Objective
The BLEDK3 firmware on the BM71 offers two state machines for the user: Auto Pattern mode and Manual Pattern mode. The User Interface (UI) Configuration Tool allows the user to decide which mode the module will enter once it is powered up. This lab will focus on Auto Pattern mode.
This mode is essential for using the BM71 as a data pipe through the Transparent Universal Asynchronous Reciever Transmitter (UART) service. It is not intended to be used for other private services/characteristics. It automates most of the tasks; however, it also provides a window of opportunity to configure the module before the Auto Pattern state machine takes over. This window of time is called the Configuration mode.
You will:
- Use the UI Tool to set the module to Auto Pattern mode
- Learn about the Configure mode
- Use the Auto Pattern Test Tool to communicate via Transparent UART service
Materials
Hardware Tools
This lab uses a BM71 PICtail board with version 1.06 of the firmware. If you don't have v1.06, go to the "BM71 Firmware Upgrade" page to update your BM71 module.
- Apple Smartphone
- iOS version 5 or later
- BT 4.0 or higher hardware
Software Tools
- MCP2200 Windows® Drivers and Installer
- UI Configuration Tool
- Auto Pattern Test Tool
- Bluetooth® Smart Data (iOS)
Be sure to install the MCP2200 USB drivers before starting. Also, download/extract the UI Configuration Tool as well as the Auto Pattern Test Tool to your PC using the links above.
Connection Diagram
Auto Pattern Flow Chart
Procedure
1
Connect to BM71
Connect the BM71 PICtail board to your PC via the USB connector (bottom-side of the board) using the supplied USB Cable. Ensure the jumpers J3, JP8, and J1 (all yellow in this photo) are set as shown:
b
Place the module in Test mode by setting SW7 in the ON position, then press SW5 (reset) to reset the module.
The module's basic operating mode (Test/Application) is sampled and established on a module reset condition. We recommend pressing the Reset (SW5) push-button whenever SW7 is first changed, or when you want to be sure that SW7 is sampled and applied by the module.
With Jumper JP8 shorted, LED0 will be lit (BLUE) indicating the module is in Test mode, as shown above.
2
Launch the User Interface Configuration Tool
After extracting files from the UI Configuration Tool ZIP file, double click on the application file called IS187x_102_BLEDK3_UI v100.132.exe to launch the utility.
Immediately after launch, the Start Menu window will pop up. Before we can do anything with this tool, we must load a UI parameter table. One way to load the UI parameters is by using an existing UI text file.
Click on Load in the Start Menu window.
4
Edit Text File
Once the text file has been loaded, the edit button will be enabled. Click on Edit.
When you press the edit button to start editing UI parameters, the Main Feature window will pop up. This window is where the user will select the target application. BLEDK3 supports all Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) operations, while the Beacon mode is used for non-connectable advertising only. If BeaconThings is selected, the module will support both BLEDK and Beacon operations.
For the purposes of this demo, we will only select BLEDK 0x01: BM71 and then click OK.
5
Configure Module
The window that follows is called the Function Settings window. All of the settings we will change for this lab are located under the System Setup tab.
Before entering Auto Pattern mode, the BM71 can go into a state called Configure mode (see diagram below). Relative settings can be configured while the BM71 is in this mode. The Configuration Mode Timeout option provides the length of time the module will remain in Configure mode if no commands are sent to it.
6
Write Settings
e
You can now close the Start Menu window.
8
Launch the Auto-Pattern Tool
c
You will immediately be taken to the Configure Mode tab where you will see all the allowed Configure mode commands.
If you don't send the module a command within the 6.4 seconds we specified earlier in this lab, the Configure mode will timeout and you will see a "Configure Mode is Disable" message in the Auto Pattern Test Tool.
e
Now that we have sent a command, you can continue issuing Configure Commands to the BM70 for as long as you please. The module will remain in Configure mode until we issue the 0x52: Leave Configuration command.
At that point you will see the following pop-up message:
Click on OK. The module will automatically leave Configuration mode and enter Auto Pattern mode. It will be on Standby for however many seconds we have specified in the UI Configuration Tool (in this case about 2 minutes).
9
Connect to the Smartphone
The Auto Pattern Test Tool can also be used to send data via Transparent UART. Sending and receiving data via Transparent UART using the Auto PatternTest Tool is similar to the demo found here.
10
Send File from Auto Pattern Tool
Conclusions
In this lab you:
- Were able to see the steps required to work with the Configure mode
- Used the Auto Pattern Test Tool to send data through the Transparent UART service