NanoBeacon Click

How does it work?

NanoBeacon Click is based on the IN100, a versatile and compact part of InPlay’s NanoBeacon™ SoC product family that operates as a Bluetooth low energy beacon in the 2.4GHz frequency band. Packed with advanced features, this SoC boasts an efficient and configurable state machine, ensuring optimal performance. It incorporates non-volatile memory for storing user-defined data payload and a data SRAM for dynamic data storage. The IN100 further includes an analog-to-digital converter, a powerful security engine supporting AES-128 and EAX encryption, and a True Random Number Generator (TRNG) for enhanced security. It also offers a unique proprietary beacon mode, available in either the 2.4GHz ISM frequency band or the MedRadio frequency bands. Enclosed in a small QFN package, this device offers a seamless and secure solution for a wide range of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications.

With its user-friendly design, this device eliminates the need for complex Bluetooth-related software programming. Once configured, it automatically transmits either BLE advertising or proprietary-format advertising packets, allowing for effortless operation. The IN100 features two types of built-in memory: a 4Kb OTP memory for storing user advertising data payload, security key, and predefined register settings, and a 4KB SRAM for dynamic advertising data storage. The SRAM retains data in Sleep mode while only the always-on (AON) domain remains active. The IN100 offers an extensive array of supported sensor interface protocols, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of sensor devices. Additionally, it supports popular beacon formats such as iBeacon, Eddystone, and even custom beacon formats, allowing for seamless integration into various ecosystems.

This Click board™ communicates with MCU using the UART interface with commonly used UART RX and TX pins. It operates at 115200 bps by default configuration to transmit and exchange data with the host MCU. Also, the IN100 enables on-the-fly changes to the advertising data payload and control mode through its UART interface. While UART communication can be used as the IN100’s primary mode of communication with the MCU, an additionally supported interface, the I2C 2-wire interface, can be used to communicate with additional external sensors connected to this Click board™ via its onboard stacking headers of the mikroBUS™ socket.

As previously stated, the OTP memory stores the user’s advertising data payload, security key, and predefined register settings. This memory is programmed only once before usage. Switch the OTP SEL switch to the ON position to program the desired configuration into the device’s one-time programmable memory. This action will effectively ‘burn’ the configuration into the tag’s OTP memory. After the configuration has been burned, the power supply to the Click board™ must be disconnected and reconnected (or reset the board) to initiate the tag’s execution based on its programmed behavior.

This Click board™ comes with a miniature coaxial U.FL series antenna connector, which allows connecting the appropriate antenna, such as a WiFi 2.4GHz/5.4GHz Active FPC Antenna, for improved range and received signal strength.

Besides the UART pins, the NanoBeacon Click also employs other pins of the mikroBUS™ socket to enhance its functionality. For example, the EN pin is utilized as a chip-enable pin, the AN pin for external analog sensor measurements, one DQ pin as a general-purpose I/O pin, and the device RESET button which can be used to reset the device to its default settings, ensuring efficient and reliable operation. Two orange LED indicators, GP6 and GP7, can be used for optional user-configurable visual indications of some operational states. Additionally, it incorporates two low-leakage load switches for convenient power control of external circuitry and sensor ICs available for users on unpopulated SW0-SW1 pins, SW0 for the external sensor’s power supply, and SW1 for its ground connection, respectively.

This Click board™ can only be operated with a 3.3V logic voltage level. Also, the IN100 can use a backup supply voltage, selected via BATTERY switch, from a connected coin-cell battery on the back of the board if you need the Click board™ to be a standalone device. For additional low power consumption, unsolder the CT jumper on the back side of the board, which turns off the power LED indicator and reduces power consumption. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

Specifications

Pinout diagram

This table shows how the pinout on NanoBeacon Click corresponds to the pinout on the mikroBUS™ socket (the latter shown in the two middle columns).

Notes	Pin					Pin	Notes
Analog Output	AN	1	AN	PWM	16	DQ	General-Purpose I/O
	NC	2	RST	INT	15	NC
	NC	3	CS	RX	14	TX	UART TX
	NC	4	SCK	TX	13	RX	UART RX
	NC	5	MISO	SCL	12	SCL	I2C Clock
	NC	6	MOSI	SDA	11	SDA	I2C Data
Power Supply	3.3V	7	3.3V	5V	10	5V	Power Supply
Ground	GND	8	GND	GND	9	GND	Ground

Onboard settings and indicators

NanoBeacon Click electrical specifications

Software Support

We provide a library for the NanoBeacon Click as well as a demo application (example), developed using MIKROE compilers. The demo can run on all the main MIKROE development boards.

Package can be downloaded/installed directly from NECTO Studio Package Manager (recommended), downloaded from our LibStock™ or found on Mikroe github account.

Library Description

This library contains API for NanoBeacon Click driver.

Key functions

• nanobeacon_set_advertising This function sets the device MAC address, interval and advertising raw data.

• nanobeacon_load_adv_to_ram This function loads advertising data to RAM.

• nanobeacon_start_advertising This function starts the advertising.

Example Description

This example demonstrates the use of NanoBeacon Click board™ by setting the Eddystone URI advertisement to click boards webpage.

void application_task ( void ) 
 { 
     // The device MAC address for advertisement 
     static uint8_t mac_address[ 6 ] = { 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05, 0x06 }; 

     // Eddystone advertisement raw data 
     static uint8_t eddystone_adv_raw[ ] =  
     {  
         0x03, // Length of Service List 
         0x03, // Param: Service List 
         0xAA, 0xFE, // Eddystone ID 
         0x12, // Length of Service Data 
         0x16, // Service Data 
         0xAA, 0xFE, // Eddystone ID 
         0x10, // Frame type: URL 
         0x00, // Power 
         0x01, // https://www. 
         'm','i','k','r','o','e',  
         0x00, // .com/ 
         'c','l','i','c','k'  
     }; 
     log_printf( &logger, "rn Restart devicern" ); 
     nanobeacon_restart_device ( &nanobeacon ); 

     while ( NANOBEACON_OK != nanobeacon_check_communication ( &nanobeacon ) ) 
     { 
         log_error( &logger, " Check communication." ); 
         Delay_ms ( 1000 ); 
     } 
     log_printf( &logger, " Configure device for advertisementrn" ); 
     if ( NANOBEACON_OK != nanobeacon_set_advertising ( mac_address, 1000, eddystone_adv_raw,  
                                                        sizeof( eddystone_adv_raw ) ) ) 
     { 
         log_error( &logger, " Set advertising." ); 
     } 

     if ( NANOBEACON_OK != nanobeacon_load_adv_to_ram( &nanobeacon ) ) 
     { 
         log_error( &logger, " Load data to RAM." ); 
     } 

     log_printf( &logger, " Start advertisingrn" ); 
     if ( NANOBEACON_OK != nanobeacon_start_advertising ( &nanobeacon ) ) 
     { 
         log_error( &logger, " Start advertising." ); 
     }     
     Delay_ms ( 10000 ); 
 }

The full application code, and ready to use projects can be installed directly from NECTO Studio Package Manager (recommended), downloaded from our LibStock™ or found on Mikroe github account.

Other Mikroe Libraries used in the example:

• MikroSDK.Board
• MikroSDK.Log
• Click.NanoBeacon

Additional notes and informations

Depending on the development board you are using, you may need USB UART click, USB UART 2 Click or RS232 Click to connect to your PC, for development systems with no UART to USB interface available on the board. UART terminal is available in all MIKROE compilers.

mikroSDK

This Click board™ is supported with mikroSDK – MIKROE Software Development Kit. To ensure proper operation of mikroSDK compliant Click board™ demo applications, mikroSDK should be downloaded from the LibStock and installed for the compiler you are using.

For more information about mikroSDK, visit the official page.