BLUENGR stops advertising, returns 0xFF when set_discoverable

[vpalacio]

Posted on February 13, 2017 at 19:28

Hi,

I'm experiencing stoppages with a STM32 connected to an BLUENGR.

After set adverttising successfully, sometimes BLUENGR stops advertising. If I force a new

aci_gap_set_discoverable

, I get 0xff as response (when working normally, I get 0xc0 not_allowed).

When I detect this condition (by sending 

aci_gap_set_discoverable() and check if 0xff) everything works again with a BlueNRG_RST().

What does that 0xFF (Is not an error code for aci_gap_set_discoverable())?

This issue is pointing to a hardware problem?

Regards,

#bluengr

[Antonio Vilei]

Posted on February 14, 2017 at 14:48

Hi, the 0xFF error code means there was a timeout, i.e. your STM32 microcontroller didn't receive any reply from the BlueNRG chip on the SPI bus. It's probably a lockup of the BlueNRG chip.

Which exact version of the chip are you using? Is it BlueNRG or BlueNRG-MS? What firmware version?

Please notice that the old BlueNRG is not recommended for new designs and has been replaced by BlueNRG-MS.

The latest firmware version for BlueNRG-MS is 7.2.c

Also, what software application are you running on your STM32?

[vpalacio]

Posted on February 15, 2017 at 15:04

Hi Antonio,

Thanks for your quick answer.

Unfortunately, we are using BlueNRG instead of BlueNRG-MS (is a new device, but based on old design).

I've to modify hardware to enter into DFU mode...

Flashing BlueNGR_VCOM_1_8.hex I can connect to device via BlueNGR GUI, and reports:

BlueNRG HW v3.0

BlueNRG FW v6.3

Can I update BlueNRG FW without using PIN20 for entering into DFU mode? (with a modified bootloader, for instance).

Regards,

GOOD NEWS: I realized I need no DFU to update BlueNRG FW... I just uploaded BlueNGR 6.4 thanks to 

BlueNRG_VCOM_1_8.hex and BlueNRG GUI.

I'ts 6.4 last FW version available for BlueNRG?

[Antonio Vilei]

Posted on February 16, 2017 at 11:19

Dear Victor,

I'm glad you found out how to update the FW image. I confirm that 6.4 is the latest version available for the old BlueNRG chip.

Is it more stable with the new FW version or can you still see the problem that you reported earlier?

Kind regards,

Antonio

[vpalacio]

Posted on March 06, 2017 at 09:35

Hi Antonio,

Thanks again for your support and sorry for my late response.

After interrogation through Aci_Gap_

Set_Disco

verable command, I realized that sometimes I didn't detect advertising packets from device.

I tried to solve it changing my interrogation command to HCI_Read_Transmit_

Power

_Level,  but... Surprise! I had an error when using this command after updating BlueNRG to 6.4, so I went backwards to 6.3.

Somebody reported this (HCI_Read_Transmit_

Power

_Level error when using FW 6.4)?

Regards,