Beware that this post is related to an SDK in maintenance mode
More Info: Consider nRF Connect SDK for new designs
This post is older than 2 years and might not be relevant anymore
More Info: Consider searching for newer posts

Sending raw beacon data from nrf52832 to external device esp8266 via UART

Hello everyone,

I'm currently working on a project that requires a nrf52832 chip to relay raw beacon data over UART to an esp-12F module. I am having a difficult time figuring out why it is not working. When running the program the esp module does not receive anything on it's input buffer. I am using an off the shelf device with the schematic showing connecting UART terminals. This example was created using the ble_app_uart_c example from the NRF5 SDK 15.3, also using the s132 soft device and my development environment of choice is keil µvision. Everything builds and compiles just fine and I only run into visible problems when I use a debugger.

When I try to debug the code with the NRF52 DK I am getting stuck in this while loop. Is there a problem with the way I #defined DEBUG?

Here is the code I am using right now.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdint.h>
#include <stdbool.h>
#include "nordic_common.h"
#include "app_error.h"
#include "app_uart.h"
#include "ble_db_discovery.h"
#include "app_timer.h"
#include "app_util.h"
#include "bsp_btn_ble.h"
#include "ble.h"
#include "ble_gap.h"
#include "ble_hci.h"
#include "nrf_sdh.h"
#include "nrf_sdh_ble.h"
#include "nrf_sdh_soc.h"
#include "ble_nus_c.h"
#include "nrf_pwr_mgmt.h"
#include "nrf_ble_scan.h"
#include "nrf_delay.h"

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

#define APP_BLE_CONN_CFG_TAG    1                                       /**< Tag that refers to the BLE stack configuration set with @ref sd_ble_cfg_set. The default tag is @ref BLE_CONN_CFG_TAG_DEFAULT. */
#define APP_BLE_OBSERVER_PRIO   3                                       /**< BLE observer priority of the application. There is no need to modify this value. */
#define RETARGET_ENABLED        1
#define DEBUG					1
#define UART_TX_BUF_SIZE        1024                                     /**< UART TX buffer size. */
#define UART_RX_BUF_SIZE        1024                                     /**< UART RX buffer size. */

BLE_DB_DISCOVERY_DEF(m_db_disc);                                        /**< Database discovery module instance. */
NRF_BLE_SCAN_DEF(m_scan);                                               /**< Scanning Module instance. */
BLE_NUS_C_DEF(m_ble_TnP_c);                                             /**< BLE TnP client instance. */


/**@brief TnP UUID. */
static ble_uuid128_t const m_TnP_uuid = {  
			.uuid128 = {0xFD, 0xA5, 0x06, 0x93, 0xA4, 0xE2, 0x4F, 0xB1, 0xAF, 0xCF, 0xC6, 0xEB, 0x07, 0x64, 0x78, 0x25} 
			/**< Little-Endian UUID bytes. */};

			
/**@brief Function for handling asserts in the SoftDevice.
 *
 * @details This function is called in case of an assert in the SoftDevice.
 *
 * @warning This handler is only an example and is not meant for the 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] p_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(0xDEADBEEF, line_num, p_file_name);
}


*@brief Function for starting scanning. */
static void scan_start(void)
{
    ret_code_t ret;

    ret = nrf_ble_scan_start(&m_scan);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(ret);

    ret = bsp_indication_set(BSP_INDICATE_SCANNING);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(ret);
}


/**@brief Function for handling Scanning Module events.
 */
static void scan_evt_handler(scan_evt_t const * p_scan_evt)
{
    ret_code_t ret;

    switch(p_scan_evt->scan_evt_id)
    {
		 case NRF_BLE_SCAN_EVT_FILTER_MATCH:
		 {
			 APP_ERROR_CHECK(ret);

			 int i =0;
			 ble_data_t rawBLEData =  p_scan_evt->params.filter_match.p_adv_report->data;//p_adv_report
			 APP_ERROR_CHECK(ret);
			 printf("%s",(char*)rawBLEData.p_data);
			 app_uart_put(0x3C);	
     		 for(i=0;i<rawBLEData.len;i++){
				printf("%d",rawBLEData.p_data[i]);
				app_uart_put(rawBLEData.p_data[i]);
				app_uart_put(rawBLEData.len);
				//send raw data to esp8266
			 }
			 nrf_delay_ms(1);

			 app_uart_put(0x3E);
			 APP_ERROR_CHECK(ret);

		 }break;
		
         case NRF_BLE_SCAN_EVT_SCAN_TIMEOUT:
         {
        //     NRF_LOG_INFO("Scan timed out.");
             scan_start();
         } break;

         default:
             break;
    }
}


/**@brief Function for initializing the scanning and setting the filters.
 */
static void scan_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t          err_code;
    nrf_ble_scan_init_t init_scan;

    memset(&init_scan, 0, sizeof(init_scan));

    init_scan.connect_if_match = false;

    err_code = nrf_ble_scan_init(&m_scan, &init_scan, scan_evt_handler);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    err_code = nrf_ble_scan_filter_set(&m_scan, SCAN_UUID_FILTER, &m_TnP_uuid);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    err_code = nrf_ble_scan_filters_enable(&m_scan, NRF_BLE_SCAN_UUID_FILTER, false);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}

/**@brief   Function for handling app_uart events.
 *
 * @details This function receives a single character from the app_uart module and appends it to
 *          a string. The string is sent over BLE when the last character received is a
 *          'new line' '\n' (hex 0x0A) or if the string reaches the maximum data length.
 */
void uart_event_handle(app_uart_evt_t * p_event)
{
    static uint8_t data_array[BLE_NUS_MAX_DATA_LEN];
    static uint16_t index = 0;
    uint32_t ret_val;

    switch (p_event->evt_type)
    {
        /**@snippet [Handling data from UART] */
        case APP_UART_DATA_READY:
            UNUSED_VARIABLE(app_uart_get(&data_array[index]));
            index++;

            if (data_array[index - 1] == '\n' /*|| (index >= (max_data_len))*/)
            {
             //   NRF_LOG_DEBUG("Ready to send data to ESP8266 module");
                NRF_LOG_HEXDUMP_DEBUG(data_array, index);

                do
                {
                    ret_val = ble_nus_c_string_send(&m_ble_TnP_c, data_array, index);
                    if ( (ret_val != NRF_ERROR_INVALID_STATE) && (ret_val != NRF_ERROR_RESOURCES) )
                    {
                        APP_ERROR_CHECK(ret_val);
                    }
                } while (ret_val == NRF_ERROR_RESOURCES);

                index = 0;
            }
            break;

        /**@snippet [Handling data from UART] */
        case APP_UART_COMMUNICATION_ERROR:
        //    NRF_LOG_ERROR("Communication error occurred while handling UART.");
            APP_ERROR_HANDLER(p_event->data.error_communication);
            break;

        case APP_UART_FIFO_ERROR:
         //   NRF_LOG_ERROR("Error occurred in FIFO module used by UART.");
            APP_ERROR_HANDLER(p_event->data.error_code);
            break;

        default:
            break;
    }
}


/**
 * @brief Function for handling shutdown events.
 *
 * @param[in]   event       Shutdown type.
 */
static bool shutdown_handler(nrf_pwr_mgmt_evt_t event)
{
    ret_code_t err_code;

    err_code = bsp_indication_set(BSP_INDICATE_IDLE);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    switch (event)
    {
        case NRF_PWR_MGMT_EVT_PREPARE_WAKEUP:
            // Prepare wakeup buttons.
            err_code = bsp_btn_ble_sleep_mode_prepare();
            APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
            break;

        default:
            break;
    }

    return true;
}

NRF_PWR_MGMT_HANDLER_REGISTER(shutdown_handler, APP_SHUTDOWN_HANDLER_PRIORITY);


/**@brief Function for handling BLE events.
 *
 * @param[in]   p_ble_evt   Bluetooth stack event.
 * @param[in]   p_context   Unused.
 */
static void ble_evt_handler(ble_evt_t const * p_ble_evt, void * p_context)
{
    ret_code_t            err_code;
    ble_gap_evt_t const * p_gap_evt = &p_ble_evt->evt.gap_evt;
	int i=0;
	
    switch (p_ble_evt->header.evt_id)
    {
		
		case BLE_GAP_EVT_ADV_REPORT:
			 app_uart_put(0x3C);
			 printf("%s",(char*)p_ble_evt->evt.gap_evt.params.adv_report.data.p_data);
			
		for(i=0;i<p_ble_evt->evt.gap_evt.params.adv_report.data.len;i++){
					app_uart_put(p_ble_evt->evt.gap_evt.params.adv_report.data.p_data[i]);
				//	app_uart_put(p_adv_report->data.p_data[i]);
					//send raw data to esp8266
				}
		//		nrf_delay_ms(1);
				app_uart_put(0x3E);

			break;
		
        case BLE_GAP_EVT_TIMEOUT:
            if (p_gap_evt->params.timeout.src == BLE_GAP_TIMEOUT_SRC_CONN)
            {
            //    NRF_LOG_INFO("Connection Request timed out.");
            }
            break;
			
        case BLE_GAP_EVT_CONN_PARAM_UPDATE_REQUEST:
            // Accepting parameters requested by peer.
            err_code = sd_ble_gap_conn_param_update(p_gap_evt->conn_handle,
                                                    &p_gap_evt->params.conn_param_update_request.conn_params);
            APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
            break;

        case BLE_GAP_EVT_PHY_UPDATE_REQUEST:
        {
         //   NRF_LOG_DEBUG("PHY update request.");
            ble_gap_phys_t const phys =
            {
                .rx_phys = BLE_GAP_PHY_AUTO,
                .tx_phys = BLE_GAP_PHY_AUTO,
            };
            err_code = sd_ble_gap_phy_update(p_ble_evt->evt.gap_evt.conn_handle, &phys);
            APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
        } break;

        default:
            break;
    }
}

/**@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);

    // Register a handler for BLE events.
    NRF_SDH_BLE_OBSERVER(m_ble_observer, APP_BLE_OBSERVER_PRIO, ble_evt_handler, NULL);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

}

/**@brief Function for handling events from the BSP module.
 *
 * @param[in] event  Event generated by button press.
 */
void bsp_event_handler(bsp_event_t event)
{
    switch (event)
    {
        case BSP_EVENT_SLEEP:
            nrf_pwr_mgmt_shutdown(NRF_PWR_MGMT_SHUTDOWN_GOTO_SYSOFF);
            break;
		
        default:
            break;
    }
}

/**@brief Function for initializing the UART. */
static void uart_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code;

    app_uart_comm_params_t const comm_params =
    {
        .rx_pin_no    = RX_PIN_NUMBER,
        .tx_pin_no    = TX_PIN_NUMBER,
        .rts_pin_no   = RTS_PIN_NUMBER,
        .cts_pin_no   = CTS_PIN_NUMBER,
        .flow_control = APP_UART_FLOW_CONTROL_DISABLED,
        .use_parity   = false,
        .baud_rate    = UART_BAUDRATE_BAUDRATE_Baud115200
    };
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    APP_UART_FIFO_INIT(&comm_params,
                       UART_RX_BUF_SIZE,
                       UART_TX_BUF_SIZE,
                       uart_event_handle,
                       APP_IRQ_PRIORITY_LOWEST,
                       err_code);

    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}

/**@brief Function for initializing buttons and leds. */
static void buttons_leds_init(void)
{
    ret_code_t err_code;
    bsp_event_t startup_event;

    err_code = bsp_init(BSP_INIT_LEDS, bsp_event_handler);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);

    err_code = bsp_btn_ble_init(NULL, &startup_event);
    APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
}

/**@brief Function for initializing the timer. */
static void timer_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 Handles any pending log operations, then sleeps until the next event occurs.
 */
static void idle_state_handle(void)
{
    if (NRF_LOG_PROCESS() == false)
    {
        nrf_pwr_mgmt_run();
    }
}

int main(void)
{	
    // Initialize.
    timer_init();
    
	uart_init();
    buttons_leds_init();
    power_management_init();
    ble_stack_init();
    scan_init();

    // Start execution.
    scan_start();

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

Can anyone possibly help and see what I'm doing wrong?

Thank you so much in advance.

Parents
  • Hi Brian

    What pins have you configured as UART pins on the nRF52 DK? By default these are set to P0.06 (TXD) and P0.08 (RXD), so please make sure these are connected correctly. Also, please check what error code it is that returns, as you should be able to get some info from that. You can use the RTT viewer for logging purposes when the UART is in use by the application.

    Can you try setting some breakpoints and find out where the error that puts you in this loop is called? You can also try setting the loop variable to 0 in the debugger to continue executing after this error check.

    As for your post, you did a great job, no broken rules, and a well-structured question.

    Best regards,

    Simon

  • Hello Simon,

    Thank you for your prompt response! I set the pin defines manually to 11 and 12 in my "pca10040.h" file. I checked the data flowing into the pins(P0.11 && P0.12) with a bus pirate which gave me some insight as to what was going wrong. This led me to changing my app_uart_put() logic was formatted and then changing the loop variable to zero and it works now!

    Thank you so much.

    -Brian

Reply
  • Hello Simon,

    Thank you for your prompt response! I set the pin defines manually to 11 and 12 in my "pca10040.h" file. I checked the data flowing into the pins(P0.11 && P0.12) with a bus pirate which gave me some insight as to what was going wrong. This led me to changing my app_uart_put() logic was formatted and then changing the loop variable to zero and it works now!

    Thank you so much.

    -Brian

Children
No Data
Related