BLE diagnostics API in nCS

[Ubaid_M]

Hello,

Can you please help me with any API available in nRF Connect SDK, which will tell me if the BLE communication / BLE hardware on my nRF52833 is faulty or functional..?

Thanks,

[tesc]

Hi,

There is no dedicated API for self-diagnosing whether BLE works or not, no, neither on a hardware nor software level. I am afraid you must rely on the existing API calls returning errors if something is wrong, as well as rely on the fact that successful BLE communication indicates that BLE is working.

Regards,
Terje

[Ubaid_M]

Hello  Terje,

tesc said:

There is no dedicated API for self-diagnosing whether BLE works or not, no, neither on a hardware nor software level

Noted with thanks,

However, can you kindly suggest how do I got about diagnosing BLE health..?

Because I will be left at the mercy of BLE-Mesh in my case, OPCODES for which I trigger once a week maybe.

So that should not mean for a week I am unaware that BLE hardware/functionality is not working..?! 

[Ubaid_M]

Hello Terje,

Can I use something on the grounds of DTM: https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/samples/bluetooth/direct_test_mode/README.html ..............?

Are you aware of something similar or some API..?

[tesc]

Hi,

Direct Test Mode is for production testing, not for use in the field. It is not suited for an end product at all.

Since you are using Bluetooth mesh, then you can look into the health model, which is a foundation model where the server model is mandatory and therefore already implemented for all mesh nodes. You can add the health client model to one node, for instance a gateway, and from there monitor the other nodes.

You can also use the health model for sending fault messages from a device, which are broadcasted at a higher frequency than normal health messages.

Another diagnostic tool for Bluetooth mesh networks is Heartbeat, which is part of the configuration model (also a foundation model and the server is mandatory and implemented for all nodes.) The main function of Heartbeat is to determine the distance (in number of hops) between two nodes and provide some statistics for network communication.

Regards,
Terje

[Ubaid_M]

tesc said:

Since you are using Bluetooth mesh, then you can look into the health model, which is a foundation model where the server model is mandatory and therefore already implemented for all mesh nodes. You can add the health client model to one node, for instance a gateway, and from there monitor the other nodes.

Hello Terje,

Agreed with you, But a device in mesh, I can either way find out if BLE-Mesh opcodes are not being responded by the device.

So, rather my requirement is how  will I make the device aware of BLE functional or not without any external (mobile app) effort..?

Thanks