How To Use nRF52840/nRF52833 module DevKit(MDBT50Q series) – 2024 Update – Applied to nRF5 SDK

Preface:
Here provides an easy introduction of How to set up of nRF52840 & nRF52833 Module Demo board MDBT50Q-DB-40 (for nRF52840) & MDBT50Q-DB-33 (for nRF52833)

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Table of contents:

1.1 Hardware Set Up

1.2 Software Kits resources & preparations

1.3 Flash the ready firmware into Raytac’s module

1.4 DFU to MDBT50Q-DB-XX through USB interface 

MDBT50Q-DB-40 Schematic:

MDBT50Q-DB-33 Schematic:

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1.2 Software kits resources & preparations

Resources:

Download nRF Connect For Desktop (Please Click Me)

Download nRF Command Line Tools (Please Click Me)

Download NRF5 SDK (The latest V17.1.0) (Please Click Me)

Download Visal Studio Code(Please Click Me)

Preparations:

Option 1.  NRF5 SDK (The latest version V17.1.0)

1. 1.0_ddde560\components\softdevice\s140\hex\ s140_nrf52_7.2.0_softdevice.hex
2. 1.0_ddde560\examples\ble_peripheral\ble_app_uart\pca10056\s140\arm5_no_packs\_build\ nrf52840_xxaa.hex

*Tips: If you go with nRF5 SDK option, please consider to add a bootloader hex file if you’re going to make DFU requests in the future.

Option 2.  NCS (Recommended version V2.6.0)

2C. Prepared with the latest version of nRF Command Line Tools

1.3 Flash the ready firmware into Raytac’s module

Intro:

With the ready built code of zephyr.hex (Made through NCS) or nrf52840_xxaa.hex & s140_nrf52_7.2.0_softdevice.hex (Made through nRF5-SDK) file for application, we would like to move onto  flashing code into the MDBT50Q BLE module(mounted on MDBT50Q-DB-XX demo board).

Step1.  

Execute nRF Connect >>  Programmer  > > Open

Step2.

Click “SELECT DEVICE” >> Find icon “nRF52840 DK” which is detected by the programmer app

Step3.

Click “nRF52840 DK”>> “Erase All” to remove flash memory inside MDBT50Q BLE Module

Step4.

Click “Add File” to load application zephyr.hex into programmer

!! Important Tips:!!

• If you’re using nRF Connect SDK for code compiling as above, Program the hex file to MDBT50Q BLE module on the MDBT50Q-DB Demo board:
  – C:\ncs\v2.6.0\nrf\samples\bluetooth\peripheral_uart\build\zephyr\zephyr.hex
• If you’re using NRF5 SDK for code compiling, do make the 4-in-1 hex file (merged ready) before programming it to MDBT50Q BLE module.  It includes the 4 hex files below:

(1) bootloader.hex

(2) bootloader_setting_file.hex

(3) s140_nrf52_7.2.0_softdevice.hex

(4) nrf52840_xxaa.hex

1.4 DFU to MDBT50Q-DB-XX through USB interface

Intro : Before DFU implement , Please make sure the bootloader file has been installed in your MDBT50Q BLE module.

※Note: NRF52840 SoC supports USB interface to utilize Device Firmware Update (DFU).

How do I prepare the software??

• Download nrfutil.exe file from Nordic website .
• It is workable to do List, Program, Recover, Erase, and operations with nRFutil device command to Nordic device.
• Open DOS mode to install device command type: nrfutil install device

How do I setup the hardware??

1. Press Switch 4 and hold
2. Power up Demo Board
3. Blue LED Lights on
4. Demo Board successfully enters into USB DFU Mode

How do I prepare the firmware??

**USB DFU works only in DOS mode.

**USB DFU only works when USB Bootloader installed in current loaded firmware (inside BLE Module)

A single, merged 4-in-1 hex file is required, which includes:

Bootloader, Bootloader setting, Softdevice, and Application.

Firmware DFU requires a .zip file.

USB DFU Execution Steps:

Step 1. When Blue LED Lights on with MDBT50Q-DB (Ready to enter USB DFU Mode)

Step 2. Find out Com Port No. “nRF52 SDFU USB(COMxx)”

Step 3. Execute USB DFU

Option 1. Using device program command:

(1) List the devices with a DFU trigger interface by running:

nrfutil device list –traits nordicDfu

(2) Program new firmware to a device identified by its serial number by running:

nrfutil device program –firmware .zip nrf52840_xxaa.zip –serial-number XXXXXXXXXXXX

Option 2. Use the same way as nRF Util 6.1 or earlier version

(1) Run Command: nrfutil install nrf5sdk-tools

When nrf5sdk-tools is installed, nRF Util will behave in the same way as nRF Util 6.1 or earlier versions.

(2) Enter into DOS mode and execute command: nrfutil dfu usb-serial -pkg nrf52840_xxaa.zip -p COMxx

• nrf52840_xxaa.zip refers to the code to update
• xx refers to Com Port No.

(3) USB DFU completed.

!! Important Tips:

1. Bootloader Code can be found in:

\nRF5_SDK_17.1.0_ddde560\examples\dfu\secure_bootloader\pca10056_usb

2. How to generate public key:

nrfutil keys generate public_key.pem – for zipping new firmware

nrfutil keys display –key pk –format code public_key.pem –out_file public_key.c

→ make sure to include public key when compiling the bootloader hex file

3. How to generate bootloader settings hex file:

nrfutil.exe settings generate –family NRF52840 –application nrf52840_xxaa.hex –application-version 255 –bootloader-version 2 –bl-settings-version 1 bootloader_settings.hex

4. How to merge the firmware:

mergehex.exe -m bootloader.hex bootloader_settings.hex s140_nrf52_7.2.0_softdevice.hex nrf52840_xxaa.hex -o merge.hex

5. How to zip the firmware:

nrfutil pkg generate –hw-version 52 –sd-req 0x100 –application-version 0xFF –appliction nrf52840_xxaa.hex –key-file public_key.pem nrf52840_xxaa.zip

Useful references:

• nRF Connect SDK
• Nordic Devzone for technical issue discussion
• nRF Connect for VS Code, 1: Installation – YouTube
• nRF Connect for VS Code, 5: Debugging – YouTube