• State Resolved
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 3 replies
  • Subscribers 31 subscribers
  • Views 950 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Support feedback
Options
Options
Related

This thread has been locked.

If you have a related question, please click the "Ask a related question" button in the top right corner. The newly created question will be automatically linked to this question.

Original question:

IWR6843AOPEVM: Beamforming configuration

IWR6843AOPEVM: Beamforming use and configuration for level sensing and occupancy

Justin Retzlaff
Prodigy 66 points
Part Number: IWR6843AOPEVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: IWR6843AOP, IWR6843

Hello,

I am working with IWR6843AOPEVM as a standalone module and want to know, if it is possible to use beamforming.

I am using mmWave SDK 03.05.00.04 and the OOB.

In the forum I found different threads with different statements.

Here (https://e2e.ti.com/support/sensors-group/sensors/f/sensors-forum/983608/iwr6843aopevm-iwr6843aopevm) it says, that it is not possible to use 3 TX beamforming with/for my device.

But in this thread (https://e2e.ti.com/support/sensors-group/sensors/f/sensors-forum/940209/iwr6843aopevm-3d_pplcount_demo) and in this document (https://www.ti.com/lit/ml/slyp696/slyp696.pdf?ts=1641801196766&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.ecosia.org%252F) it says, that beamforming is used, so I am confused.

In an application I want to use IWR6843AOPEVM and beamforming to examine some occupancy and level sensing problems.

Thanks by advance and have a nice day.

Best regards,

Justin

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 23725 points

    Hello

    Beam-forming capability works as combination of:

    #1. Device capability to control multiple transmitters simultaneously.  

    --->  For  mmWave device support information please see Datasheet for Multiple Transmitter support.

    #2. Antenna array's capability to form additive gain in required FoV space 

    --> Hardware/Board implementation choice.

    #3. Post processing of received data to make sense of scene from the FMCW data. Right Algorithm, Computation power. 

    --> Software implementation choice. TI;s mmWave devices (including IWR6843AOP) have user programmable cores.

    As long as all of the above requirements are met the application can leverage the benefits of beam forming.

    In context to specific question:

    Justin Retzlaff said:
    I am working with IWR6843AOPEVM as a standalone module and want to know, if it is possible to use beamforming.

    Yes. At device feature level RF front of  IWR6843 and IWR6843AoP are identical, so as a feature they both support this.  

    Confirm in Datasheet  Multiple Transmitters supported - See Device comparison table.

    Justin Retzlaff said:

    In the forum I found different threads with different statements.

    Here (https://e2e.ti.com/support/sensors-group/sensors/f/sensors-forum/983608/iwr6843aopevm-iwr6843aopevm) it says, that it is not possible to use 3 TX beamforming with/for my device.

    This thread talks about the combination of demo which conveys that #3 item is not supported, so that is why the demo in questions cannot be used. If you would like to use that demo then you would have to modify the post processing software.

    Hope this clarifies what  beam forming means for device vs Hardware vs SW means.

    THank you,

    Vaibhav

  • 0 in reply to Vaibhav Mahimkar
    Prodigy 66 points

    Hello Vaibhav,

    thank you for your quick response. It helps.

    Could you please refer again to the documents, to which referred at the end on the following thread?

    https://e2e.ti.com/support/sensors-group/sensors/f/sensors-forum/909615/iwr6843aopevm-demo-program-for-beamforming?tisearch=e2e-sitesearch&keymatch=IWR6843AOPEVM%252520beamforming#

    I would like to check the Rx beam forming, as I want to use it for an level and volume sensing application for an waste container.

    Best regards,

    Justin

  • +1 in reply to Justin Retzlaff
    TI__Genius 10483 points

    Hi Justin, 

    In regards to the E2E thread you linked, here are links/filepaths to the documents requested:

    3D People Counting

    Out of Box Demo

    • The OOB demo uses all the visual antenna for CFAR detection and angle of arrival estimation.   The angle of arrival estimation is using Bartlett beamforming, but implemented through FFT.  RX beamforming is used.
    • Doxygen Documentation can be found below:
      • For azimuth angle only, file:///C:/ti/mmwave_sdk_03_05_00_04/packages/ti/datapath/dpc/dpu/aoaproc/docs/doxygen/html/index.html
      • For 2D angle, file:///C:/ti/mmwave_sdk_03_05_00_04/packages/ti/datapath/dpc/dpu/aoa2dproc/docs/doxygen/html/index.html

      • You should be able to navigate the Doxygen documentation from:

        file:///C:/ti/mmwave_sdk_03_05_00_04/docs/mmwave_sdk_module_documentation.html

        Under Data Processing Units (DPU), you can find all the signal processing modules, like CFAR, AoA, rangeFFT and Doppler FFT

    Regards,

    Brennan