message you defined for GPIO control.[/quote]

So what I would need to do then is add some code to the Asset Tracker to define GPIO control? That means using #include <drivers/gpio.h> correct?

Thanks!

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

Charlie — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 10:50:38 GMT

[quote user="witch_mountain"]I got caught up with a few things but to follow up your answer with using the SendDeviceMessage Endpoint, is this available to be used if my device was using the MQTT API?[/quote]

I do not quite understand your request. Following is the message path when you are using REST API SendDeviceMessage Endpoint. Is this want you want?

Any REST client(e.g. nRF Cloud Device management terminal, your own cloud service, postman)--------SendDeviceMessage-----> nRF Cloud ---------MQTT API---------> nRF91 Device

[quote user="witch_mountain"]Also, regardless of the syntax, for the actual message/data I'm sending what would change to make it toggle the GPIO pins on the SiP? I know there are the AT Commands available for this but when I tried using [/quote]

Serial LTE modem (nordicsemi.com) support following commands, AT#XGPIO is one of the proprietary AT commands only supported by SLM sample.

Modem-specific AT commands - nRF91x1 AT Commands Reference Guide and nRF9160 AT Commands Reference Guide
Proprietary AT commands - SLM-specific AT commands

When you run Assert Tracker v2 sample, the shell only support AT commands from modem. You need to add codes for GPIO operation when the device receives some specific message you defined for GPIO control.

Best regards,

Charlie

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

witch_mountain — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 15:17:49 GMT

Hi Charlie!

I got caught up with a few things but to follow up your answer with using the SendDeviceMessage Endpoint, is this available to be used if my device was using the MQTT API?

If I am able to use this endpoint to I enter the curl command into the terminal on nRF Cloud or do I enter something similar to the sample found in the Cloud API into the cloud terminal? https://api.nrfcloud.com/v1/#tag/Messages/operation/SendDeviceMessage

Also, regardless of the syntax, for the actual message/data I'm sending what would change to make it toggle the GPIO pins on the SiP? I know there are the AT Commands available for this but when I tried using

> AT#XGPIO=0,13,1
ERROR
> AT#XGPIO=2,13,1
ERROR
> AT#XGPIO=1,13
ERROR

I thought I might test them out and see how it works with an LED connected to NMOS 1 on the Thingy 91. However, the terminal kept giving me errors even when I tried to read the state of the GPIO. I'm wondering if I need to add like a GPIO library/package in main.c? At the moment my device is just running the asset tracker v2 application (LTE).

So I'm not sure how to go about actually using the SendDeviceMessage Endpoint for my purpose here.

Thanks!

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

Charlie — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 08:23:46 GMT

[quote user="witch_mountain"]So if my Thingy is connected to the wall via USB I wouldn't be able to use Connect for Desktop because it's not plugged into the computer. [/quote]

Yes, because the nRF Connect for Desktop is running on PC with Mac/Win/Linux.

[quote user="witch_mountain"]Also, I went to the DevZone post you pointed me towards and found the documentation for that command. The sample on the SDK is only available for the 9160DK but I'm assuming the command and logic can be implemented with the Thingy 91?[/quote]

Yes, the nRF Cloud can be used with all nRF91 devices.

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

witch_mountain — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:23:12 GMT

Hi Charlie!

Thank you so much for your reply, this really helps me plan through this project! Just to clarify this:

[quote userid="93921" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/112929/communication-with-nrfcloud-from-external-devices/493383"]Yes, as long as you connect the USB port with PC.[/quote]

So if my Thingy is connected to the wall via USB I wouldn't be able to use Connect for Desktop because it's not plugged into the computer.

Also, I went to the DevZone post you pointed me towards and found the documentation for that command. The sample on the SDK is only available for the 9160DK but I'm assuming the command and logic can be implemented with the Thingy 91?

Thanks again for all the help!

RE: Communication with nrfCloud from external devices

Charlie — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 11:37:34 GMT

Hi,

[quote user=""]1. In general are you able to drive/control a GPIO pin through a cloud service? I'm already assuming this is a no since these are mostly for collecting and transforming data but just to make sure. [/quote][quote user=""]2. Generally to drive the GPIO NMOS for the nRF91 SiP on the Thingy 91 would be done through an LTE connection, is it possible to do this through creating an external application like an app or website? So you could press a button on this application and that would set the variable assigned to a pin to be set to HIGH and then it drives an LED or whatever would be connected to the GPIO pin?[/quote]

The answer is yes, the device can change GPIO state if you send a specific command through cloud. See the method mentioned in (+) Using nrf9160-DK and nrfCloud - Control GPIO from the nrfCloud - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com).

[quote user=""]3. Also if I have my Thingy plugged into the wall to power, I should still be able to use the Serial Monitor application on nRF Connect for Desktop to communicate via AT commands correct? [/quote]

Yes, as long as you connect the USB port with PC.

Best regards,

Charlie