Buttonless OTA DFU

[jawadk]

Hi,

I am developing a PC app to Buttonless OTA DFU a device(nrf52840) using BLE USB dongle(nrf52840).

1 . The device need a secure bootloader and the ble_app_buttonless_dfu example.

2 . What code or example have to be flashed to my dongle in order to use it and DFU the device from PC throw it !?

3 . I have to use the nrfutil commands from PC, How ?

Best Regards

Jawad

[Edvin]

3. You can use the command: "nrfutil dfu ble ..." to transfer an image via the nRF52840 dongle. The command you need to use is:

nrfutil dfu ble -pkg dfu_image.zip -ic NRF52 -p COMXX -n "DfuTarg"

where COMXX is the com port that the dongle is connected to, and "DfuTarg" must be changed to the advertising name that the target nRF is using.

You also need to program the connectivity FW on the dongle. You can do this using nRF Connect. Usually, if you use a DK, you can add the --flash_connectivity flag, but this doesn't work on the dongle, as it is running a separate bootloader, and doesn't have the programming chip. You can flash the connectivity firmware by connecting the dongle, putting it in bootloader mode, and then selecting it from the nRF Connect for Desktop app -> BLE. It will ask if you want to program the dongle, click "Yes". 

If you need this connectivity FW, you can always read it back from the dongle, to store it in a hex file, using the nRF Connect for Desktop -> programmer app.

So to answer your other questions:

1. Yes, the bootloader project can be found in SDK\examples\dfu\secure_bootloader\

2. see answer to 3.

Did that answer your questions? Or did I misunderstand your question?

Best regards,

Edvin

[jawadk]

Thank you for your clear answer.

Another question if I am not using the nrf connect app where can I find a hex file for the connectivity FW for the dongle ?

Is there an example for it ? or you can just provide it ?

Besides the connectivity FW uses the USB BLE example also ( the application still perform as a bridge in regular use?)

please help.

I am gonna develop all of that for my client and I am gonna use your NRF52840 for the devices and the dongles,

do you mind to keep this ticket open and I will use it to ask you for help or just to open another one every time ?

Thanks a lot

Best Regards

Jawad

[Edvin]

This hex file isn't available as far as I know. It is a modified version of the example from the SDK:

SDK\examples\connectivity\ble_connectivity

But again, you can read it back using nRF Connect for Desktop -> Programmer.

The source code for the modified example is not open source, so I couldn't provide it even if I had access to it. 

As long as the questions are related to the title of this ticket, you can use the same ticket, but if the question is about something else, please open another ticket. This is to keep it tidy on DevZone, so that other users with similar questions easily can find answers by using the search field. 

BR,

Edvin

[anguyenpt]

Hi Edvin,

I followed your directions for #3, however when I try to use nrfutil with the specified com port, I'm get the follow error:

nrfutil dfu ble -ic NRF52 -pkg dfu-implant-86accfc2-2021-01-11-14-13-42.zip -port=COM14 -a "F49668C262FB" -f

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "C:\Python\Python2716\Scripts\nrfutil-script.py", line 11, in <module>
load_entry_point('nrfutil==5.2.0', 'console_scripts', 'nrfutil')()
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 764, in __call__
return self.main(*args, **kwargs)
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 717, in main
rv = self.invoke(ctx)
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 1137, in invoke
return _process_result(sub_ctx.command.invoke(sub_ctx))
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 1137, in invoke
return _process_result(sub_ctx.command.invoke(sub_ctx))
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 956, in invoke
return ctx.invoke(self.callback, **ctx.params)
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\click\core.py", line 555, in invoke
return callback(*args, **kwargs)
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\nordicsemi\__main__.py", line 1129, in ble
flasher = Flasher(serial_port=port, snr = jlink_snr)
File "c:\python\python2716\lib\site-packages\pc_ble_driver_py\ble_driver.py", line 1072, in __init__
raise NordicSemiException('board not found')
pc_ble_driver_py.exceptions.NordicSemiException: board not found

The dongle shows up in my Window Device Manager as "USB Serial Device (COM14)"

Could you help me figure out how to get nrfutil to detect my dongle?

Thanks!