ST STEVAL-MKBOXPRO User manual

Introduction
The STEVAL-MKBOXPRO (SensorTile.box PRO) is the new ready-to-use programmable wireless box kit for developing any IoT
application based on remote data gathering and evaluation. Exploit the full kit potential by leveraging both motion and
environmental data sensing. Enhance the connectivity and smartness of whatever environment that you find yourself in.
The STSW-MKBOX-BLEDK is a software package for the BlueNRG-LP Bluetooth® Low Energy system-on-chip supporting
Bluetooth 5.2 specifications. Key highlights of this package are as following:
• Smart sensor node firmware with BlueNRG-LP as controller
• Supports both motion and environmental data sensing
• Over the air (OTA) Firmware upgrade
• Communication with ST BLE Sensor Classic app
• Bluetooth® Low Energy examples like beacon, throughput, and serial Port
Figure 1. STEVAL-MKBOXPRO (SensorTile.box PRO) multisensor and wireless connectivity development kit
STSW-MKBOX-BLEDK software package for BlueNRG-LP
UM3227
User manual
UM3227 - Rev 1 - September 2023
For further information contact your local STMicroelectronics sales office.
www.st.com

1 Acronyms and abbreviations
Table 1. List of acronyms
Acronym Description
BLE Bluetooth Low Energy
MHz Mega Hertz
MCU Microcontroller unit
I2C Inter Integrated Circuit
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2 Getting started
2.1 Overview
Users can program the BlueNRG-LP to run following BLE Application:
• BLE Sensor Demo
• BLE OTA Reset Manager
• BLE OTA Firmware Manager
• BLE Beacon
• BLE Throughput
• BLE Serial Port Master Slave
There are several ST products used including BLE controllers and sensors on SensorTile.box PRO board:
• BlueNRG-LP (Host BLE Microcontroller)
• LSM6DSV16X (iNEMO 3D accelerometer & 3D gyroscope)
• LPS22DF (Pressure Sensor)
• STTS22H (Temperature Sensor)
• LIS2MDL (Magnetic sensor)
• LIS2DU12 (Ultra-low-power 3-axis linear accelerometer)
Figure 2. SensorTile.box PRO PCB Components description
Below is a high-level Block diagram of the board with respect to BlueNRG-LP:
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Figure 3. Example block diagram
2.2 Folder Structure
The STSW-MKBOX-BLEDK software package files are organized in the following main directories:
•Firmware: contains prebuilt binary Bluetooth® Low Energy sample applications
•Drivers:
–BSP: SDK drivers providing an API interface to the BlueNRG-LP/BlueNRG-LPS platform hardware
resources (LEDs, buttons, sensors, I/O channel)
–CMSIS: BlueNRG-LP/BlueNRG-LPS CMSIS files
–Components: Sensors driver source files
–Peripherals_Drivers: BlueNRG-LP/BlueNRG-LPS drivers for device peripherals (ADC, AES, CRC,
DMA, clock, GPIO, I²C, IWDG, LPUART, PWR, RCC, RNG, RTC, SPI, SysTick, TIM, and USART)
•Middleware:
–Bluetooth® Low Energy: Bluetooth® Low Energy stack binary library and all the definitions of stack
APIs, stack, and events callbacks. Bluetooth® Low Energy stack v3.x configuration header and
source files
–BLE_Application: Bluetooth® Low Energy application framework files (Bluetooth® Low Energy
stack layers define values, OTA FW upgrade, Bluetooth® Low Energy utilities, master library, GATT,
GAP standard profiles, ATT Prepare Write Queue framework)
–cryptolib: AES crypto library
–HAL: hardware abstraction level APIs to abstract certain BlueNRG-LP/BlueNRG-LPS HW/SW
features (Crash handler, memory utilities, FIFO management, compiler macros, over-the-air utilities
for 2.4 GHz radio proprietary solution, general utilities).
–NVMDB: nonvolatile memory drivers
–AESMGR: AES manager
–BLECNTR: Bluetooth® Low Energy controller manager
–PKAMGR: PKA manager
–RNGMGR: RNG manager
•Projects
–BLE_Examples: Bluetooth® Low Energy demonstration application including headers, source files
and EWARM and Keil® project files
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2.3 Hardware requirements
To use the STSW-MKBOX-BLEDK package you need following:
•STEVAL-MKBOXPRO (SensorTile.box PRO Hardware) – (2 Qty required for BLE_Throughput and BLE
Serial Port Application)
• STLINK-V3 Programmer and Cable – (2 Qty required for BLE Throughput and BLE Serial Port Application)
• STEVAL-IDB011V1 (BlueNRG-LP EVK) – (Required for BLE OTA Reset Manager Application)
• PC Windows 10 or higher
• Mobile (Android/IOS)
2.4 Software requirements
To use the STSW-MKBOX-BLEDK package you need following:
•STSW-MKBOX-BLEDK software package.
• IAR ARM v9.20.1/MDK -ARM v5.37.0
• RF-Flasher Utility GUI
• STM32CubePROGRAMMER GUI
• ST BLE Sensor Classic Mobile App for Android/IOS
• BlueNRG-GUI – (Required for BLE OTA Reset Manager Application)
• Tera Term
2.5 Board setup
In the SensorTile.box PRO there are components like sensors, LED, switches connected both BlueNRG-LP and
STM32U5 controllers. More than one controller that simultaneously controls these components could lead to
unwanted circumstances. To avoid such a case, we need to first mass erase the STM32U5 following below steps:
Step 1. To mass erase the STM32U5 start the DFU Mode:
– Connect the board with the USB cable
– With the board off, press button BT2, then turn on the board and release button BT2
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Step 2. Then use the STM32 Cube Programmer: make sure you have the latest STM32CubePROGRAMMER
version (old versions might not get recognize the U5 in DFU Mode)
– Select USB, Select the port USB1, click on Connect (see Figure 4)
– Go on the page in Orange Arrow (see Figure 5)
– Click on Full Chip Erase marked by Red circle (see Figure 6)
Figure 4. STM32U5 mass erase steps (step 1)
1.
Figure 5. STM32U5 mass erase steps (step 2)
2.
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Figure 6. STM32U5 mass erase steps (step 3)
3.
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3 BLE applications
3.1 BLE Sensor demo
The Bluetooth® Low Energy sensor demo application for ST BLE Sensor Classic app is supported on the
SensorTile.box PRO kit. This application shows how to implement a sensor demo custom profile application
tailored for interacting with the ST BLE Sensor Classic smartphone app. Once configured and connected, the
BlueNRG-LP device sends the data collected from the motion sensor (accelerometer, gyroscope, and
magnetometer) and environmental sensor (pressure and temperature) to the ST BLE Sensor Classic smartphone
app, which displays this information.
Figure 7. Sensors orientation
Running the application:
Two versions (Android and iOS) of the smartphone ST BLE Sensor Classic app are available for download.
Step 1. Connect the STLINK V3 programmer probe to JP3 header on SensorTile.box PRO board. Connect the
programmer to PC with a USB Cable
Step 2. Build the related BLE Sensor Demo application (STSW-MKBOX BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples\
BLE_SensorDemo) on the selected platform (pre-built image is available on STSW-MKBOX-
BLEDK\Firmware\ BLE_Examples\BLE_SensorDemo\BlueNRG-LP\Release folder and can be loaded
through RF Flasher Utility)
Step 3. Load the firmware on the hardware either using IAR/KEIL workspace or flashing Binary File(.hex/.bin)
directly using RF Flasher Utility GUI
Note: While flashing BLE_SensorDemo binary(.bin) using RF Flasher Utility enter the image “Flash from
Address” as “0x10040000”.
Step 4. Remove the STLINK Debugger and Power reset the Board using S1 switch
Step 5. Install the app and launch it.
Step 6. The app starts scanning for the BlueNRG-LP Sensor Demo peripheral device. A device called
“BLESenBP” appears on the screen
Step 7. Select the “BLESenBP” name and connect to the selected platform. The ST BLE Sensor Classic app
enables notifications on the motion characteristic (Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer) and on
the environment characteristics (pressure and temperature) and displays the received environment
characteristic values on the screen
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Step 8. Select the ST BLE Sensor Classic Demo, Plot Data window and select sensor options to plot the
received values. The sensor values are displayed on a graphical chart.
Figure 8. Expected output on ST BLE Sensor Classic App
3.2 BLE beacon
This is a BLE beacon demo that shows how to configure a BlueNRG-LP device to advertise specific
manufacturing data and allow another BLE device to know if it is in the range of the BlueNRG-LP beacon device.
It provides a reference example about how to use the BLE over-the-air (OTA) service manager firmware upgrade
capability. This example also allows us to use the extended advertising feature to configure beacon also on a
secondary advertising channel. Further a specific configuration (PeriodicAdv) allows to configure a beacon with
periodic advertising. On BlueNRG-LPS, the AoA_Tag configuration allows to configure a BlueNRG-LPS device as
an AoA tag for connectionless scenario.
The beacon demo configures a BlueNRG-LP device in advertising mode (nonconnectable mode) with specific
manufacturing data. It transmits advertisement packets at regular intervals which contain the following
manufacturing data:
Figure 9. Manufacturing data table
• (1): SIG company identifiers are available on https://www.bluetooth.com/specifications/assigned-numbers/
company-identifiers/
• NA: Not Applicable
Note: OTA service manager support requires to build application by enabling
CONFIG_OTA_USE_SERVICE_MANAGER (preprocessor, linker) options and through files: OTA_btl.[ch] (refer
to Release_with_OTA_ServiceManager IAR workspace).
Running the Application:
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Step 1. Connect the STLINK V3 programmer probe to JP3 header on SensorTile.box PRO board. Connect the
programmer to PC with a USB Cable
Step 2. Build the related BLE Beacon application (STSW-MKBOX BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples\
BLE_Beacon) on the selected platform (pre-built image is available on STSW-MKBOX-
BLEDK\Firmware\ BLE_Examples\BLE_Beacon\Release folder and can be loaded through RF Flasher
Utility)
Step 3. Load the firmware on the hardware either using IAR/KEIL workspace or flashing Binary File (.hex/.bin)
directly using RF Flasher Utility GUI
Step 4. Remove the Debugger, Power reset the Board using S1 switch. Plug the Debugger again to PC for
serial terminal
Step 5. Open Serial terminal like Tera-Term and select the serial port. Set the baud rate as 115200
Step 6. The device will start advertising according to the configuration selected (Release, Extended, Periodic)
and the Printf logs will be visible in serial terminal
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Step 7. Download and Open the BLE scanner mobile App and search for the Beacon Device
Figure 10. BLE Beacon Tera Term Settings
Figure 11. BLE Beacon Tera term output: release configuration
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Figure 12. BLE Beacon Tera term output: extended configuration
Figure 13. BLE Beacon Tera term output: periodic configuration
3.3 BLE Throughput
This Throughput demo has two roles:
• The server that exposes the Throughput service. It is the slave
• The client that uses the Throughput service. It is the master
The Throughput Service contains two Characteristics:
• The TX Characteristic: the client can enable notifications on this characteristic. When the server has data
to be sent, it sends notifications which contains the value of the TX Characteristic
• The RX Characteristic: it is a writable characteristic. When the client has data to be sent to the server, it
writes a value into this characteristic
The following interactive options are available on Server side (open HyperTerminal with 115200, 8, None,1,
None):
Press u to Send data len update request for 27 bytes
Press m to Send data len update request for 100 bytes
Press U to Send data len update request for 251 bytes
Press z to Enable/disable slow throughput
Press 1 to Change L2C COS MTU value
Press 2 to Change L2C COS MPS value
Press c to Send connection parameter update request
Press f to Enable/disable flushable PDUs
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Press e to Toggle notify
Press p to Print APP flags
Press s to Read LE PHY (TX, RX)
Press d to Set LE RX PHY to Coded
Press D to Set LE TX PHY to Coded
Press t to Set LE TX PHY to 1 Mbps
Press r to Set LE RX PHY to 1 Mbps
Press T to Set LE TX PHY to 2 Mbps
Press R to Set LE RX PHY to 2 Mbps
Press x to System reset
Press ? to Print help
The following interactive options are available on Client side (open HyperTerminal with 115200, 8, None,1, None):
Press u to Send data len update request for 27 bytes
Press m to Send data len update request for 100 bytes
Press U to Send data len update request for 251 bytes
Press a to Send ATT_MTU exchange
Press z to Enable/disable slow throughput
Press 1 to Change L2C COS MTU value
Press 2 to Change L2C COS MPS value
Press b to Switch bidirectional test on-off
Press n to Send notifications
Press i to Send indication
Press p to Print APP flags
Press s to Read LE PHY (TX, RX)
Press d to Set LE RX PHY to Coded
Press D to Set LE TX PHY to Coded
Press t to Set LE TX PHY to 1 Mbps
Press r to Set LE RX PHY to 1 Mpbs
Press T to Set LE TX PHY to 2 Mbps
Press R to Set LE RX PHY to 2 Mpbs
Press x to System reset
Press ? to Print help
Note: The Client and Server workspaces (by default) allow to target a unidirectional throughput test: server device
sends characteristic notifications (20 bytes) to the client device. The required serial port baud rate is 115200.
Running the Application:
Step 1. Take two pairs each of SensorTile.box PRO and STLINK V3 hardware. Connect the STLINK V3
programmer probe to JP3 header on both SensorTile.box PRO boards. Connect the programmers to
PC with USB Cables
Step 2. Program the client side (STSW-MKBOX BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples\ BLE_Throughput) on the
selected platform (pre-built image is available on STSW-MKBOX- BLEDK\Firmware\
BLE_Examples\BLE_Throughput\Client folder and can be loaded through RF Flasher Utility) and
Power reset it
Step 3. The platform is seen on the PC as a virtual COM port. Open the port in a serial terminal tool. The
required serial port baud rate is 115200
Step 4. Program the server side (STSW-MKBOX BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples\ BLE_Throughput) on the
selected platform (pre-built image is available on STSW-MKBOX- BLEDK\Firmware\
BLE_Examples\BLE_Throughput\Server folder and can be loaded through RF Flasher Utility) and
Power reset it
While flashing BLE_Throughput binary(.bin) using RF Flasher Utility enter the image “Flash from
Address” as “0x10040000”
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Step 5. The platform is seen on the PC as a virtual COM port. Open the port in a serial terminal tool. The
required serial port baud rate is 115200
Step 6. The two platforms try to establish a connection. As soon as they get connected, the slave continuously
sends notification of a characteristic to the client
Step 7. User can play with the provided commands in order to select the following link layer packet length: 27
(default),100 and 251 (maximum allowed) bytes
Step 8. User can also perform an ATT MTU exchange command on server side in order to allow server to
increase the ATT_MTU size (247 bytes)
Step 9. He can also enable the bidirectional throughput on client side (client writes on RX characteristic)
Step 10. User can set the PHY to be used for the communication (1Mbps-default, 2Mbps, ...)
Figure 14. BLE Throughput Tera Term output - 1
Figure 15. BLE Throughput Tera Term output - 2
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3.4 BLE OTA reset manager
• The application implements the OTA Reset Manager which, at reset, passes control to the latest valid
Bluetooth LE application updated through the Bluetooth LE Over-The-Air (OTA) Service
• The OTA Reset Manager is a basic application which is stored at BlueNRG-LP FLASH base address
(0x10040000) and it allows to transfer of control towards the new upgraded application every time we reset
• The new application must add the OTA service and related characteristics defined on files OTA_btl.c
• At device reset, the reset manager will take care of jumping to the location of the last image that was
successfully loaded by the OTA bootloader
Note: • Before downloading the OTA Reset Manager performs a device Mass Erase of the selected BlueNRG-LP
device (use IAR, Project, Download, Erase Memory). Then, open the IAR project related to a Lower
Application with OTA Service and download it on the selected device. At this stage, the BlueNRG-LP
device is ready for performing OTA upgrades.
• Refer BLE_SensorDemo projects for related OTA update examples (Lower and Higher Applications with
OTA service configurations).
Running the Application:
Step 1. Take One SensorTile.box PRO hardware and one BlueNRG-LP EVK
Step 2. Connect the STLINK V3 programmer probe to JP3 header on SensorTile.box PRO board. Connect the
programmer to PC with a USB Cable
Step 3. Open the BLE_OTA_ResetManager.eww (STSW-MKBOX- BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples
\BLE_OTA_ResetManager) IAR project, and select project, download, erase memory to erase the
device Flash
Step 4. Build and download the related OTA reset manager application (STSW-MKBOX-
BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples \BLE_OTA_ResetManager) on the selected platform (pre-built image
is available on STSW-MKBOX-BLEDK\Firmware\BLE_Examples\BLE_OTA_ResetManager folder and
can be loaded through RF Flasher utility)
Note: While flashing BLE_OTA_ResetManager binary(.bin) using RF Flasher Utility enter the image “Flash
from Address” as “0x10040000”
Step 5. Open the BLE_SensorDemo.eww IAR project, LowerApp_OTA workspace (STSW-MKBOX-
BLEDK\Projects \BLE_Examples\BLE_SensorDemo) and build and download the related application
image on the selected platform (pre-built image is available on STSW-MKBOX- BLEDK\Firmware
\BLE_Examples \BLE_SensorDemo\BlueNRG-LP\LowerApp_OTA folder and can be loaded through
RF Flasher Utility)
Step 6. Remove the STLink Debugger from PC, Power reset the Board using S1 swit
Step 7. Program the BlueNRG-LP kit platform with the required DTM application to be used with the BlueNRG
GUI (pre-built DTM image DTM_UART_WITH_UPDATER.hex is available on STSW-MKBOX-
BLEDK\Firmware\BLE_Examples \DTM_BlueNRG-LP_EVK folder and can be loaded through RF
Flasher Utility GUI)
Step 8. Open the BlueNRG GUI on the PC and select the COM port related to the BlueNRG-LP EVK platform
(STEVAL-IDB011V1) configured in step 6, through the dropdown “Port” and press ‘Open’
Step 9. Select ‘Tools’ - ‘OTA bootloader’ to open up the dialog containing OTA FW upgrade actions and press
‘Search for devices’
Step 10. After ‘Search for devices’, the GUI starts the discovery process and returns with some information
about the address and application names of the devices running OTA FW upgrade service within the
radio range. Once the previous process ends, the device list can be opened through the combo box
arrow below the ‘Search for devices’ button and the user can choose the device they intend to connect
for the firmware upgrade process using the “Connect” button (application address and names are
displayed). If the user realizes he has connected the wrong device, he can just press the ‘Force
Disconnection’ button and get back to the device selection within the combo box
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Step 11. After the device selection, the connection through ‘Connect’ button and reading of the related free
memory range, the user is requested to provide the new image file compiled with a base address and
size fitting within the expected range on the slave device. For that purpose, the user can open the BLE
SensorDemo IAR workspace HigherApp_OTA, and build the related
BLE_SensorDemo_HigherApp_OTA.bin image (pre-built image is available on STSW-MKBOX-
BLEDK\Firmware\BLE_Examples\BLE_SensorDemo\BlueNRG-LP\ HigherApp_OTA folder) and
contain a version of the sensor demo that is compiled with a base address equal to the highest address
Step 12. Once user browses to the selected application image built with the proper base address, they can
select the ‘Update’ button to start the OTA firmware upgrade process: a progress bar provides
awareness for the time needed until the process ends
Step 13. Click on “Force Disconnection”
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Step 14. On process completion the new application is launched
Figure 16. BLE OTA Reset Manager Firmware upgrade using BlueNRG-GUI - 1
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Figure 17. BLE OTA Reset Manager Firmware upgrade using BlueNRG-GUI - 2
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Figure 18. BLE OTA Reset Manager Firmware upgrade using BlueNRG-GUI - 3
3.5 BLE OTA service manager
• The application implements a basic standalone Bluetooth LE Over The Air(OTA) firmware upgrade. It
provides the Bluetooth LE Over-The-Air Service management for handling OTA firmware upgrade of a
Bluetooth LE application which doesn’t have any Bluetooth LE OTA service
• The OTA Service Manager is a basic application which only supports the OTA Bootloader service
• It provides the Bluetooth LE OTA bootloader service to any Bluetooth LE application stored at fixed base
address on user Flash which doesn't include any OTA service. It also includes the OTA Reset Manager
functionalities in order to transfer the control to the proper valid application, after a Bluetooth LE OTA
session
• User is only requested to load the OTA_ServiceManager application and then build any application using it
with the CONFIG_OTA_SERVICE_MANAGER as preprocessor option
• Further, for jumping to the OTA Service Manager application, the application can call the
OTA_Jump_To_Service_Manager_Application function (i.e., just using a platform button to activate such
call)
Note: Refer to Use_OTA_ServiceManager workspaces on BLE_Beacon and BLE_SensorDemo IAR projects for all
related examples.
Running the Application:
Step 1. Take One SensorTile.box PRO hardware.
Step 2. Connect the STLINK V3 programmer probe to JP3 header on SensorTile.box PRO board. Connect the
programmer to PC with a USB Cable.
Step 3. Open the BLE_OTA_ServiceManager.eww (STSW-MKBOX- BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples
\BLE_OTA_ServiceManager) IAR project, select project, download, erase memory to erase the device
Flash.
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Step 4. Build and download the related OTA service manager application (STSW-MKBOX-
BLEDK\Projects\BLE_Examples \BLE_OTA_ServiceManager) on the selected platform (pre-built image
is available on STSW-MKBOX- BLEDK\Firmware \BLE_Examples\BLE_OTA_ServiceManager folder
and can be loaded through RF Flasher utility).
Note: While flashing BLE_OTA_ServiceManager binary(.bin) using RF Flasher Utility enter the image “Flash
from Address” as “0x10040000”.
Step 5. Remove the Debugger from PC, Power reset the Board using S1 switch.
Step 6. Open the ST BLE Sensor Classic Mobile app and click ‘Select one Device’.
Step 7. Save the firmware binary(.bin) to be flashed in Smart Phone at a known location. For example, pre-built
image is available on STSW-MKBOX- BLEDK\Firmware\BLE_Examples\BLE_SensorDemo\BlueNRG-
LP\Use_OTA_ServiceManager
Step 8. Search for device in the App, the SensorTile.box PRO board will be visible as ‘OTAServiceMgr’., from
the Options select “Firmware Upgrade”.
Step 9. Browse the binary file (.bin file saved in Step 7) to flash in BlueNRG-LP.
Step 10. Power reset the Board, it will now Run the Updated Firmware.
Step 11. SensorTile.box PRO board will be visible as ‘BLSenBP’. Click on it to connect. Sensor’s data will be
visible on mobile applications.
Step 12. To update the firmware again, button PUSH1 on SensorTile.box PRO board, this will force it to run
BLE_OTA_ServiceManager Application.
Figure 19. BLE OTA Service Manager Firmware upgrade using ST BLE Sensor Classic Mobile
App
3.6 BLE serial port master slave
• This is a Serial Port demo that shows how to implement a simple 2-way communication between only two
SensorTile.box PRO Kits(single application for both devices).
• The application will listen for keys typed in one node and, on return press, it will send them to the remote
node. The remote node will listen for RF messages, and it will output them in the serial port. In other words
everything typed in one node will be visible to the other node and vice versa.
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