Propagating MDEK1001 Location Data to Anchors Using PANS firmware and the Host API

Wireless Connectivity Ultra-Wideband
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1

Hello,

I am working with MDEK1001 using the PANS firmware driven externally by the on-board STM32 as host device.
The STM32 communicates with the PANS firmware on nrf with the host API via UART. The host STM32 of tag nodes can consistently get location and distance of their respective node.
I have several questions on the MDEK1001 and how UWB location data can be propagated from tags:

  1. Is it possible for anchor nodes to receive location data of tags in UWB network?
  • How to configure the PANS firmware with host API so an anchor node can receive tag location data?
  • Can the host STM32 device of an anchor node get the location data?
  1. Do the PANS firmware send location data automatically to a bridge node?
  • How to configure the PANS firmware with host API so a bridge node can receive tag location data?
  • Can the host STM32 of a bridge node device get the location data?
  1. How to use the dwm_usr_data_write and dwm_usr_data_write function on the host API?
  • How to configure the PANS firmware with host API in order to be able to use both functions?
  • Can arbitrary data be written?
  • What is the maximum length of the data?
  • Can the host STM32 receive the written data?

I would appreciate if all my questions above can be answered.
Please be as detailed as possible as I am new to UWB.
Thanks a lot!

2

Hi @fuad
let me help you here. See my answers below:

  1. Is it possible for anchor nodes to receive location data of tags in UWB network?
    No that is not possible. (There is a way that you will send the data to server via bridge and then send it back to the Anchor, but anchor update rate is much slower than tag.)

  2. Do the PANS firmware send location data automatically to a bridge node?
    Yes, this is fully automatic.

  3. How to use the dwm_usr_data_write and dwm_usr_data_write function on the host API?
    You need to read the API document (5.3.21 dwm_usr_data_write) . You dont need to do configure anything and you can write any data you like and 34Bytes max. There is no way how you can read back writen data.

Cheers
JK

3

Hi @leapslabs, thank you for taking your time to answer my questions.

Based on your answers, I have some follow up questions:

  1. Location data of tags are automatically sent to bridge node. Can I get the locations with the host API?
  2. What limits the IoT data to be only 34 bytes max?
4

Hi @fuad

re Location data) Location data are always sent over the air - Listener (shell les command) or BN can accept them. For BN there is a SPI xfer command, but there is no support at this forum for this command (too complex to use it correctly).

Re IoT data limit) It is a maximum payload that can be transferred within transmitted message.

Cheers
JK

5

Thank you for your answer,

It seems like using the listener mode is the way to go if only the location data is needed and a Gateway with Raspberry Pi becomes a requirement only when the network need to send and receive arbitrary data to/from from outside the network.