Micropython: [NRF] Are there any plans to support the NFC functionality of the nRF52..

Created on 11 Sep 2019 · 3Comments · Source: micropython/micropython

The nRF52 series have an embedded NFC slave that can function as a pairing method, activation from sleep, and even as an alternative way to configure a device.
@glennrub Are there any plans to expose this part of the chip?

port-nrf

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rolandvs

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Hi @rolandvs , @hoihu

@glennrub Are there any plans to expose this part of the chip?

Instead of trying to figure out the plans for NFC I managed to squeeze in some hours this afternoon to show a proof of concept. I'm not sure what requirements you guys really have, but i guess the PR can be used as a starting point #5104 to discuss what kind of API would make sense. In theory it should also be possible to extend it to also include Tag4 as there is a library for this as well.

glennrub on 12 Sep 2019

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I'd support that too.

Unfortunately the NFC part seems to be a bit more complicated as it uses a closed sourced library for tag emulation ("t4t").

We have asked for a "pure" nrfx example without this library, but the response was not convincing (see here: https://github.com/NordicSemiconductor/nrfx/issues/51 resp. https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/41705/trouble-with-nrfx-nfct-driver), so essentially this lead to not use the micropython port for the nrf processor in our product.

As for OOB pairing, it requires yet another (crypto) library, so I guess that must be carefully evaluated as well.

I'm not sure why the nrfx's NFC part is using this binary blob. I've looked through the tag emulation protocol and it doesn't seem to be overly complicated to implement.