how to enter beacon config mode

[John]

Hi, it says that I have to put my beacon into beacon config mode in order to configure beacon device through the app. How do I enter beacon config mode in my nRF51dk? When I tried to update the beacon, I couldn't detect the it. I tried pressing button 1 and button 2 but nothing changed.

[kaku]

Hi,

Do you want to change your Beacon's advertisement packet like UUID, Major, Minor, Tx Power etc from iPhone/Smartphone on remote ? If so, you may have some valued options.

Note: If you use ble_app_beacon example code in SDK, you cannot enter beacon configuration mode since it just sends advertisement packets without connection.

Here is just outlook proposal:

1)Use DFU bootlaoder

Program both Softdevice S110 and dfu bootloader on nRF51-DK board, then nRF51 enters DFU mode and can connect iPhone/Smartphone, then update your configured firmware over OTA DFU from iPhone/Smartphone.

2)Create your custome service and profile

In general, Beacon just sends advertisement packet without connection. If you want to change configuration on remote, once you need to connect between central(iPhone/Smartphoe) and peripheral(nRF51-DK), then for example, the central issues commands(write request) for peripheral and you may store the updated configuration value into internal flash area in nRF51, then nRF51 restarts with new advertisement packet. Like this scenario, you need to create custome service and profile.

In my experience, 1) is quite simple since you can just use dfu bootloader sample code in current SDK and also Master Control Panel,/nRF Tool Box/DFU loader APPS with iPhone/Android.
If you choose 2), you would need to create your own customer service and profile, it may need to learn Bluetooth core specification and SDK codes.

I hope this is just help for you.

[John]

Hi Kaku, I followed instruction1. I got an error while selecting a dfu device. It says "Required DFU service not available on peripheral". Actually, it'd be nice if I could port the beacon app for the beacon kit to my board because I can still use the app.