Resetting smart beacon to factory state

RE: Resetting smart beacon to factory state

Andrew — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 18:35:07 GMT

Turned out that I was not formatting the last section of the init.dat file correctly, and had some issues with the project file. Correcting the init.dat, and starting with a clean Keil project from the website allowed me to successfully upload changed firmware to the beacon.

RE: Resetting smart beacon to factory state

Vidar Berg — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 13:59:34 GMT

If DFU does not work on the beacon kit the first thing to check is what board revision you have. Revision 1.0.0 is pre-programmed with S110 v.6.0.0., thus compatible with beacon firmware v. 1.0.1 that uses the v.6.0.0 API.

S110 v.6.0.0. does however not have the support for softdevice and bootloader DFU, so unfortunately, going from beacon FW 1.0.1 does require an external J-link/DK kit to update the kit with the cable Asbjørn mentioned. The update procedure is described in the index.html file found in the folder of the downloaded beacon firmware v.1.1.0.

Board revisions after v.1.0.0 is already running with the latest firmware and can be updated with Master control panel 3.7.1 by following the steps described below the "testing" section in the SDK documentation. This makes an init file internally so you only need to provide the .hex file. On Android this init file has to be made manually. There is a guide on Github on how to do that.

RE: Resetting smart beacon to factory state

Andrew — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 05:15:33 GMT

Currently working with Vidar in support on a solution. Will post details when resolved.

RE: Resetting smart beacon to factory state

Andrew — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 19:05:16 GMT

As a result, I tried to execute a firmware update with my iPad and the Nordic Toolbox for iOS - using the application file as a hex, and a correct application.dat file using the format you specify in a .zip file. I was able to connect to both beacons again and begin the update. Both times I got a disconnect message. The beacon stuck in bootloader mode remained in bootloader mode, but the new beacon returned to advertising mode when the SW1 button was pressed.

I checked the voltage on the PCB of the port I had attempted to open on the beacon in advertising mode. The voltage was unchanged from the factory behavior. So the update did not complete.

Thanks for the advice about the connector as well. Would I need the Master Control Panel for Windows to execute a hardwired update? This is not included with the beacon, so if I do need it, what do I need to purchase? Thanks!

RE: Resetting smart beacon to factory state

Andrew — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 18:55:13 GMT

I thought I had done something wrong, so I actually ordered 2 additional beacons over the weekend to try again before I saw your response. I figured that there might have been a serious issue with my original code that caused the problem. I simplified my firmware code (now the firmware code is just the source Keil project, with three lines to define the number of a port to be opened as an output, set the port as an output and set it high). This was compiled to an axf file, then converted to a BIN with fromelf.

Interestingly, if I attempt the firmware update with the beacon stuck in Bootloader mode, and one of the new beacons, I get a DFU invalid state (2) error. This is on the LG phone with Android 4.4.2. So both beacons are behaving the same way when I send an application update. So I suspected phone was the issue.

RE: Resetting smart beacon to factory state

Asbjørn — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 17:36:16 GMT

You can re-program the beacon through the interface available on the little tap on the side of it. Either use the TC2030 connector or solder onto VDD, GND, SWDIO and SWDCLK to reprogram the unit. I'm not sure what has happened to your beacon, but it does seem to be stuck in the bootload mode. Do you see it constantly advertising as a dfu service as well?