Trying to do a simple UART to BLE serial pass through on CYBLE-416045-EVAL

[LePr_1339861]

I will first say I'm sorry, pretty rusty with PSoC, been a while. I'm trying to help my customer quickly as they are under the gun. I'm able to take a throughput tester app I found on the forum to get the BLE end taking serial input from a terminal program on my phone and echo back, but I'm basically lost trying to get the UART working with it. I tried working with a PSoC 4 example, but too many problems. Again, it's just a pass through UART <> BLE. Thanks much!

[Aashita_R]

Hi @LePr_1339861 ,

I am sorry, we do not want our customers to have such experience. Can you please let us know which application or code example did you try to run on this board : CYBLE-416045-EVAL ?

I see a plenty of code examples with PSoC Creator 4.4 as below -

You can refer the device architecture TRM and the device datasheet for your detailed information on the operation of this module.

Best Regards,

Aashita

[LePr_1339861]

Her is the example I was working from. The BLE side works, but I can't get the UART working. Thanks Much!

[Len_CONSULTRON]

LePr,

What are you using as the BLE app on your phone or PC?

I'm looking into your issue.  

First thoughts.   I see you're using the printf() function.   In order to use this function, that is proper set up that needs to be done to assign the destination port to be the UART.  Maybe this is your issue.(?)

Here's a link to such a thread: printf-still-does-not-not-work-on-PSoC6-Code-Examples 

[LePr_1339861]

Hi, for the BLE terminal app, I'm using Seral Bluetooth Terminal V1.40 by Kai Morich, downloaded from Playstore. I also have CySmart 1.3 on both the phone and PC.  I have the CY5677 dongle from my CY8CKIT-062-BLE for the PC end. Note, I'm not having any problems with the UART. I'm having problems understanding how to get the BLE talking back and forth with the UART. So it is whatever other glue logic and code needed.

[Yugandhar]

Hello @LePr_1339861 , 

Could you please refer to the below attached project. This project demonstrates on how to use PSoC6 BLE device as a UART-BLE bridge(Custom SPP). It is similar to the PSoC4 BLE UART project in the GitHub. 

Please let me know if this helps. 

Thanks,

P Yugandhar. 

[Len_CONSULTRON]

P Yugandhar,

I loaded one 062-BLE with the Central project and the other 062-BLE with Peripheral project.

It works great!   I open two UART terminal program instances and I send from one instance and it appears on the other instance and visa versa.

However ...  The GATT advertisement UUID being used is not BLE UART compatible to generic BLE terminal programs.  Hence neither 062-BLE UART project can be seen by either my mobile phone BLE Term program or my PC Term program.

Next step: Find the proper UUID service ID that is commonly used for UART-type communication.

[Len_CONSULTRON]

LePr,

My testing shows that many of the mobile phone or PC BLE term programs are expecting  certain vendor-specific GATT service UUIDs to connect and converse (UART Tx and Rx).   If your PSoC can emulate one of these protocols, then you should be successful in BLE UART conversing.

Another choice is to create (or modify existing code) your own code that accepts your own GATT UART protocol.

[LePr_1339861]

Hi All,

Thanks so much for all the help Len!! I am aware of the phone situation. I did just find out that the customer's host is actually a Raspberry Pi 4B, so I'll need to dig into that next. Unfortunately, the customer has put the entire project on hold, but I will continue to flush it all out as I am sure I'll get asked for this again. Happy Holidays to everyone!

Leigh

[Len_CONSULTRON]

Leigh,

You're welcome.  I'm sorry the project is on indefinite hold.

It would be good to get ahead of the issue once (if) the project gets turned back on.

Besides, it would be advantageous to find a solution in general to this issue.

I wonder if a non-vendor-specific solution can be found.  This allows any BLE device that wishes to connect via a UART-style interface.  

There are other non-vendor-specific interfaces such as USB-MIDI.   Interesting ... the MIDI bit protocol interface was created based on using a UART bit protocol.  The only significant difference is the HW physical interface which USB makes a moot point.