BLE_Button is a BLE service template. It handles a read-only characteristic with a simple input (boolean values). The input's source is the button on the board itself - the characteristic's value changes when the button is pressed or released. The canonical source for this example lives at https://github.com/ARMmbed/mbed-os-example-ble/tree/master/BLE_Button

BLE_Button is a BLE service template. It handles a read-only characteristic with a simple input (boolean values). The input's source is the button on the board itself - the characteristic's value changes when the button is pressed or released.

The template covers:

  • Setting up advertising and connection modes.
  • Creating an input characteristic: read-only, boolean, with notifications.
  • Constructing a service class and adding it to the BLE stack.
  • Assigning UUIDs to the service and its characteristic.
  • Pushing notifications when the characteristic's value changes.

Running the application

Requirements

The sample application can be seen on any BLE scanner on a smartphone. If you don't have a scanner on your phone, please install :

- nRF Master Control Panel for Android.

- LightBlue for iPhone.

Hardware requirements are in the main readme.

Building instructions

Building with mbed CLI

If you'd like to use mbed CLI to build this, then you should refer to the main readme. The instructions here relate to using the developer.mbed.org Online Compiler

In order to build this example in the mbed Online Compiler, first import the example using the ‘Import’ button on the right hand side.

Next, select a platform to build for. This must either be a platform that supports BLE, for example the NRF51-DK, or one of the following:

List of platforms supporting Bluetooth Low Energy

Or you must also add a piece of hardware and the supporting library that includes a Bluetooth Low Energy driver for that hardware, for example the K64F or NUCLEO_F401RE with the X-NUCLEO-IDB05A1

List of components supporting Bluetooth Low Energy.

Once you have selected your platform, compile the example and drag and drop the resulting binary onto your board.

For general instructions on using the mbed Online Compiler, please see the mbed Handbook

Checking for success

Note: Screens captures depicted below show what is expected from this example if the scanner used is nRF Master Control Panel version 4.0.5. If you encounter any difficulties consider trying another scanner or another version of nRF Master Control Panel. Alternative scanners may require reference to their manuals.

  • Build the application and install it on your board as explained in the building instructions.
  • Open the BLE scanner on your phone.
  • Start a scan.

https://developer.mbed.org/teams/mbed-os-examples/code/mbed-os-example-ble-Button/raw-file/3fe9d5124576/img/start_scan.png

figure 1 How to start scan using nRF Master Control Panel 4.0.5

  • Find your device; it should appear with the name `Button` in the scanner.

https://developer.mbed.org/teams/mbed-os-examples/code/mbed-os-example-ble-Button/raw-file/3fe9d5124576/img/scan_results.png

figure 2 Scan results using nRF Master Control Panel 4.0.5

  • Establish a connection with the device.

https://developer.mbed.org/teams/mbed-os-examples/code/mbed-os-example-ble-Button/raw-file/3fe9d5124576/img/connection.png

figure 3 How to establish a connection using Master Control Panel 4.0.5

  • Discover the services and the characteristics on the device. The Button service has the UUID `0xA000` and includes the Button state characteristic which has the UUID `0xA001`. Depending on your scanner, non standard 16-bit UUID's can be displayed as 128-bit UUID's. If it is the case the following format will be used: `0000XXXX-0000-1000-8000-00805F9B34FB` where `XXXX` is the hexadecimal representation of the 16-bit UUID value.

https://developer.mbed.org/teams/mbed-os-examples/code/mbed-os-example-ble-Button/raw-file/3fe9d5124576/img/discovery.png

figure 4 Representation of the Button service using Master Control Panel 4.0.5

  • Register for the notifications sent by the button state characteristic then the scanner will automatically receive a notification containing the new state of the button every time the state of the button changes.

https://developer.mbed.org/teams/mbed-os-examples/code/mbed-os-example-ble-Button/raw-file/3fe9d5124576/img/register_to_notifications.png

figure 5 How to register to notifications using Master Control Panel 4.0.5

  • Pressing Button 1 on your board updates the state of the button and sends a notification to the scanner. The new state of the button characteristic value should be equal to 0x01.

https://developer.mbed.org/teams/mbed-os-examples/code/mbed-os-example-ble-Button/raw-file/3fe9d5124576/img/button_pressed.png

figure 6 Notification of button pressed using Master Control Panel 4.0.5

  • Releasing Button 1 on your board updates the state of the button and sends a notification to the scanner. The new state of the button characteristic value should be equal to 0x00.

https://developer.mbed.org/teams/mbed-os-examples/code/mbed-os-example-ble-Button/raw-file/3fe9d5124576/img/button_depressed.png

figure 7 Notification of button depressed using Master Control Panel 4.0.5

Committer:
mbed_official
Date:
Fri Jul 29 22:45:31 2016 +0100
Revision:
3:6f18b8269d65
Parent:
2:2be0a2820d3d
Child:
7:fc1d7b518af4
Merge branch 'master' of https://github.com/ARMmbed/mbed-os-example-ble


Commit copied from https://github.com/ARMmbed/mbed-os-example-ble

Who changed what in which revision?

UserRevisionLine numberNew contents of line
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 1 BLE_Button is a BLE service template. It handles a read-only characteristic with a simple input (boolean values). The input's source is the button on the board itself - the characteristic's value changes when the button is pressed or released.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 2
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 3 The template covers:
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 4
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 5 1. Setting up advertising and connection modes.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 6
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 7 1. Creating an input characteristic: read-only, boolean, with notifications.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 8
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 9 1. Constructing a service class and adding it to the BLE stack.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 10
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 11 1. Assigning UUIDs to the service and its characteristic.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 12
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 13 1. Pushing notifications when the characteristic's value changes.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 14
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 15 # Running the application
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 16
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 17 ## Requirements
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 18
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 19 The sample application can be seen on any BLE scanner on a smartphone. If you don't have a scanner on your phone, please install :
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 20
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 21 - [nRF Master Control Panel](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=no.nordicsemi.android.mcp) for Android.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 22
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 23 - [LightBlue](https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/lightblue-bluetooth-low-energy/id557428110?mt=8) for iPhone.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 24
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 25 Hardware requirements are in the [main readme](https://github.com/ARMmbed/mbed-os-example-ble/blob/master/README.md).
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 26
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 27 ## Building instructions
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 28
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 29 Building instructions for all samples are in the [main readme](https://github.com/ARMmbed/mbed-os-example-ble/blob/master/README.md).
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 30
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 31 ## Checking for success
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 32
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 33 **Note:** Screens captures depicted below show what is expected from this example if the scanner used is *nRF Master Control Panel* version 4.0.5. If you encounter any difficulties consider trying another scanner or another version of nRF Master Control Panel. Alternative scanners may require reference to their manuals.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 34
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 35 1. Build the application and install it on your board as explained in the building instructions.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 36 1. Open the BLE scanner on your phone.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 37 1. Start a scan.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 38
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 39 ![](img/start_scan.png)
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 40
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 41 **figure 1** How to start scan using nRF Master Control Panel 4.0.5
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 42
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 43 1. Find your device; it should appear with the name `Button` in the scanner.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 44
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 45 ![](img/scan_results.png)
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 46
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 47 **figure 2** Scan results using nRF Master Control Panel 4.0.5
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 48
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 49 1. Establish a connection with the device.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 50
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 51 ![](img/connection.png)
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 52
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 53 **figure 3** How to establish a connection using Master Control Panel 4.0.5
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 54
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 55 1. Discover the services and the characteristics on the device. The *Button service* has the UUID `0xA000` and includes the *Button state characteristic* which has the UUID `0xA001`. Depending on your scanner, non standard 16-bit UUID's can be displayed as 128-bit UUID's. If it is the case the following format will be used: `0000XXXX-0000-1000-8000-00805F9B34FB` where `XXXX` is the hexadecimal representation of the 16-bit UUID value.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 56
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 57 ![](img/discovery.png)
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 58
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 59 **figure 4** Representation of the Button service using Master Control Panel 4.0.5
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 60
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 61 1. Register for the notifications sent by the button state characteristic then the scanner will automatically receive a notification containing the new state of the button every time the state of the button changes.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 62
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 63 ![](img/register_to_notifications.png)
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 64
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 65 **figure 5** How to register to notifications using Master Control Panel 4.0.5
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 66
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 67
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 68 1. Pressing Button 1 on your board updates the state of the button and sends a notification to the scanner. The new state of the button characteristic value should be equal to 0x01.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 69
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 70 ![](img/button_pressed.png)
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 71
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 72 **figure 6** Notification of button pressed using Master Control Panel 4.0.5
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 73
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 74 1. Releasing Button 1 on your board updates the state of the button and sends a notification to the scanner. The new state of the button characteristic value should be equal to 0x00.
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 75
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 76 ![](img/button_depressed.png)
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 77
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 78 **figure 7** Notification of button depressed using Master Control Panel 4.0.5
mbed_official 3:6f18b8269d65 79