Intermediate
30 min

Achieve fast data transfer with some Bluetooth magic thanks to the RN4678 and STM32F031K6

Break free from cables

RN4678 Click with Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU

Published Oct 01, 2024

Click board™

RN4678 Click

Dev. board

Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

STM32F031K6

Explore how this wireless method serves as a convenient alternative to cables, empowering users with effortless data exchange and intuitive device management for enhanced connectivity and productivity

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

RN4678 Click is based on the RN4678, a Bluetooth® 4.2 dual-mode module from Microchip. This Click is designed to run on a 3.3V power supply. It communicates with the target microcontroller over I2C and UART interface, with additional functionality provided by the following pins on the mikroBUS™ line: AN, RST, CS, PWM, INT. The RN4678 from Microchip is a fully certified Bluetooth version 4.2 module. Use it to add Bluetooth wireless capability to your project.

The module includes an onboard Bluetooth stack, power management subsystem, 2.4 GHz transceiver, and RF power amplifier. Data transfer is achieved through Bluetooth by sending or receiving data through SPP in Bluetooth (BT) Classic mode and Transparent UART in BLE mode. The RN4678 contains an integral ceramic chip antenna. The RN4678 module has strong AES128 Encryption. 128-bit encryption is one of the most robust encryption algorithms. AES stands for

Advanced Encryption Standard, a symmetric encryption algorithm. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. Also, it comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.

RN4678 Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU board provides an affordable and flexible platform for experimenting with STM32 microcontrollers in 32-pin packages. Featuring Arduino™ Nano connectivity, it allows easy expansion with specialized shields, while being mbed-enabled for seamless integration with online resources. The

board includes an on-board ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger/programmer, supporting USB reenumeration with three interfaces: Virtual Com port, mass storage, and debug port. It offers a flexible power supply through either USB VBUS or an external source. Additionally, it includes three LEDs (LD1 for USB communication, LD2 for power,

and LD3 as a user LED) and a reset push button. The STM32 Nucleo-32 board is supported by various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) such as IAR™, Keil®, and GCC-based IDEs like AC6 SW4STM32, making it a versatile tool for developers.

Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

ARM Cortex-M0

MCU Memory (KB)

32

Silicon Vendor

STMicroelectronics

Pin count

32

RAM (Bytes)

4096

You complete me!

Accessories

Click Shield for Nucleo-32 is the perfect way to expand your development board's functionalities with STM32 Nucleo-32 pinout. The Click Shield for Nucleo-32 provides two mikroBUS™ sockets to add any functionality from our ever-growing range of Click boards™. We are fully stocked with everything, from sensors and WiFi transceivers to motor control and audio amplifiers. The Click Shield for Nucleo-32 is compatible with the STM32 Nucleo-32 board, providing an affordable and flexible way for users to try out new ideas and quickly create prototypes with any STM32 microcontrollers, choosing from the various combinations of performance, power consumption, and features. The STM32 Nucleo-32 boards do not require any separate probe as they integrate the ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger/programmer and come with the STM32 comprehensive software HAL library and various packaged software examples. This development platform provides users with an effortless and common way to combine the STM32 Nucleo-32 footprint compatible board with their favorite Click boards™ in their upcoming projects.

Click Shield for Nucleo-32 accessories 1 image

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

Software Button
PA0
AN
Module Reset
PA11
RST
UART RTS
PA4
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
Sleep Wake
PA8
PWM
UART CTS
PA12
INT
UART TX
PA10
TX
UART RX
PA9
RX
I2C Clock
PB6
SCL
I2C Data
PB7
SDA
NC
NC
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

RN4678 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

Click Shield for Nucleo-144 front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the Nucleo 32 with STM32F031K6 MCU as your development board.

Click Shield for Nucleo-144 front image hardware assembly
Nucleo 144 with STM32L4A6ZG MCU front image hardware assembly
2x4 RGB Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
Nucleo-32 with STM32 MCU MB 1 - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Clicker 4 for STM32F4 HA MCU Step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for RN4678 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • rn4678_enter_command_mode - Enter the command mode function

  • rn4678_exit_command_mode - Exit the command mode function

  • rn4678_set_device_name - Set the device name function

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief RN4678 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This example reads and processes data from RN4678 clicks.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initializes the driver and configures the click board.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * Checks for the received data, reads it and replies with a certain message.
 * 
 * ## Additional Function
 * - rn4678_process ( ) - Logs all the received messages/responses on the USB UART, 
 *                        and if it receives "Hello" string it sends the certain message 
 *                        back to the connected device.
 * 
 * @note
 * We have used the Serial Bluetooth Terminal smartphone application for the test. 
 * A smartphone and the click board must be paired in order to exchange messages with each other.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "rn4678.h"
#include "string.h"

#define PROCESS_COUNTER 20
#define PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE 100
#define PROCESS_PARSER_BUFFER_SIZE 100

#define PROCESS_RSP_ERROR  -1
#define PROCESS_RSP_OK     1
#define PROCESS_NO_RSP     0
#define PROCESS_LOG_RSP    0

// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES

static rn4678_t rn4678;
static log_t logger;

uint8_t DEVICE_NAME_DATA[ 20 ] = { 'R', 'N', '4', '6', '7', '8', ' ', 'c', 'l', 'i', 'c', 'k' };
uint8_t EXTENDED_STRING_DATA[ 10 ] = { 'S', 'l', 'a', 'v', 'e' };
uint8_t PIN_CODE_DATA[ 10 ] = { '1', '2', '3', '4' };
static char current_parser_buf[ PROCESS_PARSER_BUFFER_SIZE ];

// ------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

static int8_t rn4678_process ( char * response )
{
    int32_t rsp_size;
    uint16_t rsp_cnt = 0;
    
    char uart_rx_buffer[ PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE ] = { 0 };
    uint8_t check_buf_cnt;
    uint8_t process_cnt = PROCESS_COUNTER;
    int8_t rsp_flag = 0;
    
    // Clear current buffer
    memset( current_parser_buf, 0, PROCESS_PARSER_BUFFER_SIZE ); 
    
    while( process_cnt != 0 )
    {
        rsp_size = rn4678_generic_read( &rn4678, uart_rx_buffer, PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE );

        if ( rsp_size > 0 )
        {  
            // Validation of the received data
            for ( check_buf_cnt = 0; check_buf_cnt < rsp_size; check_buf_cnt++ )
            {
                if ( uart_rx_buffer[ check_buf_cnt ] == 0 ) 
                {
                    uart_rx_buffer[ check_buf_cnt ] = 13;
                }
            }
            // Storages data in current buffer
            rsp_cnt += rsp_size;
            if ( rsp_cnt < PROCESS_PARSER_BUFFER_SIZE )
            {
                strncat( current_parser_buf, uart_rx_buffer, rsp_size );
            }
            
            // Clear RX buffer
            memset( uart_rx_buffer, 0, PROCESS_RX_BUFFER_SIZE );
            
            if ( strstr( current_parser_buf, "ERR" ) ) {
                Delay_100ms( );
                rsp_flag = PROCESS_RSP_ERROR;
                break;
            }
            
            if ( PROCESS_LOG_RSP != response )
            {
                if ( strstr( current_parser_buf, response ) ) {
                    Delay_100ms( );
                    rsp_flag = PROCESS_RSP_OK;
                    break;
                }
            }
            else
            {
                rsp_flag = PROCESS_RSP_OK;
                process_cnt = 1;
            }
            
            if ( strstr( current_parser_buf, "Hello" ) ) {
                rn4678_generic_write( &rn4678, "MikroE\r\n", 8 );
                Delay_100ms( );
                break;
            }
        } 
        else 
        {
            process_cnt--;
            
            // Process delay 
            Delay_ms( 100 );
        }
    }
    
    if ( PROCESS_NO_RSP != rsp_flag )
    {
        log_printf( &logger, "%s", current_parser_buf );
        log_printf( &logger, "\r\n---------------------------\r\n" );
        return rsp_flag;
    }
    
    return PROCESS_NO_RSP;
}

// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    rn4678_cfg_t cfg;

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Application Init ----" );

    //  Click initialization.

    rn4678_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    RN4678_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    rn4678_init( &rn4678, &cfg );

    rn4678_enable ( &rn4678 );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    rn4678_hw_reset ( &rn4678 );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, "Configuring the module...\n" );
    
    do
    {    
        log_printf( &logger, " --- Command mode --- \r\n" );
        rn4678_enter_command_mode( &rn4678 );
    }
    while( rn4678_process( "CMD" ) != 1 );
    
    do
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " --- Device name --- \r\n" );
        rn4678_set_device_name( &rn4678, &DEVICE_NAME_DATA[ 0 ] );
    }
    while( rn4678_process( "AOK" ) != 1 );

    do
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " --- Status string --- \r\n" );
        rn4678_set_extended_status_string( &rn4678, &EXTENDED_STRING_DATA[ 0 ] );
    }
    while( rn4678_process( "AOK" ) != 1 );

    do
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " --- Operating mode --- \r\n" );
        rn4678_set_operating_mode( &rn4678, 0 );
    }
    while( rn4678_process( "AOK" ) != 1 );

    do
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " --- Authentication --- \r\n" );
        rn4678_set_authentication( &rn4678, 1 );
    }
    while( rn4678_process( "AOK" ) != 1 );

    do
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " --- Pin code --- \r\n" );
        rn4678_set_security_pin_code( &rn4678, &PIN_CODE_DATA[ 0 ] );
    }
    while( rn4678_process( "AOK" ) != 1 );

    do
    {
        log_printf( &logger, " --- Exit command mode --- \r\n" );
        rn4678_exit_command_mode( &rn4678 );
    }
    while( rn4678_process( "END" ) != 1 );
    
    log_printf( &logger, "The module has been configured.\n" );
    
    rn4678_set_cts_pin( &rn4678, 0 );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    rn4678_process( PROCESS_LOG_RSP );
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; )
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}


// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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