Modifying BLE_APP_UART central example (pair certain address/device name)

[Matthew K]

Hi, I'm using the nRF52 SDK 15.3.0's BLE_APP_UART central/peripheral examples with my PCA10040 boards.

Can I ask about the central example, please?

0. Currently, I think the central example pairs with the nearby peripheral if it was scanned.

What is the condition to get paired?  The peripheral advertising the NUS(Nordic UART Service) in the ADV packet? Or the device name?

1. I can get the Bluetooth address (MAC address) of my PCA10040 peripheral, right? Which SoftDevice 132 function can give me the address?

If I know the address, can I set my central to pair with that address, only?

How can I change this?

2. Also, can I change the central example to pair with the device name that has "MY_UART", or something else?
I wish to know how to implement this, please.

-Thanks

[Hakon]

What is the condition to get paired?  The peripheral advertising the NUS(Nordic UART Service) in the ADV packet? Or the device name?

 The ble_app_uart_central example doesn't support pairing by default.

 

I can get the Bluetooth address (MAC address) of my PCA10040 peripheral, right? Which SoftDevice 132 function can give me the address?

 sd_ble_gap_addr_get()

 

If I know the address, can I set my central to pair with that address, only?

 Yes, you can use nrf_ble_scan_filters_enable() and set the filter with nrf_ble_scan_filter_set() with SCAN_ADDR_FILTER as type and the appropriate address as p_data.

 

Also, can I change the central example to pair with the device name that has "MY_UART", or something else?

 Yes, I believe you need to use SCAN_NAME_FILTER  then, otherwise same as above.

[Matthew K]

Thanks, Hakon.

0. May I ask about

Hakon said:

 The ble_app_uart_central example doesn't support pairing by default.

As far as I understood from the NUS central example, the central requests a connection to the scanned nearby peripheral which is advertising an NUS UUID, right? After that, I thought the NUS peripheral gets either paired/bonded to the central, isn't it?

1. Thanks for mentioning

Hakon said:

you can use nrf_ble_scan_filters_enable() and set the filter with nrf_ble_scan_filter_set() with SCAN_ADDR_FILTER as type and the appropriate address as p_data.

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/40686/where-to-change-name-for-the-scanning-peripheral-name-in-the-uart-central-code

This thread explains and gives an example of what you've mentioned right? I'll try after I hear your words. Thanks!

[Hakon]

Matthew K said:

the central requests a connection

 Yes, and that's all. There is no pairing or bonding in the NUS example. Pairing and bonding is handled by the peer manager module, and it isn't included in the NUS examples.

 

Matthew K said:

This thread explains and gives an example of what you've mentioned right?

 Yes, definitely looks like it.

[Matthew K]

Wow, can I ask one last thing before closing?

Is it possible to send/receive NUS data without pairing/bonding? Only the connection is required, without extra steps (BLE_PARAM_REQUEST, security settings, etc)?

[Hakon]

Should be possible.