using ble_dtm together with softdevice

[pieterg]

For emission testing, we need to be able to use some DTM commands (such as: transmitter test) inside our normal firmware.

The normal firmware uses the softdevice for BLE.

My idea is to use ble_dtm to enable transmitter test, when required.

Because our application usesTIMER1-TIMER4, and softdevice uses TIMER0, I'm having a resource problem with ble_dtm, which needs two timers.

I'm thinking to use the following aproach:

-disable the softdevice (so TIMER0 is free), just before calling dtm_init().

-configure dtm_init to use TIMER0

-comment all ANOMALY_172_TIMER usage (because I'm hoping our devices either won't suffer from anomaly 172, or if they do, it does not cause problems for a simple transmitter test)

My questions:

-Can ble_dtm be used with SOFTDEVICE_PRESENT (and softdevice disabled, after having been enabled before)

-Can ble_dtm safely use TIMER0 when the softdevice has been disabled? (after having been enabled before)

Or perhaps an alternative aproach; would it be possible to start a BLE transmitter test using the softdevice?

[Susheel Nuguru]

Hi Pieter,

You can safely disable softdevice while using ble_dtm. As mentioned in the link, this is self contained library.

-Can ble_dtm safely use TIMER0 when the softdevice has been disabled? (after having been enabled before)

Yes.

-comment all ANOMALY_172_TIMER usage (because I'm hoping our devices either won't suffer from anomaly 172, or if they do, it does not cause problems for a simple transmitter test)

I fyou are not using CodedPHY test then you can safely disable this anamaly implementation and free a timer.

[pieterg]

Thanks Susheel for your answers.

I will start using ble_dtm.