IWR6843ISK-ODS: configs files generated by the mmWaveSensingEstimator not working

Toby Chen

Part Number: IWR6843ISK-ODS

Hi there:

I am using the mmWaveSensingEstimator to customize my chirp config: https://dev.ti.com/gallery/view/mmwave/mmWaveSensingEstimator/ver/2.1.1/

However, all the generated configs, even including the default configs, can not work on the out-of-box demo.

I am using the mmWave_Industrial_Visualizer to send the config and display the results, the program console shows the following error:

I have checked this in more detail, and I believe this error is because the radar is not sending any data.

On the other hand, if I try some configs provided by the labs (e.g., the area scanner lab), the OOBdemo can work just fine, which convinced me that the config files generated by the mmWaveSensingEstimator have some issues.

Please tell me what is the issue and how could I fix it.

Below I provide both the configs that work and do not work for a closer inspection:
1. A config that works:

sensorStop
flushCfg
dfeDataOutputMode 1
channelCfg 15 7 0
adcCfg 2 1
adcbufCfg -1 0 1 1 1
profileCfg 0 60 41 7 40 0 0 100 1 240 7500 0 0 30
chirpCfg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
chirpCfg 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 4
chirpCfg 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2
frameCfg 0 2 16 0 50 1 0
lowPower 0 0
guiMonitor -1 1 0 0 0 0 0
cfarCfg -1 0 2 8 4 3 0 15 0
cfarCfg -1 1 0 4 2 3 1 15 0
multiObjBeamForming -1 1 0.5
clutterRemoval -1 0
calibDcRangeSig -1 1 -5 8 256
extendedMaxVelocity -1 0
bpmCfg -1 0 0 1
lvdsStreamCfg -1 1 1 1
compRangeBiasAndRxChanPhase 0.0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
measureRangeBiasAndRxChanPhase 0 1.5 0.2
CQRxSatMonitor 0 3 4 99 0
CQSigImgMonitor 0 119 4
analogMonitor 0 0
aoaFovCfg -1 -90 90 -90 90
cfarFovCfg -1 0 0 5.00
cfarFovCfg -1 1 -5.00 5.00
calibData 0 0 0
sensorStart

2. the default config generated by the mmWaveSensingEstimator that does not work:

sensorStop
flushCfg
dfeDataOutputMode 1
channelCfg 15 7 0
adcCfg 2 1
adcbufCfg -1 0 1 1 1
profileCfg 0 60 7 5.7 49 0 0 70.92 1 250 5910 0 0 30
chirpCfg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
chirpCfg 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2
chirpCfg 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 4
frameCfg 0 2 27 0 100 1 0
lowPower 0 0
guiMonitor -1 1 1 0 0 0 1
cfarCfg -1 0 2 8 4 3 0 15 1
cfarCfg -1 1 0 4 2 3 1 15 1
multiObjBeamForming -1 1 0.5
clutterRemoval -1 0
calibDcRangeSig -1 0 -5 8 256
extendedMaxVelocity -1 0
bpmCfg -1 0 0 1
lvdsStreamCfg -1 0 0 0
compRangeBiasAndRxChanPhase 0.0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0
measureRangeBiasAndRxChanPhase 0 1.5 0.2
CQRxSatMonitor 0 3 5 121 0
CQSigImgMonitor 0 127 4
analogMonitor 0 0
aoaFovCfg -1 -90 90 -90 90
cfarFovCfg -1 0 0 8.92
cfarFovCfg -1 1 -1 1.00
calibData 0 0 0
sensorStart

over 2 years ago

0 Toby Chen over 2 years ago

Prodigy 130 points

A quick update, if I paste the chirp config generated config of the short-range default:

profileCfg 0 60 7 5.7 49 0 0 70.92 1 250 5910 0 0 30
chirpCfg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
chirpCfg 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2
chirpCfg 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 4
frameCfg 0 2 27 0 100 1 0

to a config that is working, the modified config can work just fine.

But if I do the same thing after I modified any setting (without any error), or even just use the long-range default, the modified config just cannot work.

BTW, what I want to do currently is to increase the velocity resolution a little bit.

I really need some help to get this working. Thanks in advance.

0 Angie Mitchell over 2 years ago in reply to Toby Chen

TI__Genius 10730 points

Hi Toby,

To improve (lower) the velocity resolution I would recommend increasing the number of chirp loops. To increase the velocity resolution you can decrease the number of chirp loops.

I will be looking into this bug with the sensing estimator and getting back to you in the next week.

Thanks,

Angie

0 Toby Chen over 2 years ago in reply to Angie Mitchell

Prodigy 130 points

Yeah, I understand the meaning of those parameters.

But this issue is that the config generated after I modify the parameter will not work.

Look forward to hearing from you, and thanks in advance!

Po-Chih

0 Pedrhom Nafisi over 2 years ago in reply to Toby Chen

TI__Mastermind 23317 points

Hello,

Angie is out of office and will be returning Friday, we appreciate your patience.

Best Regards,

Pedrhom

0 Toby Chen over 2 years ago in reply to Pedrhom Nafisi

Prodigy 130 points

ok, thanks for letting me know

0 Angie Mitchell over 2 years ago in reply to Toby Chen

TI__Genius 10730 points

Hi Toby,

I will be getting back to you on this tomorrow.

Thanks,

Angie

0 Angie Mitchell over 2 years ago in reply to Angie Mitchell

TI__Genius 10730 points

Hi Toby,

Thank you for pointing out this bug -- I have not been able to reproduce it on my side this week. Could you send what your config looked like for ODS before and after modifying it? (the working, and then the not working). I want to make sure we are able to modify an existing working config without breaking it when using the "save config" button in the chirp design tab.

As for the default configuration not working -- I believe this is an error specific to our default ODS config in the back end of the tool.

We will add this to our list of updates for this tool, thank you so much for your help finding this bug.

Thanks again,

Angie

0 Toby Chen over 2 years ago in reply to Angie Mitchell

Prodigy 130 points

After some trials, I found that if I add a dummy command "!!!END OF CONFIG" at the end of the file, it will work.

(as shown in the following file)

% ***************************************************************
% Created for SDK ver:03.06
% Created using SENSING ESTIMATOR BASED OFF OOB DEMO VISUALIZER
% Frequency:60
% Platform:xWR68xx_AOP
% Scene Classifier:best_range_res
% Azimuth Resolution(deg):30 + 30
% Range Resolution(m):0.044
% Maximum unambiguous Range(m):9.02
% Maximum Radial Velocity(m/s):1
% Radial velocity resolution(m/s):0.13
% Frame Duration(msec):100
% RF calibration data:None
% Range Detection Threshold (dB):15
% Doppler Detection Threshold (dB):15
% Range Peak Grouping:enabled
% Doppler Peak Grouping:enabled
% Static clutter removal:disabled
% Angle of Arrival FoV: Full FoV
% Range FoV: Full FoV
% Doppler FoV: Full FoV
% ***************************************************************
sensorStop
flushCfg
dfeDataOutputMode 1
channelCfg 15 7 0
adcCfg 2 1
adcbufCfg -1 0 1 1 1
profileCfg 0 60 5 15 60 0 0 50 1 256 6000 0 0 30
chirpCfg 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
chirpCfg 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2
chirpCfg 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 4
frameCfg 0 2 32 0 50 1 0
lowPower 0 0
guiMonitor -1 1 1 0 0 0 1
cfarCfg -1 0 2 8 4 3 0 15 1
cfarCfg -1 1 0 4 2 3 1 15 1
multiObjBeamForming -1 1 0.5
clutterRemoval -1 0
calibDcRangeSig -1 0 -5 8 256
extendedMaxVelocity -1 0
lvdsStreamCfg -1 0 0 0
compRangeBiasAndRxChanPhase 0.0 1 0 -1 0 1 0 -1 0 1 0 -1 0 1 0 -1 0 1 0 -1 0 1 0 -1 0
measureRangeBiasAndRxChanPhase 0 1.5 0.2
CQRxSatMonitor 0 3 5 121 0
CQSigImgMonitor 0 127 4
analogMonitor 0 0
aoaFovCfg -1 -90 90 -90 90
cfarFovCfg -1 0 0 8.92
cfarFovCfg -1 1 -1 1.00
calibData 0 0 0
sensorStart
!!!END OF CONFIG

This should be the issue of the out-of-the-box demo (or even for other demos), but I haven't looked into it in detail.

Best wishes,
Po-Chih Chen

0 Angie Mitchell over 2 years ago in reply to Toby Chen

TI__Genius 10730 points

Hi Po-Chih Chen,

Thanks for finding this! If there is not a "new line" character at the end of a configuration file it will cause an error when you try to use this, so this root cause makes sense! We will fix this soon.

Thanks again,

Angie

0 Toby Chen over 2 years ago in reply to Angie Mitchell

Prodigy 130 points

I think newline is not the issue though.
I am using the hard-coded config demo, which has this issue, too.

I still need this additional line to get it working.

0 Angie Mitchell over 2 years ago in reply to Toby Chen

TI__Genius 10730 points

Hi Toby,

This comment should act as a new line, but yes some comment or new line is needed for the configuration to be usable.

Thanks,

Angie

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IWR6843ISK-ODS: configs files generated by the mmWaveSensingEstimator not working