How to advertise sensor data with beacon code

[Abbyon]

Hello,

I am new to nrf52 840 SDK, and currently working on Beacon code and really need help to fix some aspect of this code. I have a beacon code and would like to add custom data in the advertisement packet. Some of this data could be localisation sensor reading. My intention is to be able to display coordinates (such as 52.028920, -0.758990) that I can either enter from computer console or hardcode into my program and display on advertisement packet. I intend to explore "sd_ble_gap_adv_data_set"and " ble_advdata_set()"  in achieving this.

#include <stdbool.h>
#include <stdint.h>
#include "nordic_common.h"
#include "bsp.h"
#include "nrf_soc.h"
#include "nrf_sdh.h"
#include "nrf_sdh_ble.h"
#include "ble_advdata.h"
#include "app_timer.h"
#include "nrf_pwr_mgmt.h"

#include "nrf_log.h"
#include "nrf_log_ctrl.h"
#include "nrf_log_default_backends.h"


#define APP_BLE_CONN_CFG_TAG            1                                  /**< A tag identifying the SoftDevice BLE configuration. */

#define NON_CONNECTABLE_ADV_INTERVAL    MSEC_TO_UNITS(100, UNIT_0_625_MS)  /**< The advertising interval for non-connectable advertisement (100 ms). This value can vary between 100ms to 10.24s). */

#define APP_BEACON_INFO_LENGTH          0x17                               /**< Total length of information advertised by the Beacon. */
#define APP_ADV_DATA_LENGTH             0x15                               /**< Length of manufacturer specific data in the advertisement. */
#define APP_DEVICE_TYPE                 0x02                               /**< 0x02 refers to Beacon. */
#define APP_MEASURED_RSSI               0xC3                               /**< The Beacon's measured RSSI at 1 meter distance in dBm. */
#define APP_COMPANY_IDENTIFIER          0x0059                             /**< Company identifier for Nordic Semiconductor ASA. as per www.bluetooth.org. */
#define APP_MAJOR_VALUE                 0x01, 0x02                         /**< Major value used to identify Beacons. */
#define APP_MINOR_VALUE                 0x03, 0x04                         /**< Minor value used to identify Beacons. */
#define APP_BEACON_UUID                 0x01, 0x12, 0x23, 0x34, \
                                        0x45, 0x56, 0x67, 0x78, \
                                        0x89, 0x9a, 0xab, 0xbc, \
                                        0xcd, 0xde, 0xef, 0xf0            /**< Proprietary UUID for Beacon. */

#define DEAD_BEEF                       0xDEADBEEF                         /**< Value used as error code on stack dump, can be used to identify stack location on stack unwind. */

#if defined(USE_UICR_FOR_MAJ_MIN_VALUES)
#define MAJ_VAL_OFFSET_IN_BEACON_INFO   18                                 /**< Position of the MSB of the Major Value in m_beacon_info array. */
#define UICR_ADDRESS                    0x10001080                         /**< Address of the UICR register used by this example. The major and minor versions to be encoded into the advertising data will be picked up from this location. */
#endif
#define DEVICE_NAME                      "COMODL"

static ble_gap_adv_params_t m_adv_params;                                  /**< Parameters to be passed to the stack when starting advertising. */
static uint8_t              m_adv_handle = BLE_GAP_ADV_SET_HANDLE_NOT_SET; /**< Advertising handle used to identify an advertising set. */
static uint8_t              m_enc_advdata[BLE_GAP_ADV_SET_DATA_SIZE_MAX];  /**< Buffer for storing an encoded advertising set. */
static uint8_t              m_enc_srdata[BLE_GAP_ADV_SET_DATA_SIZE_MAX]; //Was adjusted here

/**@brief Struct that contains pointers to the encoded advertising data. */
static ble_gap_adv_data_t m_adv_data =
{
    .adv_data =
    {
        .p_data = m_enc_advdata,
        .len    = BLE_GAP_ADV_SET_DATA_SIZE_MAX
    },
    .scan_rsp_data =
    {
        .p_data = m_enc_srdata, //Was adjusted here
        .len    = BLE_GAP_ADV_SET_DATA_SIZE_MAX //was adjusted here also

    }
};


static uint8_t m_beacon_info[APP_BEACON_INFO_LENGTH] =                    /**< Information advertised by the Beacon. */
{
    APP_DEVICE_TYPE,     // Manufacturer specific information. Specifies the device type in this
                         // implementation.
    APP_ADV_DATA_LENGTH, // Manufacturer specific information. Specifies the length of the
                         // manufacturer specific data in this implementation.
    APP_BEACON_UUID,     // 128 bit UUID value.
    APP_MAJOR_VALUE,     // Major arbitrary value that can be used to distinguish between Beacons.
    APP_MINOR_VALUE,     // Minor arbitrary value that can be used to distinguish between Beacons.
    APP_MEASURED_RSSI    // Manufacturer specific information. The Beacon's measured TX power in
                         // this implementation.
};


/**@brief Callback function for asserts in the SoftDevice.
 *
 * @details This function will be called in case of an assert in the SoftDevice.
 *
 * @warning This handler is an example only and does not fit a final product. You need to analyze
 *          how your product is supposed to react in case of Assert.
 * @warning On assert from the SoftDevice, the system can only recover on reset.
 *
 * @param[in]   line_num   Line number of the failing ASSERT call.
 * @param[in]   file_name  File name of the failing ASSERT call.
 */
void assert_nrf_callback(uint16_t line_num, const uint8_t * p_file_name)
{
    app_error_handler(DEAD_BEEF, line_num, p_file_name);
}

/**@brief Function for initializing the Advertising functionality.
 *
 * @details Encodes the required advertising data and passes it to the stack.
 *          Also builds a structure to be passed to the stack when starting advertising.
 */
static void advertising_init(void)
{
    uint32_t      err_code;
    ble_advdata_t advdata;
    ble_advdata_t srdata;
    uint8_t       flags = BLE_GAP_ADV_FLAG_BR_EDR_NOT_SUPPORTED;

    ble_advdata_manuf_data_t manuf_specific_data;

    manuf_specific_data.company_identifier = APP_COMPANY_IDENTIFIER;

    



#if defined(USE_UICR_FOR_MAJ_MIN_VALUES)
    // If USE_UICR_FOR_MAJ_MIN_VALUES is defined, the major and minor values will be read from the
    // UICR instead of using the default values. The major and minor values obtained from the UICR
    // are encoded into advertising data in big endian order (MSB First).
    // To set the UICR used by this example to a desired value, write to the address 0x10001080
    // using the nrfjprog tool. The command to be used is as follows.
    // nrfjprog --snr <Segger-chip-Serial-Number> --memwr 0x10001080 --val <your major/minor value>
    // For example, for a major value and minor value of 0xabcd and 0x0102 respectively, the
    // the following command should be used.
    // nrfjprog --snr <Segger-chip-Serial-Number> --memwr 0x10001080 --val 0xabcd0102
    uint16_t major_value = ((*(uint32_t *)UICR_ADDRESS) & 0xFFFF0000) >> 16;
    uint16_t minor_value = ((*(uint32_t *)UICR_ADDRESS) & 0x0000FFFF);

    uint8_t index = MAJ_VAL_OFFSET_IN_BEACON_INFO;

    m_beacon_info[index++] = MSB_16(major_value);
    m_beacon_info[index++] = LSB_16(major_value);

    m_beacon_info[index++] = MSB_16(minor_value);
    m_beacon_info[index++] = LSB_16(minor_value);
#endif

      manuf_specific_data.data.p_data = (uint8_t *) m_beacon_info;
      manuf_specific_data.data.size   = APP_BEACON_INFO_LENGTH;

    // Build and set advertising data.
   

  // BLE_ADVDATA_SHORT_NAME;  BLE_ADVDATA_FULL_NAME;
    

   // err_code = ble_advdata_set(&advdata, &srdata);
  //  APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
     
    memset(&advdata, 0, sizeof(advdata));
    //advdata.name_type             = BLE_ADVDATA_NO_NAME;
    advdata.flags                 = flags;
    advdata.p_manuf_specific_data = &manuf_specific_data;
    

    memset(&srdata, 0, sizeof(srdata)); //Was adjusted here
    srdata.name_type             = BLE_ADVDATA_FULL_NAME;
    err_code = ble_advdata_encode(&srdata, m_adv_data.scan_rsp_data.p_data, &m_adv_data.scan_rsp_data.len); //Was adjusted here
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code); //Was adjusted here

    // Initialize advertising parameters (used when starting advertising).
    memset(&m_adv_params, 0, sizeof(m_adv_params));

    m_adv_params.properties.type = BLE_GAP_ADV_TYPE_NONCONNECTABLE_SCANNABLE_UNDIRECTED;
    m_adv_params.p_peer_addr     = NULL;    // Undirected advertisement.
    m_adv_params.filter_policy   = BLE_GAP_ADV_FP_ANY;
    m_adv_params.interval        = NON_CONNECTABLE_ADV_INTERVAL;
    m_adv_params.duration        = 0;       // Never time out.

    err_code = ble_advdata_encode(&advdata, m_adv_data.adv_data.p_data, &m_adv_data.adv_data.len);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_set_configure(&m_adv_handle, &m_adv_data, &m_adv_params);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    //HERE *****************
    ble_gap_conn_sec_mode_t sec_mode;
BLE_GAP_CONN_SEC_MODE_SET_OPEN(&sec_mode);
err_code = sd_ble_gap_device_name_set(&sec_mode,
                                      (const uint8_t *)DEVICE_NAME,
                                      strlen(DEVICE_NAME));
}


/**@brief Function for starting advertising.
 */
static void advertising_start(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code;

    err_code = sd_ble_gap_adv_start(m_adv_handle, APP_BLE_CONN_CFG_TAG);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    err_code = bsp_indication_set(BSP_INDICATE_ADVERTISING);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}


/**@brief Function for initializing the BLE stack.
 *
 * @details Initializes the SoftDevice and the BLE event interrupt.
 */
static void ble_stack_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code;

    err_code = nrf_sdh_enable_request();
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    // Configure the BLE stack using the default settings.
    // Fetch the start address of the application RAM.
    uint32_t ram_start = 0;
    err_code = nrf_sdh_ble_default_cfg_set(APP_BLE_CONN_CFG_TAG, &ram_start);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    // Enable BLE stack.
    err_code = nrf_sdh_ble_enable(&ram_start);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

//HERE *****************
    ble_gap_conn_sec_mode_t sec_mode;
BLE_GAP_CONN_SEC_MODE_SET_OPEN(&sec_mode);
err_code = sd_ble_gap_device_name_set(&sec_mode,
                                      (const uint8_t *)DEVICE_NAME,
                                      strlen(DEVICE_NAME));
}


/**@brief Function for initializing logging. */
static void log_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code = NRF_LOG_INIT(NULL);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    NRF_LOG_DEFAULT_BACKENDS_INIT();
}

/**@brief Function for initializing LEDs. */
static void leds_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code = bsp_init(BSP_INIT_LEDS, NULL);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}


/**@brief Function for initializing timers. */
static void timers_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code = app_timer_init();
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}


/**@brief Function for initializing power management.
 */
static void power_management_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code;
    err_code = nrf_pwr_mgmt_init();
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}


/**@brief Function for handling the idle state (main loop).
 *
 * @details If there is no pending log operation, then sleep until next the next event occurs.
 */
static void idle_state_handle(void)
{
    if (NRF_LOG_PROCESS() == false)
    {
        nrf_pwr_mgmt_run();
    }
}


/**
 * @brief Function for application main entry.
 */
int main(void)
{
    // Initialize.
    log_init();
    timers_init();
    leds_init();
    power_management_init();
    ble_stack_init();
    advertising_init();

    // Start execution.
    NRF_LOG_INFO("Beacon example started.");
    advertising_start();

    // Enter main loop.
    for (;; )
    {
        idle_state_handle();
    }
}


/**
 * @}
 */

I really need your help to do this. Any Idea will be useful as I have tried couple of things. 

I have attached the base sample beacon code to this mail for your perusal.

Many thanks in advance for your help. 

[Simonr]

Hi

Depending on whether you're using the SoftDevice or not, the functions you're referring to are correct to set custom advertising data. You just have to make sure that you have room for it in the advertising packet, as an advertising packet can contain max 31 bytes. If your advertising data is full you could always add these coordinates to the scan response packet as well. These coordinates should be able to transfer as floating points if I'm not wrong, which would be 8 bytes each.

Best regards,

Simon

[Abbyon]

Hi Simonr thank you for your response. Could you show me to a sample implementation or code for this description?

[awneil]

Have you looked at this one:

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/short-range-guides/b/bluetooth-low-energy/posts/ble-advertising-a-beginners-tutorial

[Abbyon]

Thank you awneil, sorry for late response. I am attempting the suggested link to see if it works. Much thanks