disconnecting while operations are in progress never gives BLE_GAP_EVT_DISCONNECTED event

[Paul Bradford]

2020-01-24-092119EST-ProductStoppedGettingEventsFromNordicDK.txtImprivataTestNordicEventsNotReceived.zipCalls_to_pc_ble_driver.cpp0285.2020-02-24-TestProgramUploadedToNordicSupport.zipFeb25TestProgramUploadedToNordicSupport.zipImprivata_bgTestApp.zipbgSDKTestAppMay4.zip2020-05-05-035347-NordicDK_USB840M_200505_ClockInternal_2in1.hex.txt.txtbgSDKTestAppMay6.zipI’m developing an application based on pc-ble-driver to talk to an nRF52840-based dongle (from Fanstel).

I’m having trouble disconnecting cleanly when a connection has operations in progress.  For example, I call ‘sd_ble_gattc_write’, which returns NRF_SUCCESS, but I don’t receive event BLE_GATTC_EVT_WRITE_RSP (after waiting 60 seconds), so I decide to disconnect. When this happens, sd_ble_gap_disconnect returns NRF_SUCCESS, but I do not receive BLE_GAP_EVT_DISCONNECTED even after waiting 30 seconds. The connection supervision timeout is 4 seconds.  What could cause the disconnect to not generate any BLE_GAP_EVT_DISCONNECTED event?

What I’m trying to accomplish here: if a connection is not responsive, I want to end that connection, without disturbing other connections I have open.

Thanks,

Paul Bradford

[Paul Bradford]

I have attached a new test program Imprivata_bgTestApp.zip. There is a file called README with instructions, and a description of the problem.   I suggest you try this on a Dell 64-bit Windows 10 laptop that has not had Nordic dev tools installed on it. Usually the problem occurs with in an hour or two.

This test program reproduces the problem on two 64-bit Windows 10 laptops and does not reproduce this on one 64-bit Windows 10 laptop. I don't know what difference between these laptops causes two to fail and one to succeed. All have the same driver usbser.sys 10.0.18362.1 winbuild 160101.0800. Problem has occurred when plugged into USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports.

Failing laptops: both Dell, one Windows 10 version 1903 build 18362.657, another Windows 10 version 1909 build 18363.752 (the latest public Windows 10 build)

Laptop that does not reproduce the problem: Lenovo ThinkPad, Windows 10 version 1903 build 18362.657 (exactly the same as one failing laptop). This one has had Nordic tools like nRF Connect installed. One consequence is that when I plugged in an nRF52840 it would show in Device Manager as 'nRF Connect USB CDC ACM (COMx)'. To make it like my other laptops that do not have Nordic tools, I uninstalled the driver so that the nRF52840 would show up as 'USB Serial Device (COMx)'

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

I have had the new application running on my PC with 5 parallel devices for 8 hours yesterday and 4 hours today. So far, I have not been able to reproduce the issue. I do have another PC that does not have Nordic tools installed, but this is not a Dell PC. I will try to setup the test on that one next. It's a bit harder to find equipment for testing this with the limited factors where you have managed to reproduce the issue, due most of us working from home-office due to the Corona situation. Is it still a requirement to have heavy Bluetooth activity around the device in order to reproduce the issue? This could also be a problem to facilitate during home-office.

[Paul Bradford]

I tested the USB840_Clock_ACCURACY_3in1.hex file referenced in Leo's last post. I loaded it on the Nordic DK by dragging it to the "JLink CDC UART Port". After just a few minutes my test program got the "serial port write operation" error "The device does not recognize the command". The firmware logging over that JLink port looked the same as what I uploaded on May 2 (which was also the DK and used firmware "USB840_Connect200430_3in1.hex" ):

[00:00:13.056,233] <debug> app: event:BLE_GAP_EVT_RSSI_CHANGED

[00:00:13.061,999] <debug> sphy_hci: TX request (7 bytes)

[00:00:13.067,421] <debug> sphy_hci: Started TX packet (payload 7).

[00:00:13.074,211] <error> app: Fatal error

[00:00:13.441,628] <info> app: BLE connectivity 200427

[00:00:13.447,435] <info> app: USB power detected

[00:00:13.453,251] <info> app: USB ready

I have not been able to test this firmware with the Nordic dev-dongle. I tried loading USB840_Clock_ACCURACY_3in1.hex into the dev-dongle using nRF Connect Programmer, but that leaves the dev-dongle in a state where it does not show up as a serial port when I plug it in. If there is some other way I should try to program it, please let me know.

[Paul Bradford]

I uploaded a modified test program. The change is to have a command-line option to say how often to do the challenge/response, which is what triggers the notifications from the phone, which is what we suspect is causing this problem.   With no option, this is done every 5 minutes. I've been testing with new command-line option -f5 which means to do it every 5 seconds.

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

LeoChen: I did manage to reproduce once with today with the USB840_Clock_ACCURACY_2in1.hex file you provided on a Nordic Dongle. Unfortunately, it does not provide much information about the fatal error. I had modified this in the connectivity hex that I build with queue size of 64 and logging enabled. Can you replace this file in your SDK? It will give the location of the error and the error code on the log. 

Fullscreen ser_conn_error_handling.c Download

/**
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 *
 * All rights reserved.
 *
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification,
 * are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
 *
 * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
 *    list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
 *
 * 2. Redistributions in binary form, except as embedded into a Nordic
 *    Semiconductor ASA integrated circuit in a product or a software update for
 *    such product, must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of
 *    conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
 *    materials provided with the distribution.
 *
 * 3. Neither the name of Nordic Semiconductor ASA nor the names of its
 *    contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this
 *    software without specific prior written permission.
 *
 * 4. This software, with or without modification, must only be used with a
 *    Nordic Semiconductor ASA integrated circuit.
 *
 * 5. Any software provided in binary form under this license must not be reverse
 *    engineered, decompiled, modified and/or disassembled.
 *
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 * OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES
 * OF MERCHANTABILITY, NONINFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
 * DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL NORDIC SEMICONDUCTOR ASA OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
 * LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
 * CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE
 * GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
 * HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
 * LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
 * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 *
 */
#include "nrf_assert.h"
#include "app_error.h"
#include "ser_config.h"
#include "app_util_platform.h"
#include "nrf_strerror.h"

#if defined(SOFTDEVICE_PRESENT) && SOFTDEVICE_PRESENT
#include "nrf_sdm.h"
#endif

#include "boards.h"

/** @file
 *
 * @defgroup ser_conn_error_handling Errors handling for the Connectivity Chip.
 * @{
 * @ingroup sdk_lib_serialization
 *
 * @brief   A module to handle the Connectivity Chip errors and warnings.
 *
 * @details This file contains definitions of functions used for handling the Connectivity Chip
 *          errors and warnings.
 */

/**@brief Function for handling the Connectivity Chip errors and warnings.
 *
 * @details This function will be called if the ASSERT macro in the connectivity application fails.
 *          Function declaration can be found in the app_error.h file.
 *
 * @param[in] error_code  Error code supplied to the handler.
 * @param[in] line_num    Line number where the handler is called.
 * @param[in] p_file_name Pointer to the file name.
 */

#include "app_util_platform.h"
#include "nrf_soc.h"
#include "nrf_log.h"
#include "nrf_log_ctrl.h"

// uint32_t m_error_code;
// uint32_t m_error_line_num;
// const uint8_t *m_p_error_file_name;

/*lint -save -e14 */
void app_error_fault_handler(uint32_t id, uint32_t pc, uint32_t info)
{
    // disable INTs
    CRITICAL_REGION_ENTER();

    NRF_LOG_ERROR("Fatal error");
    switch (id)
    {
#if defined(SOFTDEVICE_PRESENT) && SOFTDEVICE_PRESENT
        case NRF_FAULT_ID_SD_ASSERT:
            NRF_LOG_ERROR("SOFTDEVICE: ASSERTION FAILED");
            break;
        case NRF_FAULT_ID_APP_MEMACC:
            NRF_LOG_ERROR("SOFTDEVICE: INVALID MEMORY ACCESS");
            break;
#endif
        case NRF_FAULT_ID_SDK_ASSERT:
        {
            assert_info_t * p_info = (assert_info_t *)info;
            NRF_LOG_ERROR("ASSERTION FAILED at %s:%u",
                          p_info->p_file_name,
                          p_info->line_num);
            break;
        }
        case NRF_FAULT_ID_SDK_ERROR:
        {
            error_info_t * p_info = (error_info_t *)info;
            NRF_LOG_ERROR("ERROR %u [%s] at %s:%u\r\nPC at: 0x%08x",
                          p_info->err_code,
                          nrf_strerror_get(p_info->err_code),
                          p_info->p_file_name,
                          p_info->line_num,
                          pc);
             NRF_LOG_ERROR("End of error report");
            break;
        }
        default:
            NRF_LOG_ERROR("UNKNOWN FAULT at 0x%08X", pc);
            break;
    }
    NRF_LOG_FINAL_FLUSH();

    #if LEDS_NUMBER > 0

    /* Light a LED on error or warning. */
    // nrf_gpio_cfg_output(SER_CONN_ASSERT_LED_PIN);
    // nrf_gpio_pin_set(SER_CONN_ASSERT_LED_PIN);

    #endif

    // m_p_error_file_name = p_file_name;
    // m_error_code = error_code;
    // m_error_line_num = line_num;

    /* Do not reset when warning. */
    if (SER_WARNING_CODE != id)
    {
        /* This call can be used for debug purposes during application development.
        * @note CAUTION: Activating code below will write the stack to flash on an error.
        * This function should NOT be used in a final product.
        * It is intended STRICTLY for development/debugging purposes.
        * The flash write will happen EVEN if the radio is active, thus interrupting any communication.
        * Use with care. Un-comment the line below to use. */

        /* ble_debug_assert_handler(error_code, line_num, p_file_name); */

#ifndef DEBUG
        /* Reset the chip. Should be used in the release version. */
        NVIC_SystemReset();
#else   /* Debug version. */
        /* To be able to see function parameters in a debugger. */
        uint32_t temp = 1;
        while (temp);
#endif

    }

    CRITICAL_REGION_EXIT();
}
/*lint -restore */


/**@brief Callback function for asserts in the SoftDevice.
 *
 * @details This function will be called if the ASSERT macro in the SoftDevice fails. Function
 *          declaration can be found in the nrf_assert.h file.
 *
 * @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(SER_SD_ERROR_CODE, line_num, p_file_name);
}
/** @} */

So far, I'm not able to reproduce the issue with the connectivity FW I'm building. Can you upload the SDK directory that you used, along with the path to the exact project used to build it?

@paul-bradford: I'm not sure this issue you are now seeing is the same as the original problem. They may look similar to the application, but I never saw the fatal error with my previous testing. I'm not sure if notifications are the cause of this anymore, but we need to find the origin of the fatal error in order to determine what is happening. Hopefully, you should be able to detect that quite fast with the above change I requested from Leo.

[LeoChen]

Hi Jorgen,

The following link is source project that I am using.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t3pcunczygxxr7k/nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345_PC_Connect_200505.rar?dl=0

I did compare with the source patched project and can't see any thing wrong.

Would you please also give me the entire SDK that you are using to compare.

The Global setting

Macro:SDK=E:\Keil_v5\ARM\Device\Nordic\nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345_PC_Connect_200505

The Project path

~\nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345_PC_Connect_200505\examples\connectivity\ble_connectivity\pca10056\ser_s140_usb_hci\ses

The HEX files that  replace error handling (External Clock does not work with Fanstel USB840M).

https://www.dropbox.com/s/z6u7f227h2sogl7/USB840M0505.rar?dl=0

How long you will see the error happen?

I programmed 3 dongles and running over 4 hours.

I can't see that error on my Win 7  desktop.

Regards,

Leo

[Paul Bradford]

I tested the firmware Leo referenced. With the dev-dongle, I tried both USB840M_200505_ClockInternal.zip and USB840M_200505_ClockExternal.zip and both failed with the "serial port write operation" error after a few minutes.

With the Nordic DK I tried USB840M_200505_ClockInternal_2in1.hex and got "serial port write operation" error after 30 minutes. I attached the firmware logging file 2020-05-05-035347-NordicDK_USB840M_200505_ClockInternal_2in1.hex.txt

The firmware logging ends with 

[00:00:02.638,154] <debug> app: event:BLE_GATTC_EVT_HVX

[00:00:02.643,318] <debug> sphy_hci: TX request (34 bytes)

[00:00:02.648,884] <debug> sphy_hci: Started TX packet (payload 34).

[00:00:02.655,796] <error> app: Fatal error

[00:00:02.659,891] <error> app: ERROR 4 [NRF_ERROR_NO_MEM] at :0

PC at: 0x00000000

[00:00:02.667,605] <error> app: End of error report

[00:00:02.674,529] <info> app: BLE Clock Internal,UART log,Size 64,CRITICAL_REGION,

[00:00:02.682,869] <info> app: USB power detected

[00:00:02.688,683] <info> app: USB ready

I am now testing the Nordic DK with USB840M_200505_ClockExternal_2in1.hex

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

I reproduced the issue with the hex-files from Leo as well. How exactly did you change the scheduler queue size? As far as I can see, this is still 16 in the latest project you uploaded (nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345_PC_Connect_200505.rar):

// In ser_conn_handlers.h:
/** Maximum number of events in the application scheduler queue. */
#ifdef S112
#define SER_CONN_SCHED_QUEUE_SIZE             8u
#else
#define SER_CONN_SCHED_QUEUE_SIZE             16u
#endif

// In main.c:
APP_SCHED_INIT(SER_CONN_SCHED_MAX_EVENT_DATA_SIZE, SER_CONN_SCHED_QUEUE_SIZE);

And when debugging, it is set to 16 when app_scheduler is initialized:

I created a clean patched SDK, with the appropriate fixes and a few changes. Can you please try building using this? These are the changes (can also be seen in attached patch-file:changes.patch)

• Added Critical region in main.c
• Increased scheduler size to 64
• Removed serialization error handler, use SDK default which will output error info
• Added DEBUG and DEBUG_NRF preprocessor defines to Release build configuration, to catch errors and asserts.
• Added separate build configurations for different LF clocks: Release_LFXO (external crystal) and Release_LFRC (internal RC oscillator).
• Enabled UART logging, and set the log level to only output error logs (debug logs adds heavy CPU load).
• Changed UART log TX pin to P0.31, to allow reading logs from nRF52840 Dongle. When running on DK, a wire must be connected between P0.31 and P0.06 to output logs. P0.31 on the dongle can be connected to P0.06 on an empty DK to read logs.

nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345_patched_addedfixes.zip

Precompiled hex-files:

• External LF crystal - 200505_ble_connectivity_s140_usb_hci_pca10056_lfxo_mergedsoftdevice.hex
• Internal RC oscillator - 200505_ble_connectivity_s140_usb_hci_pca10056_lfrc_mergedsoftdevice.hex

I have not yet received the Fanstel Dongles, so I'm not sure if these will work with that. You may need to do some changes to support the bootloader etc.

[Paul Bradford]

I loaded 200505_ble_connectivity_s140_usb_hci_pca10056_lfrc_mergedsoftdevice.hex into the Nordic DK, and I'm running the test program. But when I start PuTTY to log the JLINK serial port, I see no output at all. I'm using the same procedure I've been using the last few days, including BAUD rate 115200.

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

Did you connect a wire between P0.31 and P0.06 on the DK, as I described in the last change-point below?

Jørgen Holmefjord said:

When running on DK, a wire must be connected between P0.31 and P0.06 to output logs.

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

Hi Paul,

I tracked down the reset that I'm seeing to a call to sd_nvic_SystemReset() in ser_conn_generic_command_process() when a SER_GENERIC_CMD_RESET command is received. This indicates that the pc-ble-driver application is issuing a reset command. This also looks to be the case in the log output from your application:

>bgsdkTestApp.exe -u27527585-e5bb-4697-b0af-0e92785043b6 -f5 -v0 -cCOM4
use challenge/response frequency of 5 seconds
logging level 0
'd' to disconnect any connected devices
'q' to quit program
'r' to do a hard reset of the dongle - after this the program exits
's' to show status of all monitored phones
'+' to increase logging level
'-' to decrease logging level
2020-05-05 15:49:48.999: (WARNING) Nordic event handler received an un-handled event with ID:  30
2020-05-05 15:50:31.955: (WARNING) restart scanning because we've gone 10 timer ticks with no advertisements
2020-05-05 15:50:33.799: (ERROR) Error:  Failed to decode event, error code is 14/0xe.
2020-05-05 15:50:33.924: (WARNING) bgsdk::details::AdvDataParser::Parse MAC =  42:f5:68:c6:cd:d1 failed to parse 1e ff 06 00 01 09 20 02 9b 89 59 dc cd f2 0f a9 46 2f b7 61 7a  invalid advertisement: section length = 30 results in end index 31 > size 21
2020-05-05 15:50:47.656: (WARNING) restart scanning because we've gone 10 timer ticks with no advertisements
2020-05-05 15:50:48.968: (ERROR) Error:  Failed to decode event, error code is 14/0xe.
2020-05-05 15:50:49.281: (ERROR) Error:  Failed to decode event, error code is 14/0xe.
2020-05-05 15:55:40.263: (WARNING) trigger reset hardware_radio_error because we've gone 300 timer ticks with no advertisements, indicating the Bluegiga hardware failed
IMPBGSDK reported HardwareFailure (for Nordic this happens when we don't detect advertisements for a long time)
IMPBGSDK reported HardwareSoftResetInitiated WITH DeviceRemoval (for Nordic this happens when we don't detect advertisements for a long time)
2020-05-05 15:55:40.910: (ERROR) Error:  serial port write operation on port COM4 failed. Error: The device does not recognize the command.[22]
2020-05-05 15:55:42.218: (WARNING) resetting Nordic failed:  0x802a NRF_ERROR_SD_RPC_H5_TRANSPORT_NO_RESPONSE
2020-05-05 15:55:43.773: (ERROR) Error:  Error purging UART 22
2020-05-05 15:55:43.779: (WARNING) std::exception during keepalive: sd_ble_gattc_read failed (Error: 32773) : 0x8005 NRF_ERROR_SD_RPC_NO_RESPONSE
2020-05-05 15:55:43.784: (ERROR) bgsdk::BeaconController::Impl::StopAdvertising Failed to stop advertising:  Nordic adapter closed (Error: 36865) : Unknown error
2020-05-05 15:55:43.786: (ERROR) bgsdk::BeaconController::Impl::StartAdvertising Failed to start advertising:  Nordic adapter closed (Error: 36865) : Unknown error
2020-05-05 15:55:43.787: (WARNING) start scanning caused exception:  Nordic adapter closed (Error: 36865) : Unknown error
2020-05-05 15:55:43.787: (WARNING) Event wait terminates because of global reset

This was seen when running your latest application (bgSDKTestAppMay4.zip). I did not see similar output in the old application. Did you make any changes to the application to make the chip reset? I will try to test with the Imprivata_bgTestApp.zip application to see if I'm still able to reproduce.

Best regards,
Jørgen

[Paul Bradford]

The reset you are seeing is induced by the test program, and has changed since prior versions. This test program uses lots of code from our product, and one thing it does is reset the nRF52840 after a prolonged period of receiving no advertisements, since we're scanning constantly and should always be seeing advertisements - we take this 5+ minutes with advertisements to mean the chip has failed, so we reset it. Note that earlier we had noticed that advertisements stopped and had tried to restart them: "restart scanning because we've gone 10 timer ticks with no advertisements".  Does the firmware logging show what's going on that causes no advertisements to be received? 

It may not mean anything, but the line of output from the test program "Nordic event handler received an un-handled event with ID:  30" indicates it received event BLE_GAP_EVT_SEC_REQUEST which the product does not process. I don't recall ever seeing that event. Is your test phone somehow set up to requiring pairing or bonding? If it were, it would not successfully stay connected to the test program.

When you run the test program, do you verify that shortly after starting it has connected to the phone ("phone is being tracked") as described in the README? 

On the PuTTY question from earlier, I had missed the instruction about wiring pins on the DK. I'll work on this with the limited equipment I have at home.