How to test HID boot input and output using a PC

[Matthew K]

Hi guys. May I ask some questions for ble_app_hids_keyboard_pca10056_s113 project from 17.1.0 nRF5 SDK:

So far what I found is that BT SIG HID over GATT Profile Specification document defined 3 roles: HID Device, Boot Host, and Report Host.

If I understood correctly, the BLE Client acting as a Boot Host has to
1) write the Protocol Mode characteristic to Boot Protocol Mode.
2) enable the CCCD of the Boot Keyboard Input Report characteristic or the Boot Mouse Input Report characteristic.
3) handle the input or the output reports according the Appendix B the report formats (USB Device Class Definition for Human Interface Devices HID Version 1.11).

Does Windows / Linux like Ubuntu / MacBook PC have a scenario to become a BLE Client acting as a Boot Host?

For instance, if a Windows PC opens the BIOS while the nRF52 is connected, does the Boot keyboard/mouse input report characteristic is used?

Thank you so much for your help! I was wondering how to set the BLE client side where I couldn't see this boot input keyboard report's notification being enabled when entering the BIOS.

[ovrebekk]

Hi 

Generally Bluetooth devices are not supported in BIOS unfortunately, since at this point the Bluetooth stack and drivers are not yet loaded. 

You would need a USB dongle in the PC that connects to your peripherals, and set up the Bluetooth connection (or a proprietary connection) from the dongle directly. 

For more information about this please refer to this thread. 

Best regards
Torbjørn

[Matthew K]

Hi Torbjørn. Thank you for your reply. I read that thread.

Does this mean there's no way to test the Boot Keyboard input/output feature while using the ble_app_hids_keyboard_pca10056_s113 project?

Can you share how Nordic team tested these HID characteristics? Thank you for your help!

[ovrebekk]

Hi

You could use a dummy client if you want to test this. Essentially connect to something like the nRF Connect for Desktop bluetooth application, or nRF Connect for mobile, and try to enable the boot mode manually. You should see the report data change as a result. 

I believe this is how it was tested on our side. I have asked one of the test engineers for some details on how we tested this, and I will let you know once I hear back from him. 

Best regards
Torbjørn

[Matthew K]

Thank you Torbjørn!

One last thing, I want to check if I understood the HID boot input/output characteristics.

Except for using a dummy BLE client,

what other real life examples can change these HID boot characteristics?

Is it Window's BIOS mode, MacOS recovery mode, etc?

[Kenneth]

Matthew K said:

what other real life examples can change these HID boot characteristics?

Sorry, but we don't have overview of this.

Kenneth

[Matthew K]

Hi Kenneth. Sorry to hear that.

May I ask for your help on this? I can wait while testing other HID stuff.

[Kenneth]

Hello,

We don't have such tool, searching a bit online I could find that Linux seems to for instance have a hidraw tool that may useful here.

Kenneth