How can I make peripheral device name configurable?

[PingISTL]

Dear all

I am developing a BLE product, and would like to have a different device name for each unit like Product1, Product2 etc. when advertising, so user can identify each of them.

I noticed Device name in Generic Access service is read only, is there a way I can configure it differently?

Regards!

Ping

[Hieu]

Hi, one solution you can try is to concatenate the device name with information from in the Factory Information Configuration Registers (FICR). It's best to use the read-only, factory written Device ID.

You can explore more here:

nRF5 SDK: https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/topic/drivers_nrfx_v2.7.0/group__nrf__ficr__hal.html

nRF Connect SDK: https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrfx/drivers/ficr/hal.html?highlight=ficr

Best regards,
Hieu

[PingISTL]

Hello, Hieu

Thanks for reply!

I use nrf Connect v1.9.1 and VS Code. Not sure above API is valid with this version?

The BLE is hosted by another MCU, and the unique ID is better from my host MCU, my question is - is it possible to make it configurable after it is programmed with an initial default factory device name.

Regards!

Ping 

[Hieu]

Hi,

The API is actually valid in NCS v1.9.1 too: https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/1.9.1/nrfx/drivers/ficr/hal.html.

I'm afraid I don't fully understand your setup. Are you saying you need the unique ID to be provided to the nRF52 chip from a different MCU?

In any case, there are a number of ways to influence the device's "appearance" to a scanner.

First solution: Advertise with Local Name data, and update that data. This can be done even during advertising.

The caveat is that the Local Name has to be the same or a shortened version of the Device Name itself.
See the section about Local Name in Bluetooth Core Specification Supplement for more details.

But anyway, the actual caveat is, if you want to add some dynamic run-time determined element to the Local Name, you are required by Bluetooth Spec to update the device name itself. Which brings us to:

Second solution: Advertise with Device Name data. If name has to be changed, stop advertising, set new name, and start advertising again.

There might be more ways. But now I can only think of those two.