VL53L0X component modification URGENT

[Xbiotec]

hello,
After checking the VL53L0X component and C code, it seams that RangeStatus and others below not used too
RangeMilliMeter
RangeDMaxMilliMeter
SignalRateRtnMegaCps
AmbientRateRtnMegaCps
EffectiveSpadRtnCount

Rangestatus is used to check if the measurement is valid or not .
it's a very important to know if value can be used or not and also because there is "radar aliasing".
Basically the light from flash N comes back after flash N+1, and an object at a far distance, looks near. So if rangeStatus is equal to 4 mean that measure is wrong.

1 - Could you add a component Macro to be able to read the range status register after a read distance and add it in a variable
like this, programmer could be able to use it or not
RangeStatus is from VL53L0X_GetRangingMeasurementData() . (may be register 0x0014 but not sure for RangeSatus )

get measurement.jpg (97.07 KiB) Viewed 6769 times

https://www.st.com/resource/en/user_man ... ronics.pdf

2- please also add component macro to be able to get the data below at each reading if programmer want to use it
they are all from VL53L0X_GetRangingMeasurementData()
RangeMilliMeter
RangeDMaxMilliMeter
SignalRateRtnMegaCps
AmbientRateRtnMegaCps
EffectiveSpadRtnCount

3- add on component the ways to choose default mode or Single Ranging high Accuracy or Single Ranging High speed or Single Ranging Long range

If I can get Rangestatus function first, it will be very good to be able to use the TOF and be sure of the measure
Currently I saw that there is aliasing (and an object at a far distance, looks near)

Thx

[Xbiotec]

hi,
still no reply !

[mnfisher]

The component source is available - I have some of these, I'll have a look this evening and see if it's 'easy' to add any/all of these...

Martin

[BenR]

Hello,

I've exposed the Read and Write register functions for you in v9 so hopefully that will allow you to read the required register when you need. Just use the Help -> Library updates to get the latest version of the component.

Martin may still want to do more withthe v10 code but hopefully this helps to get you started.

[Xbiotec]

hello,
thx
on help, component source project can not be downloaded.

comp download result.jpg (121.35 KiB) Viewed 6677 times

[Xbiotec]

The component source is available - I have some of these, I'll have a look this evening and see if it's 'easy' to add any/all of these...

Martin

thx for your help Martin, waiting for your news

[mnfisher]

I didn't have much success - reading the register at 0x14 seemed to consistently return the same value (91) - even with something placed on the sensor?

The documentation for the chip isn't great - but I had a quick look at the API code. Some more digging needed.

Martin

[mnfisher]

Try saving the source file with a .fcfx extension

vl53l0x component.fcfx

(125.37 KiB) Downloaded 507 times

(view online)

Martin

[Xbiotec]

I didn't have much success - reading the register at 0x14 seemed to consistently return the same value (91) - even with something placed on the sensor?

The documentation for the chip isn't great - but I had a quick look at the API code. Some more digging needed.

Martin

Hi Martin,
I did some test and read register from 0x14 to 0x1F, just after a measure
0x14 return 91,33,49,65, 79, 95, etc... this depend of the status result.
Then need to make the calculation:
RangeStatus = RangeStatus >> 6 //RangeStatus is the return value when read register 0x14 just after a measure
-when 0x14 returne value is 91 , after calculation the result is 11 --> Range complete (measure is ok)
-when 0x14 returne value is 33 , after calculation the result is 4 --> No Target
etc...
Do you know what are register 0x15 who return always 6, 0x18 and 0x19 ?

see excel file on PM.
do not ask me how I found these registers and how to calculate, It take so long search and time !!!!

[mnfisher]

Well - finally got the range status to display some meaningful values (okay 91 was meaningful - reading okay!)

So - embarrassingly - the sensor was picking up on the wires I'd used - the field of view and path of the jumpers just gave a enough of reflection... It first 'dawned' on me when I noticed that the values didn't change much when I moved the sensor to point at different locations (and it was giving the same readings in the FC component, my own code and the Adafruit component....).

So - one lesson learnt (maybe) and the sensor returning meaningful values (in my defence it was good at short ranges !)

So - I modified the component to read rangeStatus - and this worked well (Reading it from 0x14)

VL53L0X_GetRangingMeasurementData - is a complex function (and it uses a fair few 'support' functions too...) - but it is doable.

The first step is to read all the registers into a 'temporary' data structure (an array would do here) - and then work out from there.

Martin