Transmitting data from nRF52832 to smart phone using ble_app_uart example

[stripez]

I am using the nRF52832 (on Rigado BMD-300 EVAL kit). I am using keil IDE and nRF GO to upload my compiled code to my device. I am using SKD 15.2.0. Using Windows 10. 

I am using the nRF52 chip to collect data from a second IC using SPI; I have modified the "SPI" example included in the nRF SDK to do so, and can see my data on a terminal listener (putty).

I would now like to transmit my data to a smartphone via BLE. I am trying to do this by modifying the example code in ble_app_uart. I have added the nrf spi driver to the ble_app_uart example, and can concurrently collect data from my IC (which I can see on the terminal) and connect to the nRF chip to my smartphone (using the nordic UART app on android).

I am now trying to understand how to load my data, collected from SPI, into the correct buffer to be transmitted to my device via bluetooth. I would like to see the output values in the app on my phone.

Here is my current understanding of how to do this: please correct any mistakes and let me know if I am missing something.

The data must be loaded in the the fifo rx buffer (m_rx_fifo), so that the function ble_app_uart_get can load it into data_array when called in uart_event_handle(). Once in memory, a uart event must also be triggered, with evt_type = APP_UART_DATA_READY, so that uart_event_handle() can be called.

If this is correct, please tell me what function I can use to load bytes into the m_fifo_rx buffer and also trigger a uart event with evt_type = APP_UART_DATA_READY, so that uart_event_handle() is called and the bytes are transmitted once a '\n' character is loaded into the buffer.

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

Hi,

There is no point in going through app_uart/uart_event_handle, this is for handling data from the hardware UART peripheral. What you should do is to add your data to a buffer in your spi_event_handler and pass this to ble_nus_data_send() to send the data on BLE.

Best regards,
Jørgen

[awneil]

I must say that the documentation, naming, and comments in the NUS example could be a lot clearer in distinguishing what is the actual, physical hardware UART and what is the "emulated" device over-the-air.

To be fair, it doesn't help that the word "peripheral" is used in two senses - there's  "peripheral" in the Bluetooth sense, and also "peripheral" in the microcontroller hardware sense!