• State TI Thinks Resolved
  • Replies 4 replies
  • Answers 1 answer
  • Subscribers 31 subscribers
  • Views 146 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Support feedback
Options
Options
Related

IWRL6432AOPEVM: Request for Guidance on Accessing Point Cloud, Range Profile, and Heatmap Data from IWRL6432AOP (Motion & Presence Detection Demo or Range-Doppler Demo)

Chanchal Dhiman
Prodigy 20 points
Part Number: IWRL6432AOPEVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: MMWAVE-L-SDK, IWRL6432AOP, IWRL6432

Hi TI Team,

We are working with the IWRL6432AOP EVM running the Motion and Presence Detection demo from MMWAVE-L-SDK 05_05_04_02, and we are trying to stream the radar TLV data to an external processor for a custom ML pipeline. The data we need includes:

  1. Point cloud, Range profile, Presence detection, Stats for one project.
  2. Range Profile, Range Doppler Heatmap, SNR, Stats for another one.

We understand the TLV packet format and have implemented correct magic-word alignment, length verification, and frame parsing.

However, we are running into an issue where the UART output appears to contain both CLI text output and TLV binary data on the same port. 

We have already tried:

  1. baudRate 1250000

     2. Different guiMonitor configurations, parsing both point cloud formats.

      3.Attempting to use /dev/ttyACM1 as a separate data port (no output observed)

      4. Full frame resynchronization based on totalPacketLen

We need clarification on the following:

  1. Does the MPD demo support a separate data UART, or is the CLI UART intentionally multiplexed for both CLI and TLV output on this firmware?

2. If the UART is intentionally shared, is there a recommended method to disable CLI prints / prompts entirely, so only binary TLVs are transmitted?

If a clean TLV-only output path is not supported in this demo, is there a recommended reference project or example for the IWRL6432AOP EVM that:

Streams TLVs on a dedicated UART, SPI, or other interface, and Can be used as a firmware base?

Thanks for your guidance.

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 22111 points

    Hello, 

    Your observation is correct. IWRL6432/AOP examples use only one UART for both configuration and data output. The data can be output on a separate UART (UARTA) with a few changes in the code. 

    First, you'll need to import the Motion and Presence Detection demo from the SDK into CCS. Then make these changes:

    • In motion_detect.c, mmwDemo_TransmitProcessedOutputTask() change the index for the uart handle:

                   From: 

    UART_Handle uartHandle = gUartHandle[0];

                   To: 

    UART_Handle uartHandle = gUartHandle[1];

    • In mmw_cli.c, change this line:

                   From:

    extern UART_Params gUartParams[1];

                   To: 

    extern UART_Params gUartParams[2];

    • In example.syscfg, add a new UART Instance for UARTA; set to 1250000 baud rate. Set transfer mode to polled mode.

             

    Rebuild the example project after making these changes and reflash your board with the resulting appimage file.

    Ensure that you have S1.3 and S1.5 in the ON position to enable UARTA.

    The TLV data will now be available on the "XDS110 Class Auxiliary Data Port"

    Best regards,

    Josh

  • 0 in reply to Josh Dye
    Prodigy 20 points

    Hi Josh,

    Thanks again for your help.

    I’m trying to capture 3D point cloud, range profile, range–Doppler heat map, SNR, and stats.
    Could you advise whether the mmWave demo is the right path for this, or if the motion_and_presence_detection firmware can support any part of it?

    If it is not possible to get all of these outputs from a single firmware, would it make sense to run one firmware for 3D point cloud and another for the remaining outputs?

    Also, is there an existing prebuilt image that exposes these outputs, or would I need to build this from source?

    Lastly, would TI be able to support the required firmware change as mentioned above?

    Thanks,
    Chanchal

  • 0 in reply to Chanchal Dhiman
    Prodigy 20 points

    Hello Josh - following up on my last reply. Also, can you confirm if we use range doppler image on IWRL6432AOP, as when I do use configuration with "

    chirpComnCfg 8 0 0 256 4 23 2" it says BPM is not supported with the device and the demo only supports BPM_2TX pattern. 
  • 0 in reply to Chanchal Dhiman
    TI__Mastermind 22111 points

    Hi Chanchal, 

    Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay as your last replies were missed by me. To answer your first question, yes the 'mmwave demo' is actually going to be the better example to use if you want the range-doppler heatmap (along with point cloud, range profile, and stats). The motion and presence detection demo on the other hand can output range-azimuth heatmap (as well as point cloud, range profile, and stats).

    Regarding your last reply, BPM is not recommended with the IWRL6432AOP due to the possibility to saturate the ADC causing increased noise / weak detection. It is recommended instead to use TDM instead with this device. 

    Best regards,

    Josh