GATT, which standards for the Generic ATTribute Profile, governs data organization and data exchanges between connected devices. One device (the peripheral) acts as a GATT Server, which stores data in Attribute records, and the second device in the connection (the central) acts as a GATT Client, requesting data from the server whenever necessary.
The following commands can be used to create custom GATT services and characteristics on the BLEFriend, which are used to store and exchange data.
Please note that any characteristics that you define here will automatically be saved to non-volatile FLASH config memory on the device and re-initialised the next time the device starts.
GATT Limitations
The commands below have the following limitations due to SRAM and resource availability, which should be kept in mind when creating or working with customer GATT services and characteristics.
These values apply to firmware 0.7.0 and higher:
- Maximum number of services: 10
- Maximum number of characteristics: 30
- Maximum buffer size for each characteristic: 32 bytes
- Maximum number of CCCDs: 16
If you want to clear any previous config value, enter the 'AT+FACTORYRESET' command before working on a new peripheral configuration.
AT+GATTCLEAR
Clears any custom GATT services and characteristics that have been defined on the device.
Codebase Revision: 0.3.0
Parameters: None
Response: None
AT+GATTCLEAR OK
AT+GATTADDSERVICE
Adds a new custom service definition to the device.
Codebase Revision: 0.3.0
Parameters: This command accepts a set of comma-separated key-value pairs that are used to define the service properties. The following key-value pairs can be used:
- UUID: The 16-bit UUID to use for this service. 16-bit values should be in hexadecimal format (0x1234).
- UUID128: The 128-bit UUID to use for this service. 128-bit values should be in the following format: 00-11-22-33-44-55-66-77-88-99-AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF
Response: The index value of the service in the custom GATT service lookup table. (It's important to keep track of these index values to work with the service later.)
This value must be unique, and should not conflict with bytes 3+4 of the parent service's 128-bit UUID.
# Clear any previous custom services/characteristics AT+GATTCLEAR OK # Add a battery service (UUID = 0x180F) to the peripheral AT+GATTADDSERVICE=UUID=0x180F 1 OK # Add a battery measurement characteristic (UUID = 0x2A19), notify enabled AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x2A19,PROPERTIES=0x10,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 1 OK
# Clear any previous custom services/characteristics AT+GATTCLEAR OK # Add a custom service to the peripheral AT+GATTADDSERVICE=UUID128=00-11-00-11-44-55-66-77-88-99-AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF 1 OK # Add a custom characteristic to the above service (making sure that there # is no conflict between the 16-bit UUID and bytes 3+4 of the 128-bit service UUID) AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x0002,PROPERTIES=0x02,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 1 OK
AT+GATTADDCHAR
Adds a custom characteristic to the last service that was added to the peripheral (via AT+GATTADDSERVICE).
Codebase Revision: 0.3.0
Parameters: This command accepts a set of comma-separated key-value pairs that are used to define the characteristic properties. The following key-value pais can be used:
- UUID: The 16-bit UUID to use for the characteristic (which will be insert in the 3rd and 4th bytes of the parent services 128-bit UUID). This value should be entered in hexadecimal format (ex. 'UUID=0x1234'). This value must be unique, and should not conflict with bytes 3+4 of the parent service's 128-bit UUID.
- PROPERTIES: The 8-bit characteristic properties field, as defined by the Bluetooth SIG. The following values can be used:
- 0x02 - Read
- 0x04 - Write Without Response
- 0x08 - Write
- 0x10 - Notify
- 0x20 - Indicate
- MIN_LEN: The minimum size of the values for this characteristic (in bytes, min = 1, max = 20, default = 1)
- MAX_LEN: The maximum size of the values for the characteristic (in bytes, min = 1, max = 20, default = 1)
- VALUE: The initial value to assign to this characteristic (within the limits of 'MIN_LEN' and 'MAX_LEN'). Value can be an integer ("-100", "27"), a hexadecimal value ("0xABCD"), a byte array ("aa-bb-cc-dd") or a string ("GATT!").
- >=0.7.0 - DATATYPE: This argument indicates the data type stored in the characteristic, and is used to help parse data properly. It can be one of the following values:
- AUTO (0, default)
- STRING (1)
- BYTEARRAY (2)
- INTEGER (3)
- >=0.7.0 - DESCRIPTION: Adds the specified string as the characteristic description entry
- >=0.7.0 - PRESENTATION: Adds the specified value as the characteristic presentation format entry
Response: The index value of the characteristic in the custom GATT characteristic lookup table. (It's important to keep track of these characteristic index values to work with the characteristic later.)
# Clear any previous custom services/characteristics AT+GATTCLEAR OK # Add a battery service (UUID = 0x180F) to the peripheral AT+GATTADDSERVICE=UUID=0x180F 1 OK # Add a battery measurement characteristic (UUID = 0x2A19), notify enabled AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x2A19,PROPERTIES=0x10,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 1 OK
# Clear any previous custom services/characteristics AT+GATTCLEAR OK # Add a custom service to the peripheral AT+GATTADDSERVICE=UUID128=00-11-00-11-44-55-66-77-88-99-AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF 1 OK # Add a custom characteristic to the above service (making sure that there # is no conflict between the 16-bit UUID and bytes 3+4 of the 128-bit service UUID) AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x0002,PROPERTIES=0x02,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 1 OK
Version 0.6.6 of the Bluefruit LE firmware added the ability to use a new 'UUID128' flag to add custom 128-bit UUIDs that aren't related to the parent service UUID (which is used when passing the 16-bit 'UUID' flag).
To specify a 128-bit UUID for your customer characteristic, enter a value resembling the following syntax:
# Add a custom characteristic to the above service using a # custom 128-bit UUID AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID128=00-11-22-33-44-55-66-77-88-99-AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF,PROPERTIES=0x02,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 1 OK
Version 0.7.0 of the Bluefruit LE firmware added the new DESCRIPTION and PRESENTATION keywoards, corresponding the the GATT Characteristic User Description and the GATT Characteristic Presentation Format Descriptors.
The DESCRIPTION field is a string that contains a short text description of the characteristic. Some apps may not display this data, but it should be visible using something like the Master Control Panel application from Nordic on iOS and Android.
The PRESENTATION field contains a 7-byte payload that encapsulates the characteristic presentation format data. It requires a specific set of bytes and values to work properly. See the following link for details on how to format the payload: https://developer.bluetooth.org/gatt/descriptors/Pages/DescriptorViewer.aspx?u=org.bluetooth.descriptor.gatt.characteristic_presentation_format.xml
The following example shows how you might use both of these new fields:
AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x2A37, PROPERTIES=0x10, MIN_LEN=2, MAX_LEN=3, VALUE=00-40,
DESCRIPTION=HRM Measurement, PRESENTATION=17-00-AC-27-01-00-00
For the Characteristic Presentation Format we have:
- Format = IEEE-11073 32-bit FLOAT (Decimal 23, Hex 0x17)
- Exponent = 0/None
- Unit = Thermodynamic temperature: Degrees Fahrenheit (0x27AC) - Bluetooth LE Unit List
- Namespace = Bluetooth SIG Assigned Number (0x01)
- Description = None (0x0000)
The results from Nordic's Master Control Panel app can be seen below:
AT+GATTCHAR
Gets or sets the value of the specified custom GATT characteristic (based on the index ID returned when the characteristic was added to the system via AT+GATTADDCHAR).
Codebase Revision: 0.3.0
Parameters: This function takes one or two comma-separated functions (one parameter = read, two parameters = write).
- The first parameter is the characteristic index value, as returned from the AT+GATTADDCHAR function. This parameter is always required, and if no second parameter is entered the current value of this characteristic will be returned.
- The second (optional) parameter is the new value to assign to this characteristic (within the MIN_SIZE and MAX_SIZE limits defined when creating it).
Response: If the command is used in read mode (only the characteristic index is provided as a value), the response will display the current value of the characteristics. If the command is used in write mode (two comma-separated values are provided), the characteristics will be updated to use the provided value.
# Clear any previous custom services/characteristics AT+GATTCLEAR OK # Add a battery service (UUID = 0x180F) to the peripheral AT+GATTADDSERVICE=UUID=0x180F 1 OK # Add a battery measurement characteristic (UUID = 0x2A19), notify enabled AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x2A19,PROPERTIES=0x10,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 1 OK # Read the battery measurement characteristic (index ID = 1) AT+GATTCHAR=1 0x64 OK # Update the battery measurement characteristic to 32 (hex 0x20) AT+GATTCHAR=1,32 OK # Verify the previous write attempt AT+GATTCHAR=1 0x20 OK
AT+GATTLIST
Lists all custom GATT services and characteristics that have been defined on the device.
Codebase Revision: 0.3.0
Parameters: None
Response: A list of all custom services and characteristics defined on the device.
# Clear any previous custom services/characteristics AT+GATTCLEAR OK # Add a battery service (UUID = 0x180F) to the peripheral AT+GATTADDSERVICE=UUID=0x180F 1 OK # Add a battery measurement characteristic (UUID = 0x2A19), notify enabled AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x2A19,PROPERTIES=0x10,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 1 OK # Add a custom service to the peripheral AT+GATTADDSERVICE=UUID128=00-11-00-11-44-55-66-77-88-99-AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF 2 OK # Add a custom characteristic to the above service (making sure that there # is no conflict between the 16-bit UUID and bytes 3+4 of the 128-bit service UUID) AT+GATTADDCHAR=UUID=0x0002,PROPERTIES=0x02,MIN_LEN=1,VALUE=100 2 OK # Get a list of all custom GATT services and characteristics on the device AT+GATTLIST ID=01,UUID=0x180F ID=01,UUID=0x2A19,PROPERTIES=0x10,MIN_LEN=1,MAX_LEN=1,VALUE=0x64 ID=02,UUID=0x11, UUID128=00-11-00-11-44-55-66-77-88-99-AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF ID=02,UUID=0x02,PROPERTIES=0x02,MIN_LEN=1,MAX_LEN=1,VALUE=0x64 OK
AT+GATTCHARRAW
This read only command reads binary (instead of ASCII) data from a characteristic. It is non-printable but has less overhead and is easier when writing libraries in Arduino.
Codebase Revision: 0.7.0
Parameters: The numeric ID of the characteristic to display the data for
Output: Binary data corresponding to the specified characteristic.
Page last edited March 08, 2024
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