Android Question USB GPS Dongle

[Alhootti]

Hi Guys
Im using external GPS dongle connected to my tvbox device via USB port, it working perfectly with app called GPS Connector

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.pilablu.gpsconnector&hl=en

but with this not working
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/gps-tutorial.6592/

i think i need to deal with UsbSerial or felUsbSerial lab
im not familiar with it.
just give me a hand.
How we can use GPS incorporation with felUsbSerial lab?

 

[Erel]

First step is to connect to the serial adapter (assuming that it is one) and read data. This is done with felUsbSerial. Once you read the data, parsing it will not be too difficult.

 

[Alhootti]

Actually i tried more than 3 contentious hours without positive result.
i will attach the file for modification.

 

[Alhootti]

i have been used felUsbSerial and UsbSerial lab but they not working just giving me details without any proper connection.
Send and Stop buttons are still disabled.

Sub Process_Globals
    Dim usb As UsbSerial
    Dim astreams As AsyncStreams
End Sub

Sub Globals

    Dim btnSend, btnOpen, btnClose As Button
End Sub

Sub Activity_Create(FirstTime As Boolean)
    Activity.LoadLayout("1")
    btnClose.Enabled = False
    btnSend.Enabled = False
End Sub

Sub btnOpen_Click
    If usb.UsbPresent(1) = usb.USB_NONE Then
        MsgboxAsync("Msgbox - no device","No Device")
        Log("No USB device or accessory detected!")
        Log("Msgbox - returned")
        Return
    End If
    Log("Checking permission")
    If (usb.HasPermission(1)) Then
        MsgboxAsync(usb.DeviceInfo(1),"Permission")
        Dim dev As Int
        dev = usb.Open(115200, 1)       
        If dev <> usb.USB_NONE Then
            MsgboxAsync("Connected successfully!","Success")
            btnOpen.Enabled = False
            btnClose.Enabled = True
            btnSend.Enabled = True           
            astreams.Initialize(usb.GetInputStream, usb.GetOutputStream, "astreams")
        Else
            MsgboxAsync("Error opening USB port","Bad")
        End If
    Else
        usb.RequestPermission(1)
    End If
End Sub

Sub Astreams_NewData (Buffer() As Byte)
    Log("NewData")
    Log(BytesToString(Buffer, 0, Buffer.Length, "UTF8"))
End Sub

Sub btnClose_Click
    astreams.Close
    btnOpen.Enabled = True
    btnClose.Enabled = False
    btnSend.Enabled = False   
End Sub

Sub btnSend_Click
    astreams.Write("abcde".GetBytes("UTF8"))
End Sub

Sub btnExit_Click
    ExitApplication
End Sub

Sub AStreams_Error
    MsgboxAsync("Error: " & LastException,"Error Astreams")
    astreams.Close
End Sub
Sub Astreams_Terminated
    MsgboxAsync("Terminated","Error Terminated")
    astreams.Close
End Sub

Sub Activity_Resume

End Sub

Sub Activity_Pause (UserClosed As Boolean)

End Sub

 

[agraham]

Send and Stop buttons are still disabled.

In that case it looks like usb.Open is returning usb.USB_NONE (0) which means that UsbSerial has not recognised the device. This is probably because it does not recognise at least one of the Driver, Product or Vendor Ids. It looks from your photo that it might be a CDC ACM type device so try this before calling usb.Open.

SetCustomDevice(usb.DRIVER_CDCACM, 0x1A8, 0x3EA)

I'm not familiar with felUsbSerial but looking at the decompiled code it should throw an exception on Initialize if it doesn't recognise the serial device.

 

[Alhootti]

Thank you agraham
now i getting this msg ("Connected successfully!","Success").
but still not reading Data from GPS dongle.
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/gps-tutorial.6592/

always i getting (Please enable the GPS device) despite i Enabled the location

 

[agraham]

I think you are misunderstanding something. That tutorial is not relevant as it uses the internal GPS. Also that message refers to the internal GPS as well. As you have an external dongle you have to do all the work yourself.

As far as I can see your skeleton program above should work. With the external uBlox device you might have to configure it via serial output and then deal with the NMEA sentences it sends once configured. You need the uBlox manual for the device you have.

 

[Alhootti]

Anyway i need help by my self alone i cant do any thing
this is my GNSS Receiver Photo.
I hope some one give me a hand.

 

[jtim3032]

Anyway i need help by my self alone i cant do any thing
this is my GNSS Receiver Photo.
I hope some one give me a hand.

Are you using an OTG capable lead from your phone to the GPS dongle? If not, the dongle will not be getting any power. This may also be true when connecting to your TV Box as the box may not operate in "master" mode by default.

 

[Alhootti]

it is working perfectly when i using GPS Connector app in my Tvbox there is no issue totally
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.pilablu.gpsconnector&hl=en
the issue only when i use our app this bellow:
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/gps-tutorial.6592/
so OTG cable is incorporated with my GPS dongle.
have a look to the pictures bellow

 

[Alhootti]

NMEA Sentences

 

[Alhootti]

$GPRMC,100051.000,A,2240.1677,N,11359.7835,E,0.01,133.26,060223,,,D*6A

 

[Alhootti]

How I can utilise these NMEA Sentences to communicate with External GPS dongle?

 

[Alhootti]

GPRMC

docs.novatel.com

 

[agraham]

The external GPS sends those sentences to you and you have to decode them to get the location information you want. Furthermore, because they arrive from a serial port they will not arrive as complete packets so you will have to buffer incoming data, scan it for the sentence header and trailer and then unpack the information. This is not trivial.

 

[agraham]

I've just checked that GPS Connector app and realised that it can send the information to the Android location mocker so it may be easier than I have been saying and you can then use Erels' tutorial to read GPS information. However you need to turn on location mocking in developer options on your phone.

How to Mock Location on Android? [Ultimate Guide 2023]

Wonder how to enable mock location on Android? This in-depth walkthrough is about how to mock location on Android. You can allow Android fake location with native options or 3rd-party software.

www.mobikin.com

EDIT: I've just seen that you are using a "tvbox" whatever that is, so maybe it won't do location mocking - you will have to investigate that.

 

[Alhootti]

The external GPS sends those sentences to you and you have to decode them to get the location information you want. Furthermore, because they arrive from a serial port they will not arrive as complete packets so you will have to buffer incoming data, scan it for the sentence header and trailer and then unpack the information. This is not trivial.

I'm not familiar to use these codes . could you please write down the codes

 

[Alhootti]

i already turned on location mocking in developer options.
in mock location there is only GPS Connector app no our GPS app

 

[agraham]

in mock location there is only GPS Connector app no our GPS app

That is correct, choose that and then your app should be able to use the GPS or my GNSS libraries to access the location information. Note the important note in bold at the end of my post here.

GNSS library - an updated GPS library

The GNSSS library is an updated GPS library that allows you to get information about visible satellites from the phone's GNSSS device using an enhancement introduced in Android API version 24. The GNSS receivers in devices will vary in which constellations that they will recognize depending on...

www.b4x.com

 

[Alhootti]

same issue ?