Bangle.js2: better Android integration, GadgetBridge power consumption

[pavelmachek]

I am playing with Android integration, and might need some help.

1. It seems GadgetBridge is eating a lot of power when connected over BLE. I assume that is because CPU can no longer suspend, and thus normal? Any ideas how to save power?

2. I may want to disconnect watch when Android is below 30% of battery or so. But I assume there's currently no way to read battery status from Bangle.js? (Other information I could use is "does Android have GSM signal, is it on wifi, which wifi AP"?

3. I may want to disconnect watch overnight or something like that. Little robot told me:

if (on) {
NRF.wake();
} else {
NRF.sleep();
}

and that does the trick, but makes BLE unavailable to IDE, too. Is there better way?

4. After I enable bluetooth, GB will reconnect. Is there some simple way to determine if Android is connected? I could poll with Bangle.http, but I guess that's not optimal :-).

[gfwilliams]

It seems GadgetBridge is eating a lot of power when connected over BLE.

On Android, or Bangle.js? Bangle.js does go into a 'low power' mode after 1-2 minutes of inactivity (this is even better if you use a recent Bangle.js firmware) so you may not be getting accurate readings if you look right after connection.

Bangle.js can also use NRF.setConnectionInterval(..) to force a lower power (slower mode) so I'd strongly advise against trying to force a disconnect at low battery if just using a lower connection interval will fix it.

I may want to disconnect watch when Android is below 30% of battery or so. But I assume there's currently no way to read battery status from Bangle.js?

Bangle.js sends its battery level to Gadgetbridge. The phone doesn't send it to Bangle.js but I think there was talk of a way to send stats if you search.

I may want to disconnect watch overnight or something like that. Little robot told me:

That works on the Bangle - but why can't Gadgetbridge choose when to disconnect or not, if it's Android that is running low on battery. It's Android that is responsible for initiating the connection.

Is there some simple way to determine if Android is connected? I could poll with Bangle.http, but I guess that's not optimal :-)

NRF.getSecurityStatus().connected - you don't know if it's actually Gadgetbridge or not though.

[pavelmachek]

I'm more concerned with Android power consumption at this point. Standby time is one half of what it should be, or something like that.

Thanks for pointers.

I like to do hacking on b.js2, I don't really like Android; that's why I'd like to keep most of logic on watch. In the weather application, for example, it would be b.js2 telling Android "I have weather for this hour, I will not need anything for next 55 minutes, feel free to power down". If b.js2 could stay powered on and Android suspended, we'd get best of both worlds: notifications would still work, and power consumption on Android should stay low. I'm not too concerned about b.js2 power consumption, as its battery life is good enough for me for the moment.