nRF52 as connectivity chip for BLE and ANT

[sweaty_techie]

Hi all,

I want to use the nRF52832 as the connectivity chip to give a separate application chip access to at least BLE and ANT capability. Ideally, the nRF would expose a BT HCI controller and raw ANT message interface.

I believe ANT requires a SoftDevice, and the SoftDevices don't give access to BLE HCI or raw ANT messages? So both pieces I want are not possible?

Which approach is possible?

Variations of this have been asked before, but I am not sure if the answers apply to the latest state.

Best regards

[Kenneth]

Hello,

The only option we have for joint ANT+BLE serialization is the solution outlined here:
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/com.nordic.infocenter.sdk5.v14.2.0/lib_serialization.html

I linked to v14.2 SDK, since that is the last we have that include support/example of serialized S332 (ANT+BLE) softdevice:
https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/com.nordic.infocenter.sdk5.v14.2.0/examples_ant_ble_hrm_relay.html

The actual serialized project for S332 is found in:
\nRF5_SDK_14.2.0_17b948a\examples\connectivity\experimental_ant_ble\d52_starterkit\ser_s332_uart\arm5_no_packs

Instead of using the serialization above that expose the entire S332 (ANT+BLE) softdevice api, you may consider let the nRF5 run much of the application, and instead use your own command based interface over SPI or UART to send and receive data. Then you can for instance take advantage of the software modules/libraries in the nRF5 SDK that can handle the connection establishment and bonding for you, also such a solution will reduce traffic on the serial interface and thereby also reduce current consumption overall.

Best regards,
Kenneth

[sweaty_techie]

Kenneth Thanks for the info.
I am starting with the serialised S332 softdevice and using the serialized API from Linux as a first step (and intend to later move the app's connectivity logic to the nRF with a custom serial interface). I am unsure of the best place to start with application side code.

I have read the Serialization API Reference for Application side code, but have also found the github.com/.../pc-ble-driver repository. While pc-ble-driver is only BLE, is it the recommended place to get started? ie use this library instrad of the ser_sd_transpor_* functions directly? Then port the ANT parts of the API into this library too?

[Kenneth]

I assume the goal here is to use the nRF52 as a connectivity chip from a third party MCU. In that case I would start with porting the serialization libraries to your third party MCU. The pc-ble-driver only have BLE functionality, so I suspect it would require a quite a lot of work to add ANT to that, I think that would be a "detour" if the goal is to use it with a third party MCU in the end.

Best regards,
Kenneth