How to configure the number of packets per every BLE connection interval

This blog is to show the method how to configure the number of packets per each connection interval. Basically, it is very similar to the blog (https://jimmywongiot.com/2019/12/15/how-to-set-the-bandwidth-on-ble-link-connection/).

I would give more details how to achieve for example 3 packet per connection interval.

Suppose on the Nordic nRF5 SDK, it has the MACRO NRF_SDH_BLE_GAP_EVENT_LENGTH.

It was introduced since Softdevice S132v4.0 or later. It can assign the timing for each connection.

// <i> The time set aside for this connection on every connection interval in 1.25 ms units.

#ifndef NRF_SDH_BLE_GAP_EVENT_LENGTH
#define NRF_SDH_BLE_GAP_EVENT_LENGTH 6
#endif

Example

Here is the example how to send 3 packets per each connection interval (7.5ms)

Connection interval = 7.5ms

Duration of each packet DLE = 251, MTU = 247 at 2Mbps ~= 1.4ms

Radio Notification

What is Radio Notification? – Nordic DevZone

• Radio notification allows the application to receive an interrupt (SWI1) before, after or both before and after a scheduled radio event is happening. This event can be a connection event, advertising event, timeslot event or flash operation. This way the application can synchronize application logic with the radio operations.

https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/short-range-guides/b/software-development-kit/posts/radio-notification

The application layer can get the RADIO activity through its notification. By setting difference distance between the RADIO is active, the application would be early alert.

In order to set the number of packets per connection interval,

Step 1:

#define MAXIMUM_NUMBER_PACKET_PER_INTERVAL 3

Step 2: Initialize the Radio notification

static void radio_notification_init(void)
{
        ble_radio_notification_init(APP_IRQ_PRIORITY_LOW_MID,                 NRF_RADIO_NOTIFICATION_DISTANCE_800US, radio_notification_handler);
}


static ble_radio_notification_evt_handler_t radio_notification_handler(bool radio_active)
{
        if (!radio_active)
        {
                m_number_of_packets_per_interval = MAXIMUM_NUMBER_PACKET_PER_INTERVAL;

        }
        else
        {

        }
}

Step 3:

static uint32_t data_transmit_single_packet(uint8_t *send_data, uint16_t len)
{
        uint32_t err_code = NRF_SUCCESS;
        uint16_t length = len;

        if (m_number_of_packets_per_interval <= 0)
            return NRF_EXCEED_NUMBER_PACKETS;                        
            
        // Send data back to the peripheral.
        err_code = ble_nus_c_data_send(&m_ble_nus_c, m_test_buffer, length);
        if ((err_code != NRF_SUCCESS) && (err_code != NRF_ERROR_BUSY) && (err_code != NRF_ERROR_RESOURCES))
        {
                NRF_LOG_ERROR("Failed sending NUS message. Error 0x%x. ", err_code);
                APP_ERROR_CHECK(err_code);
        }
        m_number_of_packets_per_interval--;

        if (err_code != NRF_ERROR_RESOURCES)
              throughput_measure_send_update(length);

        return NRF_ERROR_RESOURCES;
}

Step 4: Loop to send the data at the main thread

Welcome to give me some comments and feedback.