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DCA1000EVM: Use Command Line for

Part Number: DCA1000EVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: IWR6843ISK, , MMWAVEICBOOST

Hi,

Setup is IWR6843ISK + MMWAVEICBOOST + DCA1000EVM

I'd like to configure the sensor through command line in order to bypass L3 memory limitation and do own off-line post-processing. So I guess this is mmWave Studio command line - NOT Out of Box demo command line.

Section 22 of the 'mmWave Studio Users Guide' describes 'Controlling mmWaveStudio from Matlab'. However, seems like mmWave Studio still needs to be open to control from Matlab or some other software.

Section 23 of the 'mmWave Studio Users Guide' describes 'Automation using LUA'. However, this requires mmWave UI to be started as part of the script.

It is fine to configure the chirp and configure the data collection through the mmWave Studio if needed.

What I then want to do from the command line is basically:

  • Start DCA1000EVM recording
  • Start the sensor
  • Stop the sensor
  • Stop DCA1000EVM recording

With timestamps on each operation.

The objective is to configure the sensor once and then perform a number of data collections for different test scenarios with software to automate the data collection plus video capture.

 

Is the recommended approach to do this:

Many thanks,

Neil

  • Hello

    Studio CLI would be the right option  to try for this.

    Wonder if  you were able to try it.

    Thank you

    Vaibhav

  • HI, Neil:

    The DCA1000 CLI based capture includes two parts:

    1) Control DCA1000 through command line. 

    2) Control radar device through UART (like you said it can go through Tera term)

    But you need to do these control in the right sequence

    1) Start DCA1000 capture first

    2) Start sensor 

    3) Stop DCA1000 capture.

    Between multiple captures, you need to stop sensor to prepare for the next capture.  

    As long as you can do these, you will be fine.  On the other hand, studio CLI provide an integrated tool to control both DCA1000 and radar device in one command line.   But it may not be very flexible.   It is up to you to make a decision. 

    Best,

    Zigang

  • Thank you Vaibhav and Zigang for the replies.

    Studio CLI tool

    I have been able to use the studio CLI tool - thanks. I was able to successfully capture ADC data.

    But looks like the full sequence of commands needs to be pre-defined in the config file (as referenced in "mmwaveconfig.txt" parameter e.g. "CONFIG_JSON_CFG_PATH=..\..\src\profiles\profile_monitor_xwr68xx.cfg".) So this would not work for starting and stopping many different recordings.

    I tried removing the last command - 'sensorStart' - from the 'profile_monitor_xwr68xx.cfg' then sending 'sensorStart' manually in the  application window (as described in the 'Tool’s CLI Command' section of the 'mmwave_studio_cli_developers_guide). But this did not seem to work. Response is 'Sensor is already triggered' - even though there is no longer any 'sensorStart' command in the profile cfg:

    I also tried creating a profile cfg with continuous frames - same result.

    Also tried turning off post-processing in the "mmwaveconfig.txt" - same result.

    Can you advise on how to start and stop the sensor (while also recording the raw ADC data capture) with commands or other method?

    Last used mmwaveconfig and profile config attached.

    5430.mmwaveconfig.txt
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    #
    # Refer Developer's User Guide document for usage details
    #
    ##### CAUTION: Don't change any variable name in this file. #####
    #
    #mmWave Device Variant
    #AWR1443, AWR1642, AWR1843, AWR6843, AWR1243, AWR2243
    #IWR1443, IWR1642, IWR1843, IWR6843
    #For AWR1243 and AWR2243 device This tool uses SPI interface and uses JSON
    # file for configuration input
    #For other devices it uses UART COM port and can use CFG or JSON input file.
    #
    #@Note: For AWR1243/AWR2243
    # a. If FW_DOWNLOAD_ENABLE=1 & FLASH_CONNECTED_TO_SENSOR=1
    # then: Flash matching MetaImage binary file to device first.
    # b. Set LVDS Lanes (DCA_LVDS_LANE_MODE=4)
    #
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
    profile_monitor_xwr68xx_cont.cfg

    Other command line options

    I understand when the OoB demo is flashed into the device I can get the 'mmWaveDemo' command prompt and can send mmWave demo commands over the COM port using Tera Term. And all the references in the 'mmWave SDK User Guide' seem to relate to these mmWave demo.

    But I don't want to use the mmWaveDemo since I want to bypass the L3 memory limitation and just collect the raw ADC data without doing any processing on the board.

    So could you provide more information on how to perform command line recordings NOT using the mmWave demo and NOT using the studio CLI tool?

    What would be the procedure to:

    "

    1) Control DCA1000 through command line. 

    2) Control radar device through UART (like you said it can go through Tera term)

    But you need to do these control in the right sequence

    1) Start DCA1000 capture first

    2) Start sensor 

    3) Stop DCA1000 capture.

    "

    Many thanks,

    Neil

  • Neil:

    The studio CLI is provided as it is.  The flexibility you requested is not supported.  But  the source code is provided and there is developer's guide, you can always modify the project.  

    On the other hand, if you have a script or sequence to use the OOB demo.  Then you can use the same procedure/sequence and flash the studio cli binary, then you are not limited by the L3 memory limitation.  

    Just note one difference for UART.  OOB demo configure a COM rate of 115200, but studio CLI binary configure a COM rate of 921600.  

    Best,

    Zigang

  • Thank you Zigang,

    Our script/sequence currently used for the OoB demo Visualizer web app:

    • User manually loads in configuration using 'LOAD CONFIG FROM PC AND SEND' (one-time)
    • For each recording:
      • DCA1000EVM_CLI_Control.exe commands executed to configure and start the raw ADC recording
      • Automated button press of the 'RECORD START'
      • Automated button press of the 'RECORD STOP' (which also stops the DCA1000EVM recording)

    We are using Selenium to do the sensor start/stop button press and control simultaneous webcam recording.

    Can you walk me through the steps to replicate this process bypassing the L3 memory limitation?

    I understand the studio cli binary should be flashed onto the radar board in place of the OoB demo binary - but not sure after that:

    • You mean the Visualizer web app can connect to the studio cli binary and 'RECORD START' and 'RECORD STOP' buttons can be used?
    • How should the sensor configuration be done?
    • How should the DCA1000EVM be controlled?

    Many thanks,

    Neil

  • HI, Neil: 

    You may find this e2e thread useful.

    e2e.ti.com/.../iwr1843boost-iwr1843boost

    Best,

    Zigang

  • Thank you Zigang.

    Can you just confirm that with the referenced approach L3 memory restriction will not be applied?

    Is the xwr68xx_mmw_demo_EA2.bin included in the zip file exactly the same as the OoB demo binary C:\ti\mmwave_sdk_03_05_00_04\packages\ti\demo\xwr68xx\mmw\xwr68xx_mmw_demo.bin?

    Is the L3 memory limitation only checked in the Visualizer tool and not on the board itself?

    Many thanks,

    Neil

  • HI, Neil:

    This binary probably is an slightly older version of SDK OOB demo.  It will have the same L3 memory limitation.  But you can start with MATLAB Script, but with following changes:

    1) Flash the studio CLI tool binary

    2) Use the SDK configuration file provided in studio CLI, or modify from there

    3) Change the UART speed from 115200 to 921600 in the sub function inside the MATLAB script.

    Then you will not be LIMITED by L3 memory.

    Best,

    Zigang

  • This is working - thanks Zigang

  • Glad to hear that!

    Best,

    Zigang