/mynewt-sr-blehci

Pre-Configured Newt app for building firmware for the NINA-B1 using the SolidRun specific BSP

Primary LanguageDockerfileApache License 2.0Apache-2.0

Overview

This is a project for building BLE firmware that can be flashed to the Wireless MCUs available on some SolidRun products. The firmware is based on Apache mynewt OS with the Apache NimBLE Application providing BLE functionality and HCI protocol support.

Supported Products:

  • i.MX8MQ SoM
    • u-blox Nina-B1
  • SolidSense N6
    • u-blox Nina-B1
    • u-blox Nina-B3
    • Fujitsu FWM7BLZ22
  • SolidSense N8
    • u-blox Nina-B1
    • Fujitsu FWM7BLZ22

Build Firmware from Source

Install Build Dependencies and Tools

Install ARM embedded toolchain

sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-none-eabi

Install Apache mynewt build tool

Either:

  • Install natively according to mynewt documentation.

  • Install with docker as a shortcut

    sudo apt install docker.io
sudo usermod -a -G docker <username>
# log out and back in
alias newt='docker run -e NEWT_HOST=$(uname) $ti --rm --device=/dev/bus/usb --privileged -v $(pwd):/workspace -w /workspace quay.io/josua-sr/newt:latest /newt'

Download Sources

git clone https://github.com/SolidRun/mynewt-sr-blehci
cd mynewt-sr-blehci

newt upgrade

Compile

First, choose a target:

  • imx8mqsom-nina-b1
    • i.MX8MQ SoM
  • ssn6-nina-b111
    • SolidSense N6
    • SolidSense N8
  • ssn6-nina-b301
    • SolidSense N6
  • ssn6-fwm7blz22
    • SolidSense N6
    • SolidSense N8

Use substitute in the instructions below "imx8mq-nina-b1" with the correct target name.

Then compile bootloader & application:

newt build imx8mqsom-nina-b1_boot
newt build imx8mqsom-nina-b1_blehci

Finally create an application image (adding header with version number). Note that the version number here is a user choice and has no functional impact.

newt create-image imx8mqsom-nina-b1_blehci 0.0.1

Install firmware

Install openocd

OpenOCD is a debugger and programmer that will be used for installing firmware to the MCU - using the SWD protocol.

To compile & install openocd from source-code:

  1. install compilers and library dependencies

    sudo apt-get install build-essential git autoconf libtool make pkg-config libusb-1.0-0 libusb-1.0-0-dev libgpiod-dev

  2. download openocd source-code

    git clone https://git.code.sf.net/p/openocd/code openocd
cd openocd
git reset --hard v0.12.0

  3. compile

    ./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc --enable-imx_gpio --enable-linuxgpiod --disable-sysfsgpio --disable-stlink --disable-ti-icdi --disable-ulink --disable-usb-blaster-2 --disable-vsllink --disable-xds110 --disable-osbdm --disable-opendous --disable-aice --disable-usbprog --disable-rlink --disable-armjtagew --disable-cmsis-dap --disable-kitprog --disable-usb-blaster --disable-presto --disable-openjtag --disable-jlink --disable-buspirate --disable-esp-usb-jtag --disable-cmsis-dap-v2 --disable-ft232r --disable-ftdi
make -j2

  4. install

    sudo make install

Install firmware

  1. Substitute MCU-specific flash locations for loader & application in steps 6 & 7:

    • Nina-B1:
      • boot: 0x0000
      • application: 0x8000
    • Nina-B3:
      • boot: 0x0000
      • application: 0xc000
    • FWM7BLZ22:
      • boot: 0x0000
      • application: 0x8000

  2. Generate platform-specific openocd configuration

    • i.MX8MQ SoM

      source [find interface/imx-native.cfg]
transport select swd
set WORKAREASIZE 0
source [find target/nrf52.cfg]
imx_gpio_swd_nums 8 66

    • SolidSense N6: Sink 1

      source [find interface/imx-native.cfg]
transport select swd
set WORKAREASIZE 0
source [find target/nrf52.cfg]
imx_gpio_swd_nums 82 81

    • SolidSense N6: Sink 2

      source [find interface/imx-native.cfg]
transport select swd
set WORKAREASIZE 0
source [find target/nrf52.cfg]
imx_gpio_swd_nums 59 125

    • SolidSense N8:

      source [find interface/imx-native.cfg]
transport select swd
set WORKAREASIZE 0
source [find target/nrf52.cfg]
imx_gpio_peripheral_base 0x30200000
imx_gpio_speed_coeffs 50000 50
imx_gpio_swd_nums 14 15

  3. Launch OpenOCD (server process)

    sudo openocd --file ./openocd.cfg

  4. Connect to OpenOCD console using telnet (in separate console)

    telnet 127.0.0.1 4444
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to 127.0.0.1.
Escape character is '^]'.
Open On-Chip Debugger
>

  5. Check MCU status

    > targets
    TargetName         Type       Endian TapName            State
--  ------------------ ---------- ------ ------------------ ------------
 0* nrf52.cpu          cortex_m   little nrf52.cpu          running

If the table shows State as "running" - then the MCU must be stopped by running the halt command:

   > halt
   [nrf52.cpu] halted due to debug-request, current mode: Thread
   xPSR: 0x21000000 pc: 0x00012c68 psp: 0x20000288

  1. Erase flash

    > nrf5 mass_erase
RF52833-xxAA(build code: A0) 512kB Flash, 128kB RAM
Mass erase completed.

  2. program loader

    > program /home/debian/boot.elf.bin 0x0000
...
** Programming Finished **

Note: Specify correct offset for target MCU (0x0000)!

  1. program application

    > program /home/debian/nimble.img 0x8000
...
** Programming Finished **

Note: Specify correct offset for target MCU (0x0000)!

  1. restart MCU

    > reset

Program MAC Address

Firmware expects a permanent MAC address stored in UICR registers.

MAC can be programmed with OpenOCD using the instructions above but stopping before step 5. Then:

  1. read existing UICR registers (on openocd console)

    flash read_bank 1 /home/debian/mac

  2. write mac address as binary data to the UICR register dumpfile (on linux console)

    # 75:c1:1d:09:1c:07
printf '\x07\x1c\x09\x1d\xc1\x75' | dd of=/home/debian/mac bs=1 seek=128 count=6 conv=notrunc

  3. write mac address to UICR registers (on openocd console)

    > flash erase_sector 1 0 last
> flash write_bank 1 /home/debian/mac

Initialise BLE HCI Device in Linux

The device should now be ready to be initialized under Linux.

sudo btattach -B /dev/ttymxc3 -S 1000000 -N
# Note: btattach is available with bluez on debian

The hci interface should now be available.

hciconfig
hci0:	Type: Primary  Bus: UART
	BD Address: BB:EC:E6:0D:DC:04  ACL MTU: 255:12  SCO MTU: 0:0
	UP RUNNING 
	RX bytes:231 acl:0 sco:0 events:16 errors:0
	TX bytes:112 acl:0 sco:0 commands:16 errors:0