thingy53: Firmware update using MCUboot bootloader

[BesbarJB]

Dear community, 

I am a beginner with nRF products. However I managed to use the nRF52840 dongle to sniff btmesh opcodes and implement on nRF52840DK multiples bluetooth mesh models.

I bought then a Thingy53 in order to exploit btmesh sensors models.

After unpacking Thingy I managed first to see it in the nRF EdgeImpulse App. Then I use the iOS nRF Programmer and manage to install via BLE others firmwares (btmesh examples) that worked very well. So far so good.

Then I wanted to upload other programs using the MCUboot bootloader and nRF Programmer on windows (since I do not have JTAG cable, nor nRF5340DK to flash the thingy).

Before uploading my own programs, I checked the procedure with the pre-compiled firmwares available here : https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-hardware/Nordic-Thingy-53/Downloads

I have followed the process here : https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/working_with_nrf/nrf53/thingy53_gs.html#updating-through-usb

everything looks ok, Thingy is well in bootloader mode, the images are all written successfully, but I cannot see anymore Thingy in nRF app (if I upload BTmesh examples), nor I cannot see Thingy in EdgeImpusle App if I upload EdgeImpusle firmware.

Did I miss something on how to flash the Thingy53?

 

Any help will be much appreciated. Thank you very much.

[Menon]

Hello,

Thingy in nRF app

Is it because the precompiled files will change the name of the thingy after doing an update. For eg: If you are uploading the peripheral lbs sample then thingy53 will be visible as Nordic_LBS. 

Could you once try with nRF programmer app for uploading the Edge impulse firmware to the thingy53? You can follow this.

Kind Regards,

Abhijith

[BesbarJB]

Dear Abhijith, 

Thank you very much for your help.

Indeed it looks a good idea to check whether it is not a name problem.

So I have uploaded the Edge impulse firmware (edge_impulse_1.0.0_thingy53_nrf5340.zip) to the thingy53 as you may see on pictures below :

 

The upload looks good, and at the end of it, I can see Application: Thingy53 instead of bootloader.

Then I am looking for a Thingy (or any other name) in Edge Impulse App, but not found :

Also I am looking for thingy in nRF Programmer on iOS, but I cannot see any name.

In addition I tried to update on all nearby devices with n/a names also, but still.

Would Thingy 53 be slightly capricious :) ? 

[BesbarJB]

I forget also to mention that as you suggested I uploaded the peripheral lbs sample but thingy53 is not visible as Nordic_LBS. 

[BesbarJB]

This morning there has been an update of nRF programmer for desktop (on windows) 3.0.8.

Things are working better but still not completely.

With this new version, now I can upload the pre-compiled firmwares and Thingy53 is now recognized in apps, though not working as expected.

My observations:

1) Uploading (with MCU bootloader via USB & nRF programmer windows) edge_impulse_1.0.0_thingy53_nrf5340.zip

Upload is successful. Thingy53 is recognized in nRF EdgeImpulse App (cf. 2 screenshots below), but with failure message when trying to connect: « peer removed pairing information ».

In addition, any update with nRF programmer on iOS is not working, as seen on 3 screenshots below.

2) Uploading (with MCU bootloader via USB & nRF programmer windows) matter_weather_station_2.0.2_thingy53_nrf5340.zip

Upload is successful with nRF programmer windows. Blue led is blinking.

In addition Thingy53 is visible in nRF Programmer iOS as MatterWeather.

From there I can update via BLE with iOS nRF programmer (which was not working with EdgeImpulse above..). For instance I update the firmware with BT mesh sensors server (this reason why I bought Thingy53). Device is now seen in app as Mesh Sensor.

BUT, unfortunately even though the Mesh sensor is recognized i provisionning process in nRF Mesh App, I am unable to connect to the device. Status stays to connecting without connecting.

 

3) other observations.

I noticed that the only pre-compiled firmware (uploaded with nRF Programmer windows via MCU bootloader) that allow me after to update firmware in iOS nRF Programmer is MatterWeather.

All the other pre-compiled firmwares, there is an error when trying to update in iOS nRF programmer "Device capabilities not supported".

I also tried to upload the other BTmesh firmwares, namely:

- mesh_light_1.0.0_thingy53_nrf5340.zip

- mesh_light_ctrl_1.0.0_thingy53_nrf5340.zip

- mesh_light_switch_1.0.0_thingy53_nrf5340.zip

I can see Thingy 53 as MeshLight, Mesh Light Fixture, Mesh Light Switch respectively in nRF Mesh App but the device is unable to be provisionned.

I would be so happy to be able to run again the sensor model on Thingy53, so that I can practise the sensors models.

Thanks again for any help on that topic.

[BesbarJB]

This morning I read about this post ( When do you get the "peer removed pairing information" error? ) about  the "peer removed pairing information".

I deleted the existing Bluetooth bond between my iPhone and Thingy53 in bluetooth settings, then everything is working back to normal.

However it looks like the nRF programmer 3.0.8 update on windows was fully necessary for the MCU bootloader to work correctly.

Now it is time to exploit the BT mesh sensor model, I might come back with some questions on this model 

Thank You !