The ANCS project implements a simple Bluetooth low energy peripheral device acting as a GATT client which receives Apple notification data from a mobile Apple device acting as a GATT server. This project is meant to demonstrate a basic use of the Apple Notification Center Service or ANCS, and can be adapted for use in a variety personal electronic applications. The ANCS's specification can be found here: Apple Notification Center Service (ANCS) Specification.
This project uses stack and app configurations that are summarized in the table below:
| App Build Configuration | Compatible Stack Configuration | Description |
|---|---|---|
FlashROM_StackLibrary |
FlashROM_Library |
Application build configuration linked to Stack library (fully executable) |
The default ANCS Demo configuration uses the LAUNCHXL-CC2640R2. This hardware configuration is shown in the below image:
For custom hardware, see the Running the SDK on Custom Boards section of the Bluetooth 4.2 Software User's Guide for CC2640R2F.
This application also requires a mobile Apple device running iOS that supports Bluetooth 4.2.
This project requires either the companion GUI Composer application or a serial terminal application such as PuTTY or Tera Term for its demonstrations.
For information on what versions of Code Composer Studio and IAR Embedded Workbench to use, see the Release Notes located in the docs/blestack folder. For information on how to import this project into your IDE workspace and build/run, please refer to the CC2640R2F Platform section in the Bluetooth 4.2 Software User's Guide for CC2640R2F.
This application has optional functionality toggled in the form of preprocessor defines. See the BLE-Stack User's guide section for your selected IDE (IAR, CCS) for more info on how to modify the preprocessor defines Bluetooth 4.2 Software User's Guide for CC2640R2F.
This symbol determines which demonstration mode the application is in. If USE_GUI_COMPOSER is defined, the project will support the GUI Composer 2.0 demonstration. If instead it is not defined, the application will support the UART demonstration instead.
By default USE_GUI_COMPOSER is defined.
This symbol determines if a watchdog timer (WDT) is enabled in the application.
The WDT is enabled when USE_WATCHDOG_TIMER is defined, and disabled when the
symbol is undefined. The WDT is set to start counting down once the CC2640R2 is
advertising. The WDT is configured to wait five seconds before being kicked, and
the periodic task resetting the WDT will trigger every half-second. Both of
these values can be changed by adjusting WATCHDOG_TIMER_TIMEOUT_PERIOD and
ANCSAPP_PERIODIC_EVT_PERIOD found at the top of ancs_app.c respectfully.
By default USE_WATCHDOG_TIMER is undefined.
This symbol determines if the application should include notifications
that exist on the mobile Apple device before the session with the CC2640R2 was
initiated. Such notifications are ignored if IGNORE_PREEXISTING_NOTIFICATIONS
is defined, conversely preexisting notifications will be processed by the
application if the symbol is undefined.
By default IGNORE_PREEXISTING_NOTIFICATIONS is undefined.
This application has two primary modes of usage, a GUI Composer 2.0 demonstration, or a UART terminal demonstration.
For both demonstrations, this document will use an iPhone 6 Plus to serve as the mobile Apple device hosting the ANCS. Note that any mobile Apple device that supports Bluetooth 4.2 should work accordingly.
The GUI Composer 2.0 partner application can be accessed Here. Simply search through the list of applications featured in the gallery for one titled ANCS Demo. Import the project into GUI Composer.
It may be required to import the ANCS project into GUI composer to change the COM Port Used by the GUI Composer application, see the screenshot below for steps.
Now the GUI Composer application is configured to use the correct COM port. Click the play button to run. You should now be presented with this page:
You may click okay CLOSE on the README.md window, and wait until the prompt in the bottom left of the application reads waiting for data... as seen in the above picture.
On the mobile Apple device advertising is enabled by default upon startup, so there is no need to physically press a button to start advertising. Unlock the mobile Apple device and open the Settings App. Open the Bluetooth settings tab and notice that "ANCS Demo" can now be connected to:
Next, a prompt asking to pair to "ANCS Demo" should appear mobile Apple device:
Tap "Pair" and the mobile Apple device should complete the bonding process with the ANCS Demo. The "ANCS Demo" should now appear with an "i" encompassed by a circle signifying stored bond data:
The GUI application should now be displaying various notification data as it is retrieved:
Once notification data is no longer being retrieved for the existing notifications, you may view retrieved notifications by selecting them in the droplist box titled Select Notification:
If the mobile Apple device receives an incoming call, you may accept or decline the call using the CC2640R2's right (Accept) and left (Decline) buttons. This is an image of the GUI application after accepting a an incoming call:
Note: If the mobile Apple device generates any new notifications, the ANCS Demo will automatically retrieve the notification's data and display it respectively.
This document will use PuTTY to serve as the display for the output of the CC2640R2 LaunchPad for the UART demonstration. Note that any other serial terminal application can be used. The following default parameters are used for the UART peripheral for display:
| UART Param | Default Values |
|---|---|
| Baud Rate | 115200 |
| Data length | 8 bits |
| Parity | None |
| Stop bits | 1 bit |
| Flow Control | None |
Once the ANCS Demo application starts, the output to the terminal will report its address and the fact that it is advertising, as shown below:
Advertising is enabled by default upon startup, so there is no need to physically press a button to start advertising. Unlock the mobile Apple device and open the Settings App. Open the Bluetooth settings tab and notice that "ANCS Demo" can now be connected to:
Tap "ANCS Demo" to connect to it. The terminal will now display "Connected" and the address of the connected mobile Apple device as seen below:
Back on the mobile Apple device a prompt asking to pair to "ANCS Demo" should appear:
Tap "Pair" and the mobile Apple device should complete the bonding process with the ANCS Demo. The "ANCS Demo" should now appear with an "i" encompassed by a circle signifying] stored bond data:
Back on the terminal a stream of notification data should begin to be displayed. These notifications can be found in the mobile Apple device's Notification Center. With each notification seven articles of data will de displayed:
- The number of notifications left to be processed
- The category of the notification
- The iOS application producing the notification's ID
- The display name of the iOS application
- The title of the iOS application
- The message of the notification
- The date and time the notification was created
Additionally, if the mobile Apple device receives an incoming call, the call can be declined by pressing the button on the right side of the device. Alternatively, the call can be accepted by pressing the button on the left side of the device.
This is an example UART output of a call being declined:
Note: If the mobile Apple device generates any new notifications, the ANCS Demo will automatically retrieve the notification's data and display it respectively.