Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Wed, 15 May 2019 08:57:52 GMT

Hi Bjørn

I assume no further update means you're unable to recreate the issue?

I decided to try the following:

In ..\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_eddystone\es_app_config.h set the value of DEFAULT_FRAME_TX_POWER to 0xEC which is -20dBm and recompile. This seems to have caused the NRF Beacon for Eddystone Android app to show -20dBm for the TLM framem, and can be adjusted to other values.

However this experience was short-lived, so still trying to recreate the steps to have consistent results I am beginning to think that either the Android app has a bug, or is problematic on the 2 Android versions I am using (4.3 and latest) on 3 different phone models (Huawei phone, Huawei tablet and Moto G5).

In the meantime please let me know how I can change es_app_config.h to only have slot 0 send out TLM frame at -20dBm (i.e. nothing in slots 1 to 4)?

Thank you

Jacques

EDIT:

Solution probably as follows: in es_app_config.h:
- under "// Eddystone URL data" add 2 new lines:
#define APP_ES_TLM_FRAME_TYPE ES_FRAME_TYPE_TLM
#define DEFAULT_FRAME_TYPE APP_ES_TLM_FRAME_TYPE
- change default power:
#define DEFAULT_FRAME_TX_POWER 0xEC <<< or whatever power level

I will try that tonight.

EDIT2:

The changes above did the trick in nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345 on my nRF52-DK, but on my nRF51422 (PCA10028) beacon the power setting stays on 0dBm (using S130 and nRF5_SDK_12.3.0)...

EDIT3:

I finally found nrf_ble_es.c in nRF5_SDK_12.3.0 where radio_tx_pwr is set to 0. I changed that to DEFAULT_FRAME_TX_POWER so now my TLM beacon transmits at -20dBm on start-up.

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 13:55:44 GMT

No problem Bjørn,

I am using my beacons as described above, but would like to have the possibilities outlined above i.e.

- TLM frames also able to transmit -30dBm like one can with URL frames
- increase the interframe period to longer than 10.23 seconds

Possibly the Eddystone specification is prescriptive in this regard, so cannot be changed?

Thank you
Regards
Jacques

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

bjorn-spockeli — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 15:40:40 GMT

Hi NordicHam,

I sincerly apologize for the very late reply. This one fell through the cracks. Are you still having issues with the Eddystone example?

Best regards

Bjørn

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 17:49:59 GMT

Hi Bjorn

Any update on this one?

Thank you

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Sun, 20 Jan 2019 08:11:47 GMT

Thank you Bjorn, no problem. HNY!

Using nRF Beacon for Eddystone Android app (Huawei Mediapad T1 8.0 + Android 4.3) with nRF52-DK and OOB hex file:

..\nRF5_SDK_15.2.0_9412b96\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_eddystone\hex\ble_app_eddystone_pca10040_s132.hex

1) When I set Adv. Interval to 20000ms, it is rejected and replaced with 16384ms. However nRF Connect Android app seems to confirm the actual interval is 10.24ms, as per your post above. (Interestingly this 20s change seems to be accepted on the nRF51822, and actual interval seems to be 20s...I will recheck that);

EDIT: I checked the nRF51822: the Android app allows up to 20000ms for Adv. Interval, but actual interval on-air is also 10.24s. With Slot 0 on URL, Slot 1 on TLM and Radio Tx. Power on URL set to -30dBm, I notice about 9 URL transmissions at -30dBm, and the 10th TLM transmission at 0dBm, as expected? The ideal is only slot 0 set to TLM and -30dBm - is that possible (or allowed in the Eddystone spec)?

2) When I change Slot 0 from URL to TLM (i.e. nothing in any of the other slots) I struggle to reconnect, mostly getting Error 133. When I do reconnect and try to set Radio Tx. Power to -20dBm, it is rejected and reverts to 0dBm, and app shows Error 133. On some occasions after making the power change, the code on the DK seems to stop running, despite reboot or power off/on, so I need to reprogram the DK. When I keep slot 0 as URL in default hexfile, and set slot 1 on TLM, still unable to set Radio Tx. Power to -20dBm.

Thank you
Regards
Jacques

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

bjorn-spockeli — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 15:16:15 GMT

I sincerly aplogize for the late reply.

The longest advertisment interval allowed in BLE is 10.24s.

Yes, the firmware is configured to goes to System On: Low Power in between advertisement events.

DId you still have issues with setting the Slot 1 TX power to values lower than 0dBm?

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 17:29:12 GMT

I programmed my nRF52-DK with the BLE Eddystone example hex file:

..\nRF5_SDK_15.2.0_9412b96\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_eddystone\hex\ble_app_eddystone_pca10040_s132.hex

I then used nRF Connect Android application to change slot 0 from URL to TLM, and to set Radio Tx Power to 0dBm (i.e. set it to the default value). An error was thrown, the below nRF Logger file might assist to troubleshoot?

Thank you
Regards
Jacques

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../nRF-Logger.txt

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Thu, 03 Jan 2019 06:37:54 GMT

Good day,

Using Android app "nRF Beacon for Eddystone" I was able to reconfigure slot 0 from URL to TLM, so all good with that. I was also able to set the Advertising Interval to 20 seconds. What is the longest interval I can configure? Also please confirm that during the quiet time in-between TLM adverts the SoC goes into deep sleep to conserve battery power?

However, it seems to reject setting Tx Power to a lower value than 0dBm - I tried -12dBm, -16dBm and -20dBm but all of those cause Error 133 in the Android app.

When I set slot 0 as URL and slot 1 as TLM, I can set -30dBm on slot 0. This power is indicated in slot 0 (URL) but slot 1 (TLM) still shows 0dBm? Does that mean slot 1 is transmitting at 0dBm and not -30dBm? EDIT: nRF Connect confirms URL is transmitted at -30dBm but TLM is transmitted at 0dBm.

EDIT: I discovered that when I set only slot 0 to TLM (nothing in slot 1), with Adv. Interval set to 16384ms, the TLM transmissions was at 0dBm every 10-odd seconds. For better battery life, I found it better to set slot 0 to URL (Adv. Interval=16384 and Radio Tx. Power=-30dBm) and slot 1 to TLM (Radio Tx. Power=0dBm). As stated above, it would be more ideal to be able to also set TLM's Radio Tx. Power to -30dBm.

Thank you
Regards
Jacques

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 15:41:27 GMT

Thank you Bjørn

I downloaded the ZIP for 12.2.0 called DeviceDownload.zip, but Windows 8.1 fails to open it.

I will retry download in the new year.

All the best!

Regards

Jacques

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

bjorn-spockeli — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 14:12:00 GMT

Nordic technical support staff will be reduced during the holiday season from 21st December to 7th January
Longer response time to tickets must be expected during this period.

Other DevZone users might be active and respond to public tickets as usual.

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

bjorn-spockeli — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 14:11:43 GMT

It downloadable from here

https://www.nordicsemi.com/Software-and-Tools/Software/nRF5-SDK/Download#infotabs

Best regards

Bjørn

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 06:09:32 GMT

PS: it seems SDK 12.x.x is not available here?

developer.nordicsemi.com/.../

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 06:06:11 GMT

Apologies, I notice that the post I referenced below requires the full code to be implemented in es_slot.c, not just the second section between the 2 pound symbols, i.e. copied at bottom of post. I still get the compile error:

Compiling file: es_slot.c
../../../../../../components/libraries/eddystone/es_slot.c: In function 'es_slots_init':
../../../../../../components/libraries/eddystone/es_slot.c:428:23: error: 'default_uid_slot' undeclared (first use in this function); did you mean 'p_default_slot'?
memcpy(&m_reg.slots[default_uid_slot], p_default_slot, sizeof(*p_default_slot));
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
p_default_slot
../../../../../../components/libraries/eddystone/es_slot.c:428:23: note: each undeclared identifier is reported only once for each function it appears in
../../../../../../components/libraries/eddystone/es_slot.c:432:52: error: 'default_tlm_slot' undeclared (first use in this function); did you mean 'default_uid_slot'?
es_slot_reg_update_slot_list_info_on_add(&m_reg, default_tlm_slot, ES_FRAME_TYPE_TLM, true);
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
default_uid_slot
make: *** [../../../../../../components/toolchain/gcc/Makefile.common:135: _build/nrf51422_xxac_es_slot.c.o] Error 1

Maybe its because I am using SDK 12.3.0 instead of 12.2.0?

Thank you
Regards
Jacques

if (err_code == FDS_ERR_NOT_FOUND)
{
// Factory reset or initial boot, load default data
//memcpy(&m_reg.slots[0], p_default_slot, sizeof(*p_default_slot));
//es_slot_reg_update_slot_list_info_on_add(&m_reg, 0, p_default_slot->adv_frame.type, true);

memcpy(&m_reg.slots[default_uid_slot], p_default_slot, sizeof(*p_default_slot));
es_slot_reg_update_slot_list_info_on_add(&m_reg, default_uid_slot, p_default_slot->adv_frame.type, true);

#if APP_ENABLE_TLM_BY_DEFAULT == 1
es_slot_reg_update_slot_list_info_on_add(&m_reg, default_tlm_slot, ES_FRAME_TYPE_TLM, true);
m_reg.slots[default_tlm_slot].adv_frame.type = ES_FRAME_TYPE_TLM;
memcpy(&m_reg.slots[default_tlm_slot].adv_frame.frame, &m_reg.slots[default_tlm_slot].adv_frame.type, 1);
m_reg.slots[default_tlm_slot].adv_frame.length = ES_TLM_LENGTH;
#endif

}

RE: Adapting BLE Eddystone Beacon Example

NordicHam — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 05:56:01 GMT

Good day

In my implementation I only use TLM frames, so I have no need for any other frames such as URL or UID. When I implement what has been proposed here:

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/19421/configure-tlm-frame-type-by-default-in-eddystone-beacon---sdk-12-2-0

in the BLE Eddystone Beacon Example, and do a full recompile, I get compile error copied at the bottom of the post.

I am using SDK 12.3.0 + nRF51822 QFAAH1 + pca10028 + S130.

I attached the two files that have been changed as per above-mentioned post:

...\nRF5_SDK_12.3.0\components\libraries\eddystone\es_slot.c
...\nRF5_SDK_12.3.0\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_eddystone\es_app_config.h

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../es_5F00_slot.c devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../es_5F00_app_5F00_config.h

Make directory:
...\nRF5_SDK_12.3.0\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_eddystone\pca10028\s130\armgcc

Thank you
Regards
Jacques

...
Compiling file: es_slot.c
../../../../../../components/libraries/eddystone/es_slot.c: In function 'es_slots_init':
../../../../../../components/libraries/eddystone/es_slot.c:429:52: error: 'default_tlm_slot' undeclared (first use in this function); did you mean 'p_default_slot'?
es_slot_reg_update_slot_list_info_on_add(&m_reg, default_tlm_slot, ES_FRAME_TYPE_TLM, true);
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
p_default_slot
../../../../../../components/libraries/eddystone/es_slot.c:429:52: note: each undeclared identifier is reported only once for each function it appears in
make: *** [../../../../../../components/toolchain/gcc/Makefile.common:135: _build/nrf51422_xxac_es_slot.c.o] Error 1