Unlocking the Power of Nordic Scan Module: A Step-by-Step Guide to Enabling Short Name Filtering on Seeed Studio Xiao BLE Board

Are you tired of sifting through countless device names to find the one you need? Do you want to take your Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) development to the next level? Look no further! In this article, we’ll dive into the world of Nordic Scan Module and explore how to enable short name filtering on the popular Seeed Studio Xiao BLE board.

What is Nordic Scan Module?

The Nordic Scan Module is a powerful tool that allows you to discover and connect to BLE devices with ease. Developed by Nordic Semiconductor, this module is designed to work seamlessly with their range of BLE chips, including the nRF52840 SoC used in the Seeed Studio Xiao BLE board. By leveraging the Nordic Scan Module, you can filter out unwanted devices, reduce scan times, and create more efficient BLE applications.

Why Use Short Name Filtering?

Short name filtering is a feature that allows you to filter devices based on their short name, also known as the device name or local name. This is particularly useful when working with multiple devices that have similar or overlapping names. By enabling short name filtering, you can specify the exact device name you’re looking for, reducing the chances of accidental connections or misidentification.

Here are some benefits of using short name filtering with the Nordic Scan Module:

• Improved scan performance: By filtering out unwanted devices, you can reduce the number of devices that need to be scanned, resulting in faster scan times and improved overall performance.
• Increased accuracy: Short name filtering ensures that you’re connecting to the exact device you intend to, reducing the risk of errors or misconnections.
• Enhanced user experience: By providing a more precise and efficient way to discover and connect to devices, you can create a better user experience for your customers.

Hardware and Software Requirements

To follow along with this tutorial, you’ll need the following hardware and software:

• Seeed Studio Xiao BLE board
• nRF5 SDK (version 14.2 or later)
• Nordic Scan Module library
• Keil µVision IDE (or alternative IDE of your choice)
• Basic understanding of C programming and BLE development

Setting Up the Nordic Scan Module

Before we dive into the code, let’s set up the Nordic Scan Module library in our project. Follow these steps:

1. Download the Nordic Scan Module library from the Nordic Semiconductor website.
2. Extract the library to a directory of your choice.
3. In your IDE, create a new project for the Seeed Studio Xiao BLE board.
4. Add the Nordic Scan Module library to your project by including the necessary header files and library files.

Enabling Short Name Filtering

Now that we have the Nordic Scan Module set up, let’s enable short name filtering in our code. We’ll use the `blescan_msg_filter_t` structure to specify the filter criteria.

#include "nordic_common.h"
#include "nrf_sdm.h"
#include "nrf_ble_scan.h"
#include "blescan.h"

int main(void)
{
    // Initialize the Nordic Scan Module
    blescan_init();

    // Create a filter structure to specify the short name
    blescan_msg_filter_t filter;
    filter.type = BLESCAN_FILTER_TYPE_LOCAL_NAME;
    filter.data.local_name.p_data = (uint8_t *)"MyDevice";
    filter.data.local_name.len = strlen("MyDevice");

    // Set the filter criteria
    blescan_set_filter(&filter);

    // Start the scan
    blescan_start();

    // Wait for the scan to complete
    while (blescan_is_scanning()) {
        // Handle scan results
    }

    return 0;
}

In this example, we’re using the `blescan_msg_filter_t` structure to specify the short name “MyDevice” as the filter criteria. We can modify this to filter for different device names as needed.

Customizing the Filter Criteria

The `blescan_msg_filter_t` structure provides a range of filter criteria that you can use to customize the scanning process. Here are some additional options:

Filter Type	Description
BLESCAN_FILTER_TYPE_LOCAL_NAME	Filters devices based on their local name (short name)
BLESCAN_FILTER_TYPE_ADverts	Filters devices based on their advertisement data
BLESCAN_FILTER_TYPE_UUID	Filters devices based on their UUID
BLESCAN_FILTER_TYPE_MANUFACTURER_DATA	Filters devices based on their manufacturer data

By combining these filter criteria, you can create a tailored scanning experience that meets your specific needs.

Troubleshooting and Optimization

As with any development project, troubleshooting and optimization are crucial steps in the process. Here are some common issues to watch out for:

• Device not found: Check that the device is advertising and that the filter criteria are correct.
• Scan times too long: Adjust the scan interval and filter criteria to optimize performance.
• Interference from other devices: Use channel hopping and adaptive frequency hopping to minimize interference.

By following these guidelines and troubleshooting tips, you can ensure a smooth and efficient scanning experience with the Nordic Scan Module.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve explored the power of the Nordic Scan Module and how to enable short name filtering on the Seeed Studio Xiao BLE board. By leveraging this feature, you can create more efficient and accurate BLE applications that meet the needs of your users. Remember to customize your filter criteria, troubleshoot common issues, and optimize your code for peak performance.

With the Nordic Scan Module and short name filtering, the possibilities are endless. So go ahead, unlock the full potential of your BLE development, and take your projects to the next level!

Frequently Asked Question

Get the most out of your Seeed Studio Xiao BLE board with Nordic Scan Module! Here are some frequently asked questions about using the Nordic Scan Module to enable short name filtering on your board.