Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

andrew926 — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 15:32:06 GMT

You are right, the spikes are from DRX events. I finally learned that PSM RAT should not be "11100000". I have set RAT to "00000000" and the spikes are gone! "11100000" means, RAT timer is deactivated, so RRC Idle (DRX) would go forever. I thought DRX would be deactivated.

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

andrew926 — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 13:35:47 GMT

Could you measure the current and tell me if you get the same result, so that I can know whether the problem is in the code or it's the network in my country. I posted a download link to the project in a previous message.

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

Hakon — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 10:58:35 GMT

The spikes are probably from DRX events. It probably doesn't enter PSM properly.

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

andrew926 — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 19:48:09 GMT

I did the plot with 3000 measurements per second and got an average current (calculated by multimeter) of 6.5 mA.

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

andrew926 — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 19:43:49 GMT

First 12 seconds (y unit Ampere, x unit seconds):

Zoomed in between seconds 8 and 9:

The duration of a 40-50 mA peak is about 0,02 seconds. What could it be and how can I turn it off? As far as I know, the sensors do not consume so much power. There is also 1 mA current consumption in between the 40-50 mA peaks, which is much. Where could it come from?

This current was measured with Keysight 34465A before I removed src/ui. I also measured the current with a cheap multimeter at home.

The results of the cheap multimeter measurements were the same after I removed src/ui. I haven't measured the current with Keysight 34465A after I removed src/ui because at the moment I don't have access to it.

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

Hakon — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 14:20:25 GMT

[quote user="andrew926"]It has peaks of 40 mA every 180 ms.[/quote]

How long do these peaks last? Can you post a plot?

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

andrew926 — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 22:02:44 GMT

Thank you for the advice! I removed src/ui folder and commented out following symbols in prj_thingy91_nrf9160ns.conf:

#CONFIG_UI_LED_USE_PWM=n
#CONFIG_UI_BUZZER=n
#CONFIG_UI_NMOS=n
#CONFIG_USE_UI_MODULE=n
#CONFIG_NRF_CLOUD_LOG_LEVEL_DBG=y
#CONFIG_NRF9160_GPS_LOG_LEVEL_DBG=n
#CONFIG_CONSOLE_GETCHAR=y
#CONFIG_AWS_FOTA_LOG_LEVEL_DBG=y
#CONFIG_AWS_JOBS_LOG_LEVEL_DBG=y

and changed:

CONFIG_CONSOLE_SUBSYS=n
CONFIG_CONSOLE_HANDLER=n

In Kconfig, I commented out

#rsource "src/ui/Kconfig"

In CMakeLists.txt I commented out

...
#  src/ui
...
#add_subdirectory(src/ui)

Then I commented out every '# include "ui.h" ' and 'ui_led_set_color(...)' and 'ui_led_set_pattern' call in main.c and gps_controller.c.

I tested the application and it connects!

Then I added 'set_gps_enable(true);' in the end of the main() function, because the Asset Tracker application does not react to button presses when UI module is disabled. Unfortunately, GPS still doesn't work. What can I do to make GPS work with UI module disabled?

Then I measured the current consumption (without 'set_gps_enable(true);'), and it is about the same as before, too high. How can I lower the current consumption of the Asset Tracker application? It has peaks of 40 mA every 180 ms. Could you measure the current consumption of the Asset Tracker application, to see what I mean, and to compare? Here is the link to my project: https://yadi.sk/d/WooH3vjoHxBHuA .

RE: Can't connect to nRF cloud when UI Module disabled (Asset Tracker, Thingy 91)

Hakon — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 09:55:15 GMT

Hello,

you can try removing the entire src/ui folder from asset tracker, and rebuild.