Bond to iOS

RE: Bond to iOS

Elena — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 10:31:33 GMT

Thanks again. I didn't want to restrict the connections, I just only using the WhiteList to fix the issue of private address. The thread you mentioned has fixed the problems, so I have just removed the WhiteList advertising. Now looks it's working correctly!!!! Thanks for your help!!!

RE: Bond to iOS

Nikita — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 09:37:22 GMT

When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY and BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_GENERAL_DISC_MODE, the bonding process is not working for iOS (it is not loaded the connection context when reconnecting). When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY and BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED same results.

See this.

[DeviceManager] Unable to re-connect to a bonded central that uses Resolvable Private Address (e.g iOS device) if the application doesn't do whitelist advertising.

When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_SCANREQ and BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED, works for iOS and Master Control, but not Android.

Why are you using scan packet request filter BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_SCANREQ if you want to filter connections? Use BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_CONNREQ or both BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_BOTH then.

Don't know what may cause the problem with reset.

RE: Bond to iOS

Elena — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:59:56 GMT

Yes, you're right. The problem is this: When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY and BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_GENERAL_DISC_MODE, the bonding process is not working for iOS (it is not loaded the connection context when reconnecting). When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY and BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED same results. When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_SCANREQ and BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED, works for iOS and Master Control, but not Android. When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_SCANREQ and BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED, forces reset. When using BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_SCANREQ with BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_LIMITED_DISC_MODE or BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_GENERAL_DISC_MODE forces reset....

Should I ask for support to Nordic???? I love standards! :-( Thanks again

RE: Bond to iOS

Nikita — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:44:15 GMT

but the flag BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED is also selected when using BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_GENERAL_DISC_MODE or BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_LIMITED_DISC_MODE

No, when you set flags like this:

BLE_APP_AdvertisingInit(BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED);

It means this:

BLE_APP_AdvertisingInit(BLE_GAP_DISC_MODE_NOT_DISCOVERABLE|BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED);

because BLE_GAP_DISC_MODE_NOT_DISCOVERABLE == 0x00.

RE: Bond to iOS

Elena — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:32:29 GMT

Thanks for your reply. Maybe you're right, but the flag BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED is also selected when using BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_GENERAL_DISC_MODE or BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_LIMITED_DISC_MODE. I've been trying different combinations of flag in adv_params.fp and AdvertisingInit, but about all of them, or don't work in iOS, or force a reset (probably they're incompatible). :-(

RE: Bond to iOS

Nikita — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:19:20 GMT

I don't know for sure but maybe it's just different implementations of device discovery functions in iOS (?LightBlue?), Windows (Master Control Panel) and Android (BLE Scanner/B-BLE). When you set your advertising flags to BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED it means that device will have not discoverable discovery mode (BLE_GAP_DISC_MODE_NOT_DISCOVERABLE) that only tells central that it shouldn't consider this device as discovered, but it's up to central application to actually decide either to use this device and show it to you or not.

Maybe Android applications follow the Bluetooth specification and don't show you device with BLE_GAP_DISC_MODE_NOT_DISCOVERABLE flag and iOS/Windows application don't follow specification and show it to you.

You can read about it in Bluetooth 4.1 specification in "9.2.2 Non-Discoverable Mode".

RE: Bond to iOS

Elena — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:14:23 GMT

No. I'm using BLE Scanner and B-BLE for my tests. But anyway, I'm not able to see the device advertising from the Android Bluetooth options. When I'm not using the Whitelist (i.e., when no bonded devices are stored), I can see the device advertising from these tools and from the Android Bluetooth options. By the way: I'm using a Nexus 4 and a Motorola Moto G. Thanks again.

RE: Bond to iOS

Nikita — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:07:55 GMT

Are you using Master Control Panel for Android or some other application for your tests?

RE: Bond to iOS

Elena — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 07:57:10 GMT

Well, when I don't have stored bonds I made a normal discovery mode. That's the reason why, with no stored bonded devices, the first Android device can see my device advertising, connect it, and bonding it. A second Android smartphone can't see my device, although I can see it from iOS or Master Control Panel. That's weird. I will update my answer with my previous answer with the complete AdvertisingStart code.

RE: Bond to iOS

Nikita — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 21:03:57 GMT

The problem is that now, when using the WhiteList, I can't see the device advertising from Android.

You can't see device advertising when you run newly flashed device without any stored bonds?

RE: Bond to iOS

Elena — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 20:33:19 GMT

Sorry. You're right. I will review right now the description of my issue to be more accurate. Thanks for your interest.

RE: Bond to iOS

Nikita — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 20:29:43 GMT

It's working in Master Control Panel in Windows but not in Master Control Panel in Android? You can't see your device advertising in Master Control Panel in Android or what is the problem?

RE: Bond to iOS

Elena — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:38:12 GMT

Hi again

I've been able to fix the problem by using a WhiteList in the advertising as explained in this thread.

Thanks for your help

Elena

UPDATE: Now, I've been able to fix the problem and it is working correctly in iOS and Master Control Panel, but not in Android. In other words: from iOS and Master Control Panel, I'm able to see the device advertising, and I'm able to connect to it. Even more, the connection context is correctly loaded when connecting a previous bonded device (iOS or Master Control Panel). The problem is that now, when using the WhiteList, I can't see the device advertising from Android. Why???

I've been using the following WhiteList configuration:

    adv_params.fp          = BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_SCANREQ;
    adv_params.p_whitelist = &whitelist;
    BLE_APP_AdvertisingInit(BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED);

So, the complete code of AdvertisingStart is:

void BLE_APP_AdvertisingStart( void )
{
uint32_t             err_code;
ble_gap_adv_params_t adv_params;

ble_gap_whitelist_t  whitelist;
ble_gap_addr_t       * p_whitelist_addr[BLE_GAP_WHITELIST_ADDR_MAX_COUNT];
ble_gap_irk_t        * p_whitelist_irk[BLE_GAP_WHITELIST_IRK_MAX_COUNT];

/* Start advertising */
memset(&adv_params, 0, sizeof(adv_params));

adv_params.type        = BLE_GAP_ADV_TYPE_ADV_IND;
adv_params.p_peer_addr = NULL;
adv_params.fp          = BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY;
adv_params.interval    = BLE_APP_ADV_INTERVAL;
adv_params.timeout     = BLE_APP_ADV_TIMEOUT_IN_SECONDS;

whitelist.addr_count = BLE_GAP_WHITELIST_ADDR_MAX_COUNT;
whitelist.irk_count  = BLE_GAP_WHITELIST_IRK_MAX_COUNT;
whitelist.pp_addrs   = p_whitelist_addr;
whitelist.pp_irks    = p_whitelist_irk;


err_code = dm_whitelist_create(&m_app_handle, &whitelist);
APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

if ((whitelist.addr_count != 0) || (whitelist.irk_count != 0))
{
    adv_params.fp          = BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_FILTER_SCANREQ;
    adv_params.p_whitelist = &whitelist;
    BLE_APP_AdvertisingInit(BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
}
else
{
    adv_params.fp          = BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY;
    adv_params.p_whitelist = NULL;
    BLE_APP_AdvertisingInit(BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAGS_LE_ONLY_GENERAL_DISC_MODE);
}

err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_start(&adv_params);
APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}

Any suggestion??? :-(

UPDATE: As you can see in the comments below, Nikita mentioned this thread where it is mentioned the iOS bonding problem, and a patched version of device_manager_peripheral.c where the bug is fixed.