Programming nRF51822 beacon kit

[Dave Malham]

Has anybody had any experience in programming an nRF beacon kit over the air using the built-in Bluetooth Smart interface in a Windoze 8 laptop? (HP 255 G3) Is this even possible without buying a development kit to get access to the Master Control Panel?

Cheers Dave

[Stefan Birnir Sverrisson]

Hi Dave

As the beacon kit User Guide states, the way to upload firmware to the beacon kit is with using nRF Toolbox for either Android or IOS. I recommend the nRF Beacon app for Android (available on Play Store) when working with the beacon kit as the current Android app is better than the current IOS app. The nRF Beacons app for Android also includes DFU functionality (the same as in nRF Toolbox) to upload new applications to the beacon kit.

The nRF Beacon kit contains three components:

• S110 softdevice v6.0.0
• Bootloader from nRF51 SDK v5.2.0
• Beacon application for the beacon kit

So the Beacon kit will only accept applications based on nRF51 SDK v5.2.0

In order to update the application on the beacon kit, you need to compile your application project (typically in Keil) and make the .hex file located in the _build folder available on your phone. For Android phone, I have copied the .hex file to dropbox. The Android DFU app in nRF Toolbox can access files from dropbox. For IOS device, I have used the Mail app on my IPhone. First I send mail to myself with the .hex files I want to upload. Then I open the mail with the Mail app on my IPhone, then click the attached .hex file, which gives me the option to open the .hex file in nRF Toolbox (you must have installed the nRF Toolbox already).

To put the Beacon kit into DFU mode, press SW1 button on the Beacon kit (this is also stated on page 19 in the Beacon kit User Guide v1.1). The LED on the Beacon kit will now light steadily with a green color, and should advertise with the name DfuTarg, indicating it is ready to receive new application over the BLE link.

When new application is uploaded, the device should advertise with the device name of the new applicaiton. You can return to DFU mode again by re-plugging the battery while pressing SW1 button.

[deepu]

i have successfully entered the dfu mode many times and could change the applications and reenter the DFU mode.

But then i tried loading the softdevice at "nRF51_SDK_8.1.0_b6ed55fnnn\components\softdevice\s110\hex\s110_softdevice.hex" ,and then it seems i am not able to enter the dfu mode.i am not sure if it is because of this reason as i noticed this issue a bit later after programming the softdevice.

i tried entering the dfu mode with holding the switch pressed and giving the supply.now what i could see is a light orange colour at the LED with very low brightness.

what may be the reason??is it because the softdevice might have got replaced?? i don't think so as both were s110(may be the version is different ) or can it be because of the power supply??

how can i enter the dfu mode again.

please help