ANCS Confusion.

[Drona Nagarajan]

Hi,

I'm trying to set up an iOS app (which I know is working properly) with a nRF8001 using nRFGo studio. I do not have the nRFGo dev kit (only the 8001 dev kit) so I hooked up the 8001 with my Arduino Uno Rev3.

The ANCS specs in the Apple's developer's forum state that that the ANCS service is a primary service whose UUID is "7905F431-B5CE-4E99-A40F-4B1E122D00D0". It further defines 3 more characteristics, Notification Source, Control Point and Data Source.

What I do not understand is, Q1. do I have to make a new service (say "Apple Service") having the UUID of ANCS given above? And should I add the characteristics to "Apple Service"?

Q2. Can I use a predefined service (like the Current Time service) and just add the 3 characteristics as defined by Apple's documents?

By my understanding, I guess we have to make a new service. For that, I first added 4 (ANCS, NS, CP and DS) new custom UUIDs using the "Edit 128-bit UUID" option in nRF8001 Setup menu. Then, I added a new service called ANCS and changed the base UUID to ANCS. Then to this new service, I added the 3 characteristics.

Due to shortage of time, I have to write the configuration to NVM so I cannot undo it. I want to be sure if what I'm understanding is right or not.

[David Edwin]

Hi,

I would encourage you to use the nRF8001 Setup in RAM until your development is stable, using the nRF8001 NVM before development is stable will create design iterations and will actually cost you more time.

Take a look at this thread https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/index.php/how-to-setup-a-pipe-to-access-ios7-s-ancs . The only comment that I have in addition is that it is likely that ANCS may work for "Just Works" security and the newer releases of iOS may allow you to see the ANCS on the iOS without disconnecting and re-connecting.

Q1: Yes but make sure you read the other thread as ANCS uses the the GATT client capability (Remote) of the nRF8001.

Q2: No. That will not work.

As I said again, do not use the NVM until your development is stable.

Edit: I realize that you are not using the NVM of the nRF8001 to store the setup but you are using NVM on the external microcontroller. My comments are about using the NVM on the nRF8001