So I am designing an application for windows laptops to connect to a custom designed pressure sensor. The application pairs to the device and then receives notifications from the device every 10 ms. Then for some reason the communication stops. I know it is a problem with my application and not with the device, because when I connect to my phone, I do not have this problem.
Here is the main page where I create the devicewatcher and discover the device:
using System;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime;
using Windows.Foundation;
using Windows.Foundation.Collections;
using Windows.UI.Core;
using Windows.UI.Xaml;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Primitives;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Data;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Input;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Navigation;
using Windows.Devices.Bluetooth;
using Windows.Devices.Enumeration;
// The Blank Page item template is documented at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=402352&clcid=0x409
namespace BLEInterfaceTest
{
/// <summary>
/// An empty page that can be used on its own or navigated to within a Frame.
/// </summary>
public sealed partial class MainPage : Page
{
private DeviceWatcher deviceWatcher;
private ObservableCollection<DeviceInformation> deviceList = new ObservableCollection<DeviceInformation>();
public MainPage()
{
this.InitializeComponent();
}
protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
{
this.DataContext = deviceList;
deviceListView.ItemsSource = deviceList;
deviceWatcher = DeviceInformation.CreateWatcher(
"System.ItemNameDisplay:~~\"Button\"",
new string[] {
"System.Devices.Aep.DeviceAddress",
"System.Devices.Aep.IsConnected" },
DeviceInformationKind.AssociationEndpoint);
deviceWatcher.Added += DeviceWatcher_Added;
deviceWatcher.Removed += DeviceWatcher_Removed;
deviceWatcher.Start();
base.OnNavigatedTo(e);
SystemNavigationManager.GetForCurrentView().AppViewBackButtonVisibility =
AppViewBackButtonVisibility.Collapsed;
}
protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
{
deviceWatcher.Stop();
base.OnNavigatedFrom(e);
}
private async void DeviceWatcher_Removed(DeviceWatcher sender, DeviceInformationUpdate args)
{
var toRemove = (from a in deviceList where a.Id == args.Id select a).FirstOrDefault();
if (toRemove != null)
{
await this.Dispatcher.RunAsync(
Windows.UI.Core.CoreDispatcherPriority.Normal,
() => { deviceList.Remove(toRemove); });
}
}
private async void DeviceWatcher_Added(DeviceWatcher sender, DeviceInformation args)
{
await this.Dispatcher.RunAsync(
Windows.UI.Core.CoreDispatcherPriority.Normal,
() => { deviceList.Add(args); });
}
private void deviceListView_ItemClick(object sender, ItemClickEventArgs e)
{
this.Frame.Navigate(typeof(DevicePage), e.ClickedItem);
}
}
}'
This next code is the page where the pressure sensor is connected to and where data is read from the device.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices.WindowsRuntime;
using Windows.Foundation;
using Windows.Foundation.Collections;
using Windows.UI.Core;
using Windows.UI.Xaml;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls.Primitives;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Data;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Input;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media;
using Windows.UI.Xaml.Navigation;
using Windows.UI.Popups;
using Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.GenericAttributeProfile;
using Windows.Devices.Bluetooth;
using Windows.Devices.Enumeration;
using Windows.Storage.Pickers;
using Windows.Storage;
using Windows.Storage.Streams;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Windows.ApplicationModel.Background;
// The Blank Page item template is documented at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=234238
namespace BLEInterfaceTest
{
/// <summary>
/// An empty page that can be used on its own or navigated to within a Frame.
/// </summary>
public sealed partial class DevicePage : Page
{
private DeviceInformation device { get; set; }
private PressureSensor pSensor { get; set; }
public static DateTime startTime { get; set; }
public ObservableCollection<DataPoint> PressureData = new ObservableCollection<DataPoint>();
public static ObservableCollection<DataPoint> inbetween;
private static TextBox txtP;
private BluetoothLEDevice leDevice;
private DispatcherTimer timer = new DispatcherTimer();
private int packetNum = 0;
public DevicePage()
{
this.InitializeComponent();
SystemNavigationManager.GetForCurrentView().BackRequested += DevicePage_BackRequested;
txtP = txtValue1;
inbetween = PressureData;
}
public static void ChangeText(string text)
{
txtP.Text = text;
}
private async void InitializePressureSensor(GattDeviceService service)
{
pSensor = new PressureSensor(service, SensorUUIDs.PressureSensorUuid);
await pSensor.EnableNotifications();
btnStart.IsEnabled = true;
}
private async void StartRecievingData()
{
try
{
leDevice = await BluetoothLEDevice.FromIdAsync(device.Id);
string selector = "(System.DeviceInterface.Bluetooth.DeviceAddress:=\"" +
leDevice.BluetoothAddress.ToString("X") + "\")";
var services = await leDevice.GetGattServicesAsync(BluetoothCacheMode.Uncached);
foreach (var service in services.Services)
{
if (service.Uuid.ToString() == SensorUUIDs.ButtonSensorServiceUuid)
{
InitializePressureSensor(service);
}
}
timer.Interval = new TimeSpan(0, 0, 0, 0, 1);
timer.Tick += Timer_Tick1;
startTime = DateTime.Now;
timer.Start();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
var messageDialog = new MessageDialog("An error has occured Please try again. \n" + ex.Message, "Error!");
}
}
public async void UpdateAllData()
{
while (pSensor != null && pSensor.MorePacketsAvailable)
{
int[] values = await pSensor.GetPressure();
int packetNumber = values[0];
if (packetNumber > packetNum)
{
packetNum = packetNumber;
txtValue1.Text = Convert.ToString(values[1]);
txtValue2.Text = Convert.ToString(values[5]);
for (int i = 1; i < 5; i++)
{
PressureData.Add(new DataPoint(DateTime.Now - startTime, packetNumber, ((i-1)*2.5 + 10*packetNumber), values[i], values[i + 4]));
}
}
}
}
private void Timer_Tick1(object sender, object e)
{
UpdateAllData();
}
private async void PairToDevice()
{
if (device.Pairing.CanPair)
{
var customPairing = device.Pairing.Custom;
customPairing.PairingRequested += CustomPairing_PairingRequested;
var result = await customPairing.PairAsync(DevicePairingKinds.ConfirmOnly);
customPairing.PairingRequested -= CustomPairing_PairingRequested;
if ((result.Status == DevicePairingResultStatus.Paired) || (result.Status == DevicePairingResultStatus.AlreadyPaired))
{
/*while (device.Pairing.IsPaired == false)
{
device = await DeviceInformation.CreateFromIdAsync(device.Id);
}*/
StartRecievingData();
}
}
else if (device.Pairing.IsPaired)
{
StartRecievingData();
}
}
private void CustomPairing_PairingRequested(DeviceInformationCustomPairing sender, DevicePairingRequestedEventArgs args)
{
args.Accept();
}
protected override void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
{
btnSave.Content = "Save";
btnStop.IsEnabled = false;
btnStart.IsEnabled = false;
this.DataContext = PressureData;
device = (DeviceInformation)e.Parameter;
PairToDevice();
//StartRecievingData();
base.OnNavigatedTo(e);
Frame rootFrame = Window.Current.Content as Frame;
if (rootFrame.CanGoBack)
{
SystemNavigationManager.GetForCurrentView().AppViewBackButtonVisibility =
AppViewBackButtonVisibility.Visible;
}
}
private void DevicePage_BackRequested(object sender, BackRequestedEventArgs eventArgs)
{
Frame rootFrame = Window.Current.Content as Frame;
if (rootFrame == null)
{
return;
}
// Navigate back if possible, and if the event has already been handled
if (rootFrame.CanGoBack && eventArgs.Handled ==false)
{
eventArgs.Handled = true;
rootFrame.GoBack();
}
}
private async void btnSave_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
timer.Stop();
var picker = new FileSavePicker();
picker.SuggestedStartLocation = PickerLocationId.DocumentsLibrary;
picker.FileTypeChoices.Add("CSV", new List<string>() { ".csv" });
StorageFile file = await picker.PickSaveFileAsync();
if (file != null)
{
var stream = await file.OpenAsync(FileAccessMode.ReadWrite);
using (IOutputStream outputStream = stream.GetOutputStreamAt(0))
{
using (var writer = new DataWriter(outputStream))
{
foreach (DataPoint p in PressureData)
{
string text = p.TimeStamp.ToString() + "," + p.PacketNumber.ToString() + "," + p.InternalTimestamp.ToString() + "," + p.PressureValue1.ToString() + "," + p.PressureValue2.ToString() + "\n";
writer.WriteString(text);
}
await writer.StoreAsync();
await writer.FlushAsync();
}
}
stream.Dispose();
}
}
private async void btnStart_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
if (pSensor != null)
{
btnStop.IsEnabled = true;
btnStart.IsEnabled = false;
startTime = DateTime.Now;
if (pSensor != null)
{
await pSensor.BeginCollecting();
}
}
}
private async void btnStop_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
btnStart.IsEnabled = true;
btnStop.IsEnabled = false;
if (pSensor != null)
{
await pSensor.StopCollecting();
}
}
}
}
Here is where I define my SensorBase and PressureSensor class that handles the device connection:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Windows.Devices.Bluetooth;
using Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.GenericAttributeProfile;
using Windows.Storage.Streams;
using Windows.Devices.Enumeration;
namespace BLEInterfaceTest
{
public static class SensorUUIDs
{
private static readonly string _packetUuid = "0000a043-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb";
private static readonly string _buttonSensorServiceUuid = "0000a042-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb";
private static readonly string _sensorStateUuid = "0000a044-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb";
public static string PressureSensorUuid
{
get { return _packetUuid; }
}
public static string ButtonSensorServiceUuid
{
get { return _buttonSensorServiceUuid; }
}
public static string SensorStateUuid
{
get { return _sensorStateUuid; }
}
}
public class SensorBase : IDisposable
{
protected GattDeviceService deviceService;
protected string sensorDataUuid;
protected Queue<byte[]> fifoBuffer;
protected bool isNotificationSupported = false;
public bool newData = false;
private GattCharacteristic dataCharacteristic;
public SensorBase(GattDeviceService dataService, string sensorDataUuid)
{
this.deviceService = dataService;
this.sensorDataUuid = sensorDataUuid;
fifoBuffer = new Queue<byte[]>(20);
}
public bool MorePacketsAvailable
{
get
{
if (fifoBuffer.Count > 0)
{
return true;
}
else
{
return false;
}
}
}
public virtual async Task EnableNotifications()
{
GattCharacteristicsResult result = await deviceService.GetCharacteristicsAsync();
foreach (var test in result.Characteristics)
{
string t = test.Uuid.ToString();
}
isNotificationSupported = true;
dataCharacteristic = (await deviceService.GetCharacteristicsForUuidAsync(
new Guid(sensorDataUuid))).Characteristics[0];
dataCharacteristic.ValueChanged += dataCharacteristic_ValueChanged;
GattCommunicationStatus status = await dataCharacteristic.WriteClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorAsync(
GattClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorValue.Notify);
var currentDescriptorValue = await dataCharacteristic.ReadClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorAsync();
if (currentDescriptorValue.Status != GattCommunicationStatus.Success
|| currentDescriptorValue.ClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptor != GattClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorValue.Notify)
{
GattCommunicationStatus status2 = await dataCharacteristic.WriteClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorAsync(
GattClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorValue.Notify);
}
}
public virtual async Task DisableNotifications()
{
newData = false;
isNotificationSupported = false;
dataCharacteristic = (await deviceService.GetCharacteristicsForUuidAsync(
new Guid(sensorDataUuid))).Characteristics[0];
dataCharacteristic.ValueChanged -= dataCharacteristic_ValueChanged;
GattCommunicationStatus status = await dataCharacteristic.WriteClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorAsync(GattClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorValue.None);
}
protected async Task<byte[]> ReadValue()
{
if (!isNotificationSupported)
{
if (dataCharacteristic == null)
{
dataCharacteristic = (await deviceService.GetCharacteristicsForUuidAsync(
new Guid(sensorDataUuid))).Characteristics[0];
}
GattReadResult readResult = await dataCharacteristic.ReadValueAsync();
byte[] data = new byte[readResult.Value.Length];
DataReader.FromBuffer(readResult.Value).ReadBytes(data);
fifoBuffer.Enqueue(data);
}
return fifoBuffer.Dequeue();
}
protected async Task WriteByteArray(string characteristicUuid, byte[] value)
{
GattCharacteristic writeCharacteristic = (await deviceService.GetCharacteristicsForUuidAsync(
new Guid(characteristicUuid))).Characteristics[0];
var writer = new DataWriter();
writer.WriteBytes(value);
var res = await writeCharacteristic.WriteValueAsync(writer.DetachBuffer(), GattWriteOption.WriteWithoutResponse);
}
private void dataCharacteristic_ValueChanged(GattCharacteristic sender, GattValueChangedEventArgs args)
{
byte[] data = new byte[args.CharacteristicValue.Length];
DataReader.FromBuffer(args.CharacteristicValue).ReadBytes(data);
fifoBuffer.Enqueue(data);
newData = true;
}
public async void Dispose()
{
await DisableNotifications();
}
}
public class PressureSensor: SensorBase
{
public PressureSensor(GattDeviceService dataService, string sensorDataUuid)
: base(dataService, sensorDataUuid)
{
}
public async Task BeginCollecting()
{
await WriteByteArray(SensorUUIDs.SensorStateUuid, new byte[] { 0x01 });
}
public async Task<int[]> GetPressure()
{
byte[] data = await ReadValue();
if (data != null)
{
int[] values = new int[9];
values[0] = (int)BitConverter.ToInt32(data, 0);
for (int i = 1; i < values.Length; i++)
{
values[i] = (int)BitConverter.ToInt16(data, 2 * i + 2);
}
return values;
}
else
{
return new int[] { 0 };
}
}
public async Task StopCollecting()
{
await WriteByteArray(SensorUUIDs.SensorStateUuid, new byte[] { 0x00 });
}
}
}
Here is the DataPoint Class that I use to organize the data received from the pressure sensor:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
namespace BLEInterfaceTest
{
public class DataPoint : INotifyPropertyChanged
{
private TimeSpan _timestamp;
private int _packetNumber;
private double _internalTimestamp;
private int _pressure1;
private int _pressure2;
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
public TimeSpan TimeStamp
{
get { return _timestamp; }
set
{
_timestamp = value;
this.NotifyPropertyChanged();
}
}
public int PacketNumber
{
get { return _packetNumber; }
set
{
_packetNumber = value;
this.NotifyPropertyChanged();
}
}
public double InternalTimestamp
{
get { return _internalTimestamp; }
set
{
_internalTimestamp = value;
this.NotifyPropertyChanged();
}
}
public int PressureValue1
{
get { return _pressure1; }
set
{
_pressure1 = value;
this.NotifyPropertyChanged();
}
}
public int PressureValue2
{
get { return _pressure2; }
set
{
_pressure2 = value;
this.NotifyPropertyChanged();
}
}
public DataPoint(TimeSpan time,int packetNumber, double internalTimestamp, int pressure1, int pressure2)
{
_timestamp = time;
_packetNumber = packetNumber;
_internalTimestamp = internalTimestamp;
_pressure1 = pressure1;
_pressure2 = pressure2;
}
private void NotifyPropertyChanged([CallerMemberName] string propertyName = "")
{
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(propertyName))
{
PropertyChanged(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}
}
}
}
I have researched this extensively, and all I could find was help on how to initiate a disconnection. I have the opposite problem. One page I found stated that the problem might be caused by the device not properly storing the bonding state, but I have checked that and I did initialize the device to save the bonding state.
Interestingly if I do not pair the device to the computer before trying to read information from it then I do not have the problem. The connection never randomly stops. But when I do this, the computer does not receive every packet of data sent from the sensor device. It will receive one or two packets and then skip five or six packets. If I pair the device then I will receive every packet but the connection will randomly cut off.
So my question is two fold, I guess. How do I stop the connection from cutting off when the device is paired? Or alternatively, is there a way to allow the application to receive every packet of data when it is not paired?
UPDATE
I realized I should include more information on my sensor peripheral in case the error is in that code. I am currently designing a rapid prototyping of this sensor before I move on to designing the embedded version. To do this, I am using the BLE Nano 1 from RedBearLabs as a user friendly prototype. I am programing this device with the online MBED compiler. I have included the nRF51822 and BLE_API libraries to handle the bluetooth low energy communication.
UPDATE 2 So after more research into what is causing the problem, I have found that the disconnection occurs when a connection interval and a generation 2 garbage collection occur at the same time. In UWP the garbage collector can pause the UI Thread for generation 2 collections. (see here)
My thought is that if the thread is paused at the beginning of a connection interval, then the central is not able to initiate the connection with the peripheral and the peripheral therefore thinks the client is no longer listening (see more about how BLE connections work).
I discovered this by finding out exactly what is necessary to get the connection back once it has randomly stopped. I started with the entire connection process and reduced it down to this:
public async Task ReconnectDevice()
{
GattCommunicationStatus status = await dataCharacteristic.WriteClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorAsync(
GattClientCharacteristicConfigurationDescriptorValue.Notify);
await WriteByteArray(SensorUUIDs.SensorStateUuid, new byte[] { 0x01 });
}
Because my BluetoothLEDevice, GattService, and GattCharacteristic objects are not disposed, all I need to do is resubscribe to notifications and write a 1 to the device so that it begins collecting data again.
I have reduced my memory allocations in my application significantly since discovering this, and the time for a gen2 collection has decreased to an average of 5 ms. Also, the amount of time before the connection disconnects has increased to around 4-5 sec.
UWP has a GattCharacteristicNotificationTrigger for receiving notifications in a BackgroundTask, but I have never had much success at incorporating background tasks in UWP.
I think I will try next to incorporate the windows.devices into a WPF application where I think I will have a better chance at getting it working.
So, after a while of trying different ideas I have finally stumbled across a solution to my problem. I had to make 2 changes:
Used the unpaired connection instead of the paired connection. This solved the problem of the connection dropping suddenly.
Increased the connection interval to 40 ms. For some reason when I did this, I received all of the data and no longer had any problems. Anything below 40 ms causes information to be lost when communicating to a Windows device (I had to make this change on the C code running on my sensors.)
I have used the devices for about 2 months now after making this change and have had no problems at all.