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SoC - Thermometer RTOS

This example application demonstrates the integration of a Real Time Operating System (RTOS) into Bluetooth applications. RTOS is added to the Bluetooth - SoC Thermometer example.

Note: this example expects a specific Gecko Bootloader to be present on your device. For details see the Troubleshooting section.

Getting Started

To get started with Silicon Labs Bluetooth and Simplicity Studio, see QSG169: Bluetooth SDK v3.x Quick Start Guide.

To learn more about how the thermometer example application works, create a SoC - Thermometer example project (without RTOS).

Bluetooth over RTOS

The following image shows the system architecture of an RTOS based Bluetooth application. The Bluetooth stack is run in multiple tasks:

  • Link Layer Task signals Bluetooth Host Task when the Bluetooth stack needs an update.
  • Bluetooth Host Task updates the Bluetooth stack, issues stack events to Event Handler Task and handles commands from application tasks.
  • Event Handler Task handles and dispatches stack events to sl_bt_on_event() that needs to be integrated in the application. RTOS system architecture

To learn more about RTOS integration into Bluetooth projects, see AN1260: Integrating v3.x Silicon Labs Bluetooth Applications with Real-Time Operating Systems.

Troubleshooting

Bootloader Issues

Note that Example Projects do not include a bootloader. However, Bluetooth-based Example Projects expect a bootloader to be present on the device in order to support device firmware upgrade (DFU). To get your application to work, you should either

  • flash the proper bootloader or
  • remove the DFU functionality from the project.

If you do not wish to add a bootloader, then remove the DFU functionality by uninstalling the Bootloader Application Interface software component -- and all of its dependants. This will automatically put your application code to the start address of the flash, which means that a bootloader is no longer needed, but also that you will not be able to upgrade your firmware.

If you want to add a bootloader, then either

  • Create a bootloader project, build it and flash it to your device. Note that different projects expect different bootloaders:

    • for NCP and RCP projects create a BGAPI UART DFU type bootloader
    • for SoC projects on Series 1 devices create a Bluetooth in-place OTA DFU type bootloader or any Internal Storage type bootloader
    • for SoC projects on Series 2 devices create a Bluetooth Apploader OTA DFU type bootloader

  • or run a precompiled Demo on your device from the Launcher view before flashing your application. Precompiled demos flash both bootloader and application images to the device. Flashing your own application image after the demo will overwrite the demo application but leave the bootloader in place.

    • For NCP and RCP projects, flash the Bluetooth - NCP demo.
    • For SoC projects, flash the Bluetooth - SoC Thermometer demo.

Important Notes:

  • when you flash your application image to the device, use the .hex or .s37 output file. Flashing .bin files may overwrite (erase) the bootloader.

  • On Series 1 devices (EFR32xG1x), both first stage and second stage bootloaders have to be flashed. This can be done at once by flashing the -combined.s37 file found in the bootloader project after building the project.

  • On Series 2 devices SoC example projects require a Bluetooth Apploader OTA DFU type bootloader by default. This bootloader needs a lot of flash space and does not fit into the regular bootloader area, hence the application start address must be shifted. This shift is automatically done by the Apploader Support for Applications software component, which is installed by default. If you want to use any other bootloader type, you should remove this software component in order to shift the application start address back to the end of the regular bootloader area. Note, that in this case you cannot do OTA DFU with Apploader, but you can still implement application-level OTA DFU by installing the Application OTA DFU software component instead of In-place OTA DFU.

For more information on bootloaders, see UG103.6: Bootloader Fundamentals and UG489: Silicon Labs Gecko Bootloader User's Guide for GSDK 4.0 and Higher.

Programming the Radio Board

Before programming the radio board mounted on the mainboard, make sure the power supply switch is in the AEM position (right side) as shown below.

Radio board power supply switch

Resources

Bluetooth Documentation

UG103.14: Bluetooth LE Fundamentals

QSG169: Bluetooth SDK v3.x Quick Start Guide

UG434: Silicon Labs Bluetooth ® C Application Developer's Guide for SDK v3.x

Bluetooth Training

Report Bugs & Get Support

You are always encouraged and welcome to report any issues you found to us via Silicon Labs Community.