Datalink

Description

The datalink application presents a standard and basic usage of the SPARK Wireless Core. This is a good starting point for anyone wanting to configure wireless communication using the Wireless Core. This application creates a synchronized unidirectional link between 2 devices to send data after a successful pairing.

Behavior

In this example, wireless communication is halted until both devices are paired. Once successfully paired, the Coordinator transmits random data, which incorporates a sequence number and a Cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The Node will verify that the sequence number and CRC are valid.

Application Schedule

The following diagram illustrates the general structure of the schedule used in this application.

Figure 19: Datalink Application’s Schedule.

Pairing

On boot, devices attempt to pair automatically. If unsuccessful, manual pairing can be performed afterward to use the application.

Quasar

Auto Pairing:

• On boot, devices automatically start the pairing process. RGB blinks blue twice to indicate that pairing is in progress.

• If the pairing procedure is unsuccessful, RGB blinks red twice after 10 seconds.

• Once successfully paired, RGB turns magenta, and the devices begin exchanging application data.

Manual Pairing:

• Press the SW1 button on both devices to start the pairing procedure; RGB blinks blue twice when doing so.

• If the pairing procedure is unsuccessful, RGB blinks red twice after 10 seconds.

• Once successfully paired, RGB turns magenta, and the devices begin exchanging application data.

Unpairing:

• When paired, pressing the SW1 button again unpairs the device; RGB blinks red twice to indicate that unpairing has been completed.

• Unpairing causes the devices to forget their learned addresses. The devices are no longer able to exchange application data.

• To start a new pairing procedure, both devices must be unpaired first.

EVK1.4

Note

LED behavior changes in pairing mode versus normal execution mode. During pairing mode, LEDs indicate pairing status as described below. Once paired, LEDs indicate packet transmission and reception and fallback mode status.

Auto Pairing:

• On boot, devices automatically start the pairing process. LED0 blinks twice to indicate the pairing is in progress.

• If the pairing procedure is unsuccessful, all LEDs blink twice after 10 seconds.

• Once successfully paired, LEDs turn on sequentially, then turn off, and the devices begin exchanging application data.

Manual Pairing:

• Press and hold the SW1 button on both devices for 3 seconds to start the pairing procedure; LED0 blinks twice when doing so.

• If the pairing procedure is unsuccessful, all LEDs blink twice after 10 seconds.

• Once successfully paired, LEDs turn on sequenstially, then turn off, and the devices begin exchanging application data.

Unpairing:

• When paired, press and hold the SW1 button for 3 seconds to unpair the device; All LEDs blink twice to indicate that unpairing has been completed.

• Unpairing causes the devices to forget their learned addresses. The devices are no longer able to exchange application data.

• To start a new pairing procedure, both devices must be unpaired first.

Coordinator User Interface

• LED1 toggles every time a packet is successfully transmitted to the Node (almost always on because of the high packet rate).

Quasar

Table 21: Coordinator User Interface Description

Interface	Name	Description
SW1	Pairing Process	Pair, unpair, or abort the pairing process depending on the current state.
SW2	Reset Stats	Reset the TX and RX statistics.
SW3	N/A	N/A
SW4	N/A	N/A
LED1	Transmission Success	Toggle LED when a wireless transmission is successful.
LED2	N/A	N/A
LED3	N/A	N/A
LED4	N/A	N/A
RGB	Pairing Event	Indicate pairing event as described in the pairing section.

EVK1.4

Table 22: Coordinator User Interface Description

Interface	Name	Description
SW1	Pairing Process	Press and hold for 3 seconds: Pair, unpair, or abort the pairing process depending on the current state.
	Reset Stats	Press for less than 250 ms: Reset the TX and RX statistics.
SW2
LED0	Transmission Success	Toggle LED when a wireless transmission is successful.
LED1	N/A	N/A
LED2	N/A	N/A

Node User Interface

• LED2 toggles every time a packet is successfully received from the Coordinator (almost always on because of the high packet rate).

Quasar

Table 23: Node User Interface Description

Interface	Name	Description
SW1	Pairing Process	Pair, unpair, or abort the pairing process depending on the current state.
SW2	Reset Stats	Reset the TX and RX statistics.
SW3	N/A	N/A
SW4	N/A	N/A
LED1	N/A	N/A
LED2	Reception Success	Toggle LED when a wireless reception is successful and the data is valid.
LED3	N/A	N/A
LED4	N/A	N/A
RGB	Pairing Event	Indicate pairing event as described in the pairing section.

EVK1.4

Table 24: Node User Interface Description

Interface	Name	Description
SW1	Pairing Process	Press and hold for 3 seconds: Pair, unpair, or abort the pairing process depending on the current state.
	Reset Stats	Press for less than 250 ms: Reset the TX and RX statistics.
SW2
LED0	N/A	N/A
LED1	Reception Success	Toggle LED when a wireless reception is successful and the data is valid.
LED2	N/A	N/A

Certification

This application has the ability to run in Certification Mode.

When certification mode is active, a dedicated LED is activated to indicate that the mode is enabled. All activity status LEDs (transmission, reception, fallback, and payload) are suppressed so that only the certification indicator is visible.

Table 25: Certification Mode Indicator

Board	Indicator
Quasar	RGB LED steady yellow.
EVK1.4	Steady LED2.

Only one level of certification is needed for this application since the datarate is constant. The activation process must be performed independently on both the Coordinator and the Node.

Table 26: Certification Mode Activation

Certification Mode	Activation Process
Datalink Certification	Hold SW2 at startup until the LED 1 blinks once, then release.

Terminal

The following figure shows the terminal output of this application.

See Viewing the Terminal for details on how to view the terminal output.

Figure 20: Datalink Serial Interface Output (from left: Coordinator & Node).

See Wireless Core API - Statistics for more details.