Bluetooth low energy SensorTag: May 2019

The main advantage and, in the same time, the main “feature” of the blessTags is given by the fact the blessTags application is a software package in continuous development – it is not a dead project. The blessTags was improved, and it is, and it will be improved continuously based on the user's feedback, the wishes to implement new useful features and to increase the speed and the reliability of the application and, not in the last, to correct the potential errors. As a good example, in a few days, a new version with substantial improvements will be released.

The Gadget gives another significant advantage to the blessTags comparing with other application on the market. The Gadgets are several practical and independent applications able to use one or more sensors from a specific SensorTag, in order to achieve a fully functional, and useful application.

Not in the last, the ability to work with six different SensorTag it is another significant advantage. The blessTags application can manage the following SensorTags: CC2541DK, CC2650STK (both produced by Texas Instruments) Thunderboard React, Thunderboard Sense (Silicon Labs), Thingy:52 (Nordic Semiconductors) and WICED Sense2 (Cypress).

Do you want to test it? Please download the free version: blessTags Lite.

Do you like it? Please install the full version: blessTags.

If You Appreciate What I Do Here, You Should Consider:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/blessTags

Twitter: https://twitter.com/blesstags

Instagram: www.instagram.com/blesstags/

Or subscribe to Bluetooth low energy SensorTag by Email

The problem:

Potential issue: the blessTags application is unable to connect to a specific SensorTag. The SensorTag paired with success (so, the Windows side is OK), but nothing appears in the “3. Select the specific device” field.

     For example, in the previous figure a Nordic Thingy:52 SensorTag is paired with the Windows 10 operating system, but even if we select this type of SensorTag, the blessTags application is unable to discover such kind of device.
     Each type of device (e.g., Nordic Thingy:52 or CC2650STK) has a specific variety of features or characteristics. The blessTags application must manage correctly (configure, get data, etc.) each of them. But to do this, the blessTags app must know with each SensorTag is connected, to use the correct set of services and characteristics specific for the corresponding Bluetooth LE device.
     The SensorTag identification is made, by the blessTags application, through the Generic Access service (UUID = 00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb or UUID = 0x1800) – to be more specific using the Device Name characteristic (UUID = 0x2A00), see the following figure (Generic Access service for Nordic Thingy:52).

If Device Name characteristic string is not one of the known strings (see the following figure with the predefined IDs for each known SensorTag), by the blessTags application, the specific SensorTag is not recognized by the Windows application and is not listed in the “3. Select the specific device” field.

The reasons for a such situation: (a) the user changes the SensorTag name (it is possible on ThunderBoard React, ThunderBoard Sense, and Nordic Thingy:52), (b) a firmware modification of the SensorTag and (c) the SensorTag has an older version of the firmware, on which the device has another name – like in CC2650STK case.

Solution:

First, we must find the new name for the Sensortag (the Device Name characteristic string). To do this:

Push “1. Refresh SensorTag List” button;
In the field “2. Select type of SensorTag” choose “Unknown BLE device(s)” option, in the “3. Select the specific device” field an unknown Bluetooth LE device appears (“BLE device 0 [unknown]”);

Check the box “Enter in Developer Mode” from the main user interface;
A new window will open (the Developer panel) from here pushing the “Get Generic Access data” button. As a result, the following information will be presented:

From here we see that the “Device Name” (the string from the characteristic 0x2A00) is Thngy (an “i” is missing) not the Thingy – the default name that comes from the producer. So, at this moment we must change the SensorTag “Device Name” or change the name on which blessTags application recognize the SensorTag – we will choose here the second option.

Second, update the blessTags application database with the new device name from the SensorTag. You have two option to get to the panel that allows you to do that.

From the “Developer panel” push the “blessTags configuration” button. From the new window that opens, check the “Removing part of the restrictions from the blessTags application” box;
From the main user interface, please push the “?” button => push the graphical icon with the BLE mark => from the new window that opens, check the “Removing part of the restrictions from the blessTags application” box.

From the last box (right down) labeled “Nordic Thingy:52” change the text from “Thingy” to “Thngy” and push the “OK” button.
Now the blessTags application can quickly discover the Nordic Thingy:52 SensorTag without any problems.