System firmware error when trying to make a BLE connection on ESP32-S3

[izmishi]

CircuitPython version

Adafruit CircuitPython 9.2.0-alpha.2350-17-g422eb7eff2-dirty on 2024-08-18; Seeed Xiao ESP32-S3 Sense with ESP32S3

Code/REPL

import _bleio

# dummy address bytes here, but also happens with valid addresses
someAddress = _bleio.Address(b'\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00', 2)
_bleio.adapter.connect(someAddress, timeout=10)

Behavior

Running the code immediately results in an error.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "code.py", line 5, in <module>
_bleio.BluetoothError: Unknown system firmware error: 530

Description

On a Seeed Xiao ESP32-S3, when attempting to initiate a bluetooth connection to an already-paired device with a RANDOM_PRIVATE_RESOLVABLE address, an unknown system firmware error (530) occurs.

I've found that the actual address bytes don't matter, only the type (it also happens for RANDOM_PRIVATE_NON_RESOLVABLE, but not PUBLIC or RANDOM_STATIC).

Additional information

I've done a little digging through the CircuitPython source code and I suspect that it's a NimBLE error, in which case it would be an Invalid HCI Command Parameters error (0x212).

It occurs on both 9.1.1 and 9.2.0 alpha.

Running the above code on a Seeed Xiao nRF52840 (CircuitPython 9.0.4) performs as expected (a 'failed to connect' error after 10 seconds):

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "code.py", line 5, in <module>
_bleio.BluetoothError: Failed to connect: internal error

[tannewt]

I've done a little digging through the CircuitPython source code and I suspect that it's a NimBLE error, in which case it would be an Invalid HCI Command Parameters error (0x212).

Nice job digging! Maybe we aren't flagging the address correctly internally. Want to see if you can fix it? We're happy to help guide. It's probably not a high priority for us to work on ourselves.

[izmishi]

Sure, I can give it a go!

I'll definitely need guidance though

[tannewt]

Awesome! Have you gotten it building? There is a tutorial for building here: https://learn.adafruit.com/building-circuitpython

We can answer development questions on Discord in #circuitpython-dev.

[izmishi]

I've managed to get it building

[izmishi]

What's the next step towards fixing it?

[tannewt]

You'll need to sort out why the error is being returned and change the input parameters so it succeeds.

[izmishi]

Might it be due to the fact that resolvable addresses haven't been implemented yet?

circuitpython/ports/espressif/common-hal/_bleio/Adapter.c

Lines 420 to 421 in a9e50e2

	// TODO: Use a resolvable address if the peer has our key.
	CHECK_NIMBLE_ERROR(ble_hs_id_infer_auto(false, &own_addr_type));

This is something I don't have the expertise to implement.