Can't scan extended advertise packets using nrf-ble-driver

[Ivlampiy223]

I use:

• pca10059, connectivity_4.1.1_usb_with_s140_6.1.1.hex
• nrf-ble-driver-4.1.1-win_x86_32

I am trying to scan BLE advertise. I have a problem that ALL packets that i recieve have <31 bytes of data. It is wrong, because i see more data from devices in nRF Connect.

In result i cant parse BLE_GAP_AD_TYPE_COMPLETE_LOCAL_NAME or BLE_GAP_AD_TYPE_SHORT_LOCAL_NAME from devices that use extended advertise. I get name only from scan response packets, but it takes a lot of time. How to get full packets?

Here is my scan config:

SCAN_INTERVAL = 0x00A0,
SCAN_WINDOW = 0x00A0,
SCAN_TIMEOUT = 0x0

uint8_t scan_buffer_data[BLE_GAP_SCAN_BUFFER_EXTENDED_MIN] = { 0 };
ble_data_t mAdvReportBuffer = {
    scan_buffer_data,
    BLE_GAP_SCAN_BUFFER_EXTENDED_MIN
};
const ble_gap_scan_params_t mScanParam = {
    1,
    0,
    1,
    BLE_GAP_SCAN_FP_ACCEPT_ALL,
    BLE_GAP_PHY_1MBPS,
    (uint16_t)SCAN_INTERVAL,
    (uint16_t)SCAN_WINDOW,
    (uint16_t)SCAN_TIMEOUT,
    { 0 }
};

First start scan call:

uint32_t error_code = sd_ble_gap_scan_start(adapter, &mScanParam, &mAdvReportBuffer);

Next scan call in event handler:

errCode = sd_ble_gap_scan_start(adapter, NULL, &mAdvReportBuffer);

[Simonr]

Hi

How large are the delays in scan responses you are seeing? The delay between the BLE_GAP_EVT_ADV_REPORT events until scanning is resumed again with sd_ble_gap_scan_start() is the root of this issue. This is present in SoftDevice versions 6 and later.

The pc-ble-driver has support for SoftDevice API versions 2, 3, 5 and 6. nRF Connect for Desktop still uses SoftDevice v3, also for the nRF52840, which is why the scan response is faster on the nRFConnect for desktop app. Note that nRF52840 products that are going to be listed with Bluetooth SIG need to use SoftDevice version 6 or newer according to this QDID list.

A full recap of this issue can be found in this case. I'm afraid there is no fix for this delay issue at the moment.

Best regards,

Simon

[Ivlampiy223]

Delay is 4-10 secs for 100 ms advertise and up to minute or even more for device with 2000 ms advertise period. Sometimes it catches fast, but sometimes it unacceptable slow.

I measured delay in my application and it takes 2-7 ms between ble event handler start and scan_start called. I use qt, emit event and resume scan, event is being processed in another thread.

I use nRF Connect for desktop and for android. 

So is there way to make it work except moving to older API?

[Ivlampiy223]

I tried to test it with nordic blinky. I moved full name to response and changed adv interval. Got same results. Fast response with small interval and unacceptable slow (about 45 sec) response with 2000 ms interval.