AWR1642BOOST: + DCA1000 ; Problems with Advanced Frame Config

Hi TI team !

I am using AWR1642BOOST (ES2.0) + DCA1000 EVM, mmwave Studio 2.0.0.2 for acquiring adcData. I am using 16-bit ADC data in 2x Complex format for one Tx and two Rx. I have  tried to collect the data for 450 frames, with 4.4ms interframe time. I have used two sub-frames in one frame; one frame had 32 chirps and the 2nd subframe had 35 chirps. Both types of chirps had 26us chirp time for 64 adc samples/chirp.

I tried to get the output on the GUI by using the PostProc utility of mmwave Studio. It SEEMS that it worked fine when I got the following figures:

We can see above 450 frames and sub-frame one having 32 chirps and sub-frame 2 having 35 chirps.

Now, I request your guidance on the following problems I am facing and the following queries. I earnestly request you to please reply each individual question separately:

1)   I am acquiring the adcData matrix produced by the DCA1000 EVM + mmwave Studio 2.0.0.2 for the above setup. I am using the MATLAB script provided by TI in the document mmwave Radar Device ADC Raw Data Capture (swra581b.pdf), for this purpose. For a use case of 2 Rx, the adcData produced by this MATLAB code should have a dimension of m x n, where 

m = 2 rows ( for 2 Rx)   and

n = 64 adc samples / chirp  x  (  (32 chirps/subframe1 +35/subframe2 = ) 67 chirps / frames )  x  450 frames = 64 x 67 x 450 = 1929600 columns

Some times, not always, I obtain SUPPOSEDLY correct results from PostProc , as shown in Figure 1 and 2 above, and the adcData matrix also has correct number dimensions as calculated above.

However, many times, the adcData matrix for this case (by using above TI provided MATLAB code) gives a matrix having dimension of 2 x 2048 , instead of 2 x 1929600. Can you please help ?

2)   A connected fact is that after when the above error has occurred, then, after that, when I try to re-capture the adc data,  then RESP TIMEOUT Error occurs.

Many times, when I do one operation of configuring the AWR1642+DCA1000 EVM system, configuring the device and especially using the AdvFrameConfig tab, arming the DCA1000, triggering, pressing the PostProc button, then I see that supposedly correct PosrProc Grpahs are displayed. 

However, when I again use the AdvFrameConfig or even if I use commands in SensorConfig tab, the I get the RESP TIMEOUT error. As a result, I need to restart both the hardware items and the mmwave Studio which is a time consuming and redundant task. In fact, I have to restart the hardware and mmwave studio for each new individual setting if I use AdvFrameConfig tab. Can you please help  ?

Please note that this RESP TIMEOUT Error occurs when already the adcData matirx has had wrong size, although, prior to that, SUPPOSEDLY, PostProc has had produced correct GUI graphs. I am getting the following error message at mmwave Studio output console, though I dont recall whether the first error line was the same always , or not :

3)  Both of the above problems dont occur if I dont use AdvFrameConfig and if I only use SensorConfig tab and just use one chirp, say 32 chirps/frame and same 450 frames. Then the size of adcData matrix remains correct and the RESP TIMEOUT error also does not occur.

Moreover, above two errors (para 1 & 2) are arising intermittently, sometime they occur, some time they dont occur.

4)  As I stated earlier, I am using mmwave Studio 2.0.0.2 with DCA1000 FPGA file version 2.7. I have re-programmed DCA1000 with same version 2.7 file but still the problem persists.

5)   I hope that the version of mmwave SDK has nothing to do with it, therefore, I have not re-programmed AWR1642BOOST for mmwave SDK. I hope it does not make any difference, please comment.

6)   Some queries about AdvFrameConfig  in mmwave Studio 2.0.0.2 :

Please refer above information in the start of this question. Then pls refer AdvFrameConfig

a)  What is the correct way to assign 32 chirps to subframe-1. Should I use NumChirps = 32 and  NumLoops = 1 ? Or should I use NumChirps = 1 and NumLoops = 32 ? Both these options are identical or not? If not then what is the difference ?

b) At the top of AdvFrameConfig, number of Frames are defined . Say I need 450 frames. If I set Number of frames = 450 here then do I also need to set to number of frames as 450 in frames sub-tab of SensorConfig tab ?

And how to set number of chirp loops in Frame sub-tab of SensorCOnfig tab, in this case. I set the number fo chirp loops to 1 in this case and I set the Advance Frame Config after this command so I assume that the Advance Frame Config overwrites the Frame Sub-tab of SensorConfig tab.

c)  Related to b) is that I think the reply is yes, because interframe time is set in SensorConfig (and not in AdvFrameConfig) so I think I must set frames = 450 , both in AdvSensorConfig tab and in SensorConfig tab.

7)  For certain reasons, I was not willing to use mmwave Studio 2.1.1.0. However, in the face of this issue, after above attempts, I programmed the DCA1000 with version 2.8 of FPGA file and tried to use mmwave Studio 2.1.1.0 with Advanced Frame Config. This time a new error occurred. I am using the following chirp configuration in all cases:

Now when I tried to program 450 frames with each frame having subframe1 of 32 chirps and subframe2 of 35 chirps, (as I tired earlier with mmwave Studio 2.0.0.2) , then now mmwave Studio 2.1.1.0 gave a new error when I attempted to use Advanced Frame Config. The following figure shows the situation and the error is

Error Type: CHIRP USED IN THE FRAME IS NOT CONFIGURED BY AWR_CHIRP_CONF_SET_SB 

Please advise how can I resolve this error in mmwave Studio 2.1.1.0 for using Advanced Frame Config. I think that in Figure 3 , in Profile ID 0, i have set the the Chirp configuration in SensorConfig tab and I am using the same chirp in both subframes of all 450 frames so  I should not be getting this error. I repeat that I did the same but I did not this get this error in mmwave Studio 2.0.0.2, although, there, intermittently, the two other errors of corrupting of adcData matrix and RESP TIMEOUT Error, occurred. But at least this earlier stage passed and Advanced Frame Config tab passed the parameters successfully. But with mmwave Studio 2.1.1.0, even the step of Advanced Frame Config passing the parameters is not being succeeded.

Note that, the single chirp operations are going fine in mmwave Studio 2.1.1.0.

8)  Please note that I have searched this TI e2e forum but I did not find similar issues therefore then I submitted this query.  I have also referred Radar Interface Control Document Version 1.7, Table 5.22 for guidance. But could not resolve the issue.

9)  Please advise that is Version 1.7 , the latest version of Radar Interface Control Document? If not, then please provide the latest version of Radar Interface Control Document.

10)  In terms of grand summary, I have the following problem/desire and I request you to please advise any possible way to resolve/accomplish that:

a)  I wish to use chirp configuration as shown in figure 3 (for example).

b)  I wish to transmit, say, 3 sets of the single chirp configuration defined in (a) above. Means that all chirps will be identical in all three sets but the numbers of chirps in 3 sets will be different. The ttotal number of all transmitted sets can be, say, 450.

c)  I can use burst, subframe, frame or any other way to from three sets of same chirps but having different number of chirps in each set. I will use each set as a CPI to get 2D FFT of chirps contained in one set. And  I wish the inter-set time to be as small as possible.

d)  I still consider myself novice at TI mmwave EVMs so your step by step guidance will be highly appreciated, please, if possible. Moreover, I dont wish to use lua etc and I prefer to use mmwave Studio GUI it is more easy and fast so please try to advise accordingly.

Thanks in advance and regards.