How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 11:01:33 GMT

You should follow the steps in the order described in the Serialization software setup section. Also make sure you first cut the solderbridges as described in Serialization hardware setup. The application board should not have the softdevice programmed, only the connectivity board need this.

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Wed, 28 Mar 2018 08:56:42 GMT

Hi, Jorgen: I try to follow this your link to set up serialization test with two nRF52DK boards, http://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/com.nordic.infocenter.sdk5.v14.2.0/nrf51_setups_serialization.html?cp=4_0_0_1_4 and find it lack of details, should I power up both board in set up connectivity board and application board? Or prepare software separately and then connect them together to do the test? Regarding application software, it mentioned only Keil, and I cannot find any examples in SDK14.2.0 in ser_s13x_transport folder. The normal BLE examples, they all need soft device programmed. Where can I find right examples? There is instructions to verify test results, should I use Mobile phone to verify test connectivity board or Tera term to verify UART in application board? Any more details of examples I can follow! Thank you in advance!

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 10:13:08 GMT

Yes, it is recommended to place it on the side to allow the signals to radiate freely. The reduction in signal will be dependent on many factors, we do not have any numbers on this,

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 09:23:12 GMT

Hi, Jorgen, many thanks for your help. I download PC version nRF connect and am studying serialization and will try it next week. Regarding BLE module placement on a daughter PCB, I thought the module should be placed on the edge of outside of daughter PCB, not on the side between two PCBs, even it is on the edge of daughter PCB, am I right? How much percentage of signal loss comparing to mounted on the outside of PCB if I have to place it on this disadvantage position?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 14:38:38 GMT

We have serialization examples in the SDK, which allows you to control the softdevice over UART and SPI. You can port these libraries to other architectures if you want. nRF Connect for desktop is open source, and available on our GitHub account. Bluetooth Classic have much higher current consumption than BLE, and is not in our scope of ultra low power devices.

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 14:01:47 GMT

Is there any example code similar to this http://www.ti.com/lit/ug/tidu532/tidu532.pdf? What is the recommended protocol between nRF52832 and host processor over UART port? Is nRF Connect code is open source code? Does Nordic semi has plan to produce dual mode BLE 5 IC in future?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 13:24:56 GMT

Ok, sounds like we cannot help you with getting the Murata board to work. We only produce chips, no complete modules. Modules are created by our module partners. What do you mean by "host processor firmware development interface to nRF52 SoC"?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 13:15:04 GMT

If "No" is clicked, it cannot find Com port. I'll use nRF52 DK in development but still design Murata in product if there is no better choice. Has Nordic Semi has any BLE 5 module for sale that already got license and FCC certificate like MBN52832 has? Is there any SDK to help host processor firmware development interface to nRF52 SoC? Is there open source code in C that I can download? Thank you in advance for help!

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 12:35:58 GMT

nRF Connect v2.3.0 works fine with this firmware on my board. Most likely nRF Connect think you have a different chip/board based on your serial number, and tries to flash a different firmware. What happens if you choose "No" when you are asked to flash the latest firmware?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 12:04:14 GMT

Thank you for quick response. Programming the connectivity_1.2.2_1m is successful with your real hex file. It could be programed as soft device, boot loader or application, which one is correct? However, nRF Connect 2.3.0 cannot find COM port without Segger Embedded Studio active. When SES is active and application is download, nRF Connect still request to re-program it to the latest connectivity firmware, then still cannot find COM port when it tries to reprogram. It seems nRF Connect like different version firmware other than _1.2.2_1m!?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 10:15:35 GMT

Like I explained above, if you left click it on GitHub (the page I linked is our account on GitHub), it will store the HTML page that shows the hex-file, not the actual hex-file. Please follow the method I described above to download the file, (or download this: devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../connectivity_5F00_1.2.2_5F00_1m_5F00_with_5F00_s132_5F00_3.0.hex)

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 09:54:30 GMT

I download the hex file from your web site the link in your last reply here https://github.com/NordicSemiconductor/pc-ble-driver/tree/v2.2.1/hex/sd_api_v3 and store in my local PC,

It is 2425kB shown above, is this right file. Why should I download it from GitHUB?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 08:33:07 GMT

How large is the hex-file on your computer? If it is other than 460KB, there might have happened something to the download from GitHub. When I left click the file and select download on GitHub, it looks like the file is actually downloaded, but when I open the file in an editor, I see a HTML file. Make sure you click in the file, click on RAW, and then left click and select "save page as" or similar.

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 07:52:40 GMT

Hi, Jorgen: Thank you for help. My first attempt is failed, here are screen shots

I tried erase all, program application, boot loader, but all end up in fail to read hex file. I am reading how to use nrfjprog and will try it and let you know outcome when I go through it.

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 09:34:28 GMT

Different versions of nRF Connect will flash different versions of the connectivity firmware, as the API in the low level driver used by nRF Connect (pc-ble-driver) have to correspond with the API of the used softdevice version. Different chips will have different softdevices, and this will decide which connectivity firmware that is flashed. nRF Connect use the serial number of the SEGGER chip to determine which chip is present, and to flash the correct connectivity firmware. This might be causing some issues for you, when you have a board with a serial number (4830* vs 68*) that is not recognized by nRF Connect as one of our DevKits. This could cause wrong connectivity firmware to be flashed to your board. You can try flashing the correct firmware manually (for nRF Connect 2.3.0, this will be connectivity_1.2.2_1m_with_s132_3.0.hex from here), using nrfjprog or nRFgo Studio.

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 08:27:53 GMT

Hi, Jorgen: Great! Both nRF Connect v1.1.1 and V2.3.0 works with nRF52DK, I try to find out why Murata DVK module does not work, it has the same host MCU and nRF52832 SoC. I noticed that both versions like to re-program DK with the latest connectivity firmware, are they programming different connectivity firmware? How important is the latest connectivity firmware, it seems mobile version nRF Tool box does not requires the latest firmware, is this firmware mainly required on serial communication that nRF52832 talk to the host MCU, not BLE radio communication? If yes, do I need the latest firmware code in my host processor to control Murata module apart from your SDK code to control BLE radio, if yes, where can I find the source code? Murata does not know why its module cannot be reprogrammed and they has no tool to program its module, their support is really poor.

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 16:51:14 GMT

Hi, Jorgen: Just let you know that I tested older version 1.1.1 and it is worse, it does not discover COM13 and ask to re-program the latest firmware, all three pull down menus are not responsive, the open log, clear log functions works, as shown in screenshot.

My order of nRF52DK has not arrived, Mouser is slower and I'll chase next Monday. I'll let you know after test them. Have a good weekend!

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 17:19:27 GMT

I should have specified this in more detail. I meant an even older version of nRF Connect (v1.x.x). There have been some changes in how the J-Link devices are identified in the later versions. Maybe Murata have not tested this with their DKs. Note that a new version of the product specifications does not neccessary indicate a change in silicone, only that the documentation have been updated to make sure the information within is as complete and accurate as possible. Silicone revision is given by the markings on the chip and can be compared to the compatibility matrix, but I do not know if you have this markings available on the module?

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 16:19:46 GMT

Hi, Jorgen:

Just let you know that I tried an older nRF Connect-Windows V2.2.1, the outcome is the same as V2.3.0. Here is the screenshots:

As far as I know, MBN52832 module and DVK use nRF52832 IC silicone version specification v1.3, not the latest v1.4, not sure it is too old? Why does Murata not update it to latest connectivity firmware.

I'll test nRF52 DK when they arrived. Thank you for advise!

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 19:44:43 GMT

That is good to hear! Happy to help!

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:52:05 GMT

Hi, Jorgen, Great, it works now!

Here are two screenshots:

Thank you for help.

Good night!

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 16:36:44 GMT

Please also check that you are not bonded with the device. If you are, you need to delete the bonding information from the Android Bluetooth settings.

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 15:17:06 GMT

Hi, Jorgen:

Here are two screenshots from SES debug and nRF Tool Box log (only the initial part in screenshot)

It seems there are repeated reports "Error (0x81) GATT INTERNAL ERROR", how this can it be fixed.

I tried to run old SDK 14.1.0 yesterday after reading Mark's blog 5 months ago, he has the same problem as I have. The 14.1.0 contains the same bug as we already changed, wonder why Mark does not had the same problem!

Will try an old nRF Connect later and let you know outcome. Thank you for help!

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jørgen Holmefjord — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 14:32:08 GMT

Unfortunately, I don't think we have any user guide for nRF Toolbox. You can modify the buttons by clicking edit in the right corner (color turns red-ish), and clicking on each button. When done editing, click done. You can also slide the screen towards right, or rotate the phone, to see the "terminal view".

I have not tested Muratas DK, so you should ask murata about this. It looks like hey are using similar debugger chip and UART pins, so in theory it should work. You could aslo test with an older version of nRF Connect. The connectivity firmware is for the nRF52832 IC, and is used to control the softdevice using the serialization API. The interface MCU has its own firmware (Segger J-Link OB).

RE: How to run UART/Serial Port Emulation over BLE on SDK v14.2.0?

Jian Li — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 10:44:37 GMT

Hi, Jorgen, Thank you for help. I download nRF Toolbox, it is better, but more complicated. There are 9 buttons are blank and there is no guide how to set them, I cannot find manual here http://www.nordicsemi.com/eng/Products/Nordic-mobile-Apps/nRF-Toolbox-App or other places. Where is it hidden?

My DVK is Murata MBN52832, Murata claims all your firmware and test codes could be tested without modification, it works fine with Blinky, Heart Rate etc examples. When PC version nRF Connect discovery the DVK, request to program the DVK with the latest connectivity firmware, but cannot program it because nRF Connect cannot find com port. I have to ask Murata why it behaviour like that, how its connectivity firmware could be re-programmed? Mean while I cannot wait so that I ordered two more nRF52 DK yesterday to see what differences when they arrive. This seriously damages my confidence to design MBN52832 module in my product if it could not be reprogrammed later. Am I right that the connectivity firmware is for ATSAM3U2CA-AU MCU, not for nRF52832 that is programmed by soft device S132.