IWR6843ISK: IWR6843ISK + MMWAVEICBOOST and Arduino Mega: Enabling Uart tx and rx on the J5

Hi,

I am looking into this and will get back to you with a response to your questions tomorrow.

Best Regards,

Josh

Hi Josh,

Thank you for your support.

1.readAndParseUart()
Ans: Just to clarify, the vital signs data will need to be parsed before been sent to Arduino ?

2. Could you elaborate on this a bit more?
Ans: Do i need to modify any part of the Vital lab to send the data via J6 pin 9 to Arduino mega. In essence do i need to write a code to modify the dss or mss in order to send the data out to Arduino mega.

3. Are you are running one of our demos/labs ?
Ans: Yes, the vital signs labs

5. However if you want to connect both the configuration AND data ports you would need to connect to J6 pin 9 (on ICBOOST) as well as those which you already mentioned.

Ans: Just to clarify, simply connecting a jumper wire from J6 pin 9 on the ICBOOST to the rx pin on the Arduino mega will suffice ?
Also, is a a particular switch setting i need use to enable the J6 pin 9 ?

Best Regards,

James

Hello Josh

Thank you for your support.
So, i tried the switch setting (position for 40-pin LP/BP ) on page 11 of the 60GHz mmWave sensor EVM guide , bt still unable to receive data. In fact the vital signs demo doesn't run or flash on this switch setting, but when i change it back to the normal switch setting it works.

Furthermore , i tried to use the normal switch on the MMWAVEICBoost but with S1.2 ON, S1.3 OFF. Then on the IWR6843ISK the switch setting were as followings :
S1.1 : off
S1.2 : off
S1.3 : off
S1.4 : off
S1.5 : on
S1.6 : off

Now, with switch setting above vital signs demo ran, then i used a single jumper wire to connect the J6 pin9 on MMwaveicboost to Rx pin19 on the Arduino mega board. Next , i used an oscilloscope to verify if the data was been received by the Arduino mega board and nothing was been received .

Best Regards,

James

Hi, 

Let me see if I can replicate this behavior on my end. 

Which vitals signs lab are you running? Vital Signs with People Tracking or 68xx Vital Signs? And which version of the Industrial Toolbox?

Best Regards,

Josh

Hello Josh,

Which vitals signs lab are you running? Vital Signs with People Tracking or 68xx Vital Signs? And which version of the Industrial Toolbox?

Ans: 68xx vital signs with mmwave_industrial_toolbox_4_12_0

Best Regards,

James

Hi James,

Please allow me some time to replicate this behavior on my setup and investigate further. I will respond here tomorrow with an update.

Best Regards,

Josh

Hi James, 

I apologize for the delayed response. With MMWAVE-ICBOOST REV B. I was not able to reproduce the behavior that you describe. I can measure the UART data coming out  When S1.2 ON, S1.3 OFF (ICBOOST). 

However, I was able to reproduce the behavior you describe with a MMWAVE-ICBOOST REV A.

Can you confirm your MMWAVE-ICBOOST revision number?

Best Regards,

Josh

Hello Josh,

I apologize for the delayed response. With MMWAVE-ICBOOST REV B. I was not able to reproduce the behavior that you describe. I can measure the UART data coming out When S1.2 ON, S1.3 OFF (ICBOOST).

However, I was able to reproduce the behavior you describe with a MMWAVE-ICBOOST REV A.

Can you confirm your MMWAVE-ICBOOST revision number?

Ans: I don't how to find the revision number, but here are all the details about the MMWAVEICBOOST.
Details on the box:
(1P)MMWAVEICBOOST
(Q) 1
(D)2211
(31T)LOT:2008102SVT
(4W) TKY(1T) 0183459ZEA
(P)
(2P) REV: (V) 0033317
(2OL) CS0: XXX (21L) CC0: XXX
(22L) AS0: SVT (23L) AC0: USA

Details on the board:

Front of the board

PROC074B-001

C - 4B
94V - 0
E189010
2 129

EFTDI
2051-C
DHQ9WC1
FT4232HL


Back of the board

TM4C129
4NCPDTT3
14AZG3W
G4

7007800600

Also, can you share your full switch setting the mmwaveicboost and iwr6843-isk. And the position of the pin 9 on the J6 connector of mmwaveicboost .

Best Regards,

James

Hello James,

Josh is out of office at the moment but I will help you best I can. I do not have the switch settings he was using. I am looking into the different markings between rev A and rev B.

Thank you,

Angie

Hello James,

I have learned that the marking "PROC074B-001" indicates that your board in a rev B and not a rev A. I will get back to you shortly with the switch settings Josh used.

Thank you,

Angie

Hello Angie,

Thank you for your quick reply.

I've conveyed it to my customer.

Have a good day .

James

Hi James,

Here are the switch settings Josh used:

ISK: ICBOOST mode:
S1.1 = OFF
S1.2 = OFF
S1.3 = OFF
S1.4 = OFF
S1.5 = ON
S1.6 = OFF

ICBOOST:
S1.12 = ON
S1.11 = ON
S1.10 = ON
S1.9 = OFF
S1.8 = OFF
S1.7 = ON
S1.6 = ON
S1.5 = ON
S1.4 = ON
S1.3 = OFF
S1.2 = ON
S1.1 = OFF

Thank you,

Angie

Hi James,

Lets take a step back. Can you connect the device to a PC and confirm that when following the steps outlined in the 68xx Vitals Signs User Guide you are able to view the vitals signs data using the GUI?

Best Regards,

Josh

Hi Angie,

Yes, i can view the vital signs data using the GUI

Best Regards,

James

Hi James,

Depeng Man said:

Also i have tried using python to start and send the config file to the board , i still got nothing.

When you say you got nothing do you just mean no output on the data port? Does the device send a response on the configuration port after each configuration command that you send? i.e. "Done"

Best Regards,

Josh

Hi Josh,

Thank you for you support.

When you say you got nothing do you just mean no output on the data port? Does the device send a response on the configuration port after each configuration command that you send? i.e. "Done"

Answer: i don't get anything. it tells me "access to comport is denied " whenever i try to send the config file to the device (IWR6843+MMWAVEICBOOST) with a python a code. Please keep in mind that the vital signs application is not running at this point .However, i can open the comports on the device (IWR6843+MMWAVEICBOOST) with a python code when the application is NOT running and NOT trying to send the configfile.

Best Regards,

James

James,

Are you running the python code on the arduino? Can you test the same code on a pc to ensure it is working?

Also is this python code that you have written yourself or are you referencing TI code? You may wish to look at the source code for the mmWave Industrial Visualizer (found at <INDUSTRIAL_TOOLBOX_INSTALL>/tools/Visualizer) to see how we send the configuration commands to the device. 

Best Regards,

Josh

Hi Josh,

Are you running the python code on the arduino? Can you test the same code on a pc to ensure it is working?
Answer : Yes i can open the comport of the arduino with a different python code and read data from it in the visual studio code terminal.

Also is this python code that you have written yourself or are you referencing TI code? You may wish to look at the source code for the mmWave Industrial Visualizer (found at <INDUSTRIAL_TOOLBOX_INSTALL>/tools/Visualizer) to see how we send the configuration commands to the device

Answer : I referenced TI python code, all i did was change the comports name, name of the config file and location.Please see the code below

import serial
import time
import numpy as np
import pyqtgraph as pg
from pyqtgraph.Qt import QtGui
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# Change the configuration file name
configFileName = 'xwr68xxconfig.cfg'

CLIport = {}
Dataport = {}
byteBuffer = np.zeros(2**15,dtype = 'uint8')
byteBufferLength = 0;


# ------------------------------------------------------------------

# Function to configure the serial ports and send the data from
# the configuration file to the radar
def serialConfig(configFileName):

global CLIport
global Dataport
# Open the serial ports for the configuration and the data ports

# Raspberry pi
#CLIport = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyACM0', 115200)
#Dataport = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyACM1', 921600)

# Windows
CLIport = serial.Serial('COM6', 115200)
Dataport = serial.Serial('COM5', 921600)

# Read the configuration file and send it to the board
config = [line.rstrip('\r\n') for line in open(configFileName)]

for i in config:
CLIport.write((i+'\n').encode())
print(i)
time.sleep(0.01)

return CLIport, Dataport

# ------------------------------------------------------------------

# Function to parse the data inside the configuration file
def parseConfigFile(configFileName):
configParameters = {} # Initialize an empty dictionary to store the configuration parameters

# Read the configuration file and send it to the board
config = [line.rstrip('\r\n') for line in open(configFileName)]
for i in config:

# Split the line
splitWords = i.split(" ")

# Hard code the number of antennas, change if other configuration is used
numRxAnt = 4
numTxAnt = 3

# Get the information about the frame configuration
elif "frameCfg" in splitWords[0]:

chirpStartIdx = int(splitWords[1]);
chirpEndIdx = int(splitWords[2]);
numLoops = int(splitWords[3]);
numFrames = int(splitWords[4]);
framePeriodicity = int(splitWords[5]);

# Combine the read data to obtain the configuration parameters
numChirpsPerFrame = (chirpEndIdx - chirpStartIdx + 1) * numLoops
configParameters["numDopplerBins"] = numChirpsPerFrame / numTxAnt
configParameters["numRangeBins"] = numAdcSamplesRoundTo2
configParameters["rangeResolutionMeters"] = (3e8 * digOutSampleRate * 1e3) / (2 * freqSlopeConst * 1e12 * numAdcSamples)
configParameters["rangeIdxToMeters"] = (3e8 * digOutSampleRate * 1e3) / (2 * freqSlopeConst * 1e12 * configParameters["numRangeBins"])
configParameters["dopplerResolutionMps"] = 3e8 / (2 * startFreq * 1e9 * (idleTime + rampEndTime) * 1e-6 * configParameters["numDopplerBins"] * numTxAnt)
configParameters["maxRange"] = (300 * 0.9 * digOutSampleRate)/(2 * freqSlopeConst * 1e3)
configParameters["maxVelocity"] = 3e8 / (4 * startFreq * 1e9 * (idleTime + rampEndTime) * 1e-6 * numTxAnt)

return configParameters

# --------------------------------------------------------------

# Funtion to read and parse the incoming data
def readAndParseData14xx(Dataport, configParameters):
global byteBuffer, byteBufferLength

# Constants
OBJ_STRUCT_SIZE_BYTES = 12;
BYTE_VEC_ACC_MAX_SIZE = 2**15;
MMWDEMO_UART_MSG_DETECTED_POINTS = 1;
MMWDEMO_UART_MSG_RANGE_PROFILE = 2;
maxBufferSize = 2**15;
magicWord = [2, 1, 4, 3, 6, 5, 8, 7]

# Initialize variables
magicOK = 0 # Checks if magic number has been read
dataOK = 0 # Checks if the data has been read correctly
frameNumber = 0
detObj = {}

readBuffer = Dataport.read(Dataport.in_waiting)
byteVec = np.frombuffer(readBuffer, dtype = 'uint8')
byteCount = len(byteVec)

# Check that the buffer is not full, and then add the data to the buffer
if (byteBufferLength + byteCount) < maxBufferSize:
byteBuffer[byteBufferLength:byteBufferLength + byteCount] = byteVec[:byteCount]
byteBufferLength = byteBufferLength + byteCount

# Check that the buffer has some data
if byteBufferLength > 16:

# Check for all possible locations of the magic word
possibleLocs = np.where(byteBuffer == magicWord[0])[0]

# Confirm that is the beginning of the magic word and store the index in startIdx
startIdx = []
for loc in possibleLocs:
check = byteBuffer[loc:loc+8]
if np.all(check == magicWord):
startIdx.append(loc)

# Check that startIdx is not empty
if startIdx:

# Remove the data before the first start index
if startIdx[0] > 0 and startIdx[0] < byteBufferLength:
byteBuffer[:byteBufferLength-startIdx[0]] = byteBuffer[startIdx[0]:byteBufferLength]
byteBuffer[byteBufferLength-startIdx[0]:] = np.zeros(len(byteBuffer[byteBufferLength-startIdx[0]:]),dtype = 'uint8')
byteBufferLength = byteBufferLength - startIdx[0]

# Check that there have no errors with the byte buffer length
if byteBufferLength < 0:
byteBufferLength = 0

# word array to convert 4 bytes to a 32 bit number
word = [1, 2**8, 2**16, 2**24]

# Read the total packet length
totalPacketLen = np.matmul(byteBuffer[12:12+4],word)
# Check that all the packet has been read
if (byteBufferLength >= totalPacketLen) and (byteBufferLength != 0):
magicOK = 1
#print(f"magicOK = {magicOK}")

# If magicOK is equal to 1 then process the message
if magicOK:
# word array to convert 4 bytes to a 32 bit number
word = [1, 2**8, 2**16, 2**24]

# Initialize the pointer index
idX = 0

# Read the header
magicNumber = byteBuffer[idX:idX+8]
idX += 8
version = format(np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word),'x')
idX += 4

totalPacketLen = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)
idX += 4
platform = format(np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word),'x')
idX += 4
frameNumber = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)
idX += 4
timeCpuCycles = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)
idX += 4
numDetectedObj = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)
idX += 4
numTLVs = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)
idX += 4
idX += 4
#print(f"magicNumber = {magicNumber} \t version = {version} \t totalPacketLen = {totalPacketLen} \t platform = {platform} \t frameNumber = {frameNumber} ")
#print(f"timeCpuCycles = {timeCpuCycles} \t\t numDetectedObj = {numDetectedObj} \t numTLVs = {numTLVs} \t\t idX = {idX}")

# UNCOMMENT IN CASE OF SDK 2
#subFrameNumber = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)

# Read the TLV messages
for tlvIdx in range(numTLVs):

# word array to convert 4 bytes to a 32 bit number
word = [1, 2**8, 2**16, 2**24]

# Check the header of the TLV message
#print(f"byteBuffer[idX:idX+4] = {byteBuffer[idX:idX+4]}, word = {word}")
tlv_type = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)
idX += 4
tlv_length = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+4],word)
idX += 4
#print(f"tlv_type = {tlv_type} \t MMWDEMO_UART_MSG_DETECTED_POINTS = {MMWDEMO_UART_MSG_DETECTED_POINTS}")
# Read the data depending on the TLV message
if tlv_type == MMWDEMO_UART_MSG_DETECTED_POINTS:

# word array to convert 4 bytes to a 16 bit number
word = [1, 2**8]
tlv_numObj = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2
tlv_xyzQFormat = 2**np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2

# Initialize the arrays
rangeIdx = np.zeros(numDetectedObj,dtype = 'int16')
dopplerIdx = np.zeros(numDetectedObj,dtype = 'int16')
peakVal = np.zeros(numDetectedObj,dtype = 'int16')
x = np.zeros(numDetectedObj,dtype = 'int16')
y = np.zeros(numDetectedObj,dtype = 'int16')
z = np.zeros(numDetectedObj,dtype = 'int16')
#print(f"tlv_numObj = {tlv_numObj}")
for objectNum in range(numDetectedObj):

# Read the data for each object
rangeIdx[objectNum] = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2
dopplerIdx[objectNum] = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2
peakVal[objectNum] = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2
x[objectNum] = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2
y[objectNum] = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2
z[objectNum] = np.matmul(byteBuffer[idX:idX+2],word)
idX += 2

#print(f"rangeIdx[{objectNum}] = {rangeIdx[objectNum]} \t dopplerIdx[{objectNum}] = {dopplerIdx[objectNum]} \t peakVal[{objectNum}] = {peakVal[objectNum]} \t x[{objectNum}] = {x[objectNum]} \t y[{objectNum}] = {y[objectNum]} \t z[{objectNum}] = {z[objectNum]} \t")

# Make the necessary corrections and calculate the rest of the data
rangeVal = rangeIdx * configParameters["rangeIdxToMeters"]
dopplerIdx[dopplerIdx > (configParameters["numDopplerBins"]/2 - 1)] = dopplerIdx[dopplerIdx > (configParameters["numDopplerBins"]/2 - 1)] - 65535
dopplerVal = dopplerIdx * configParameters["dopplerResolutionMps"]
#x[x > 32767] = x[x > 32767] - 65536
#y[y > 32767] = y[y > 32767] - 65536
#z[z > 32767] = z[z > 32767] - 65536
#print(f"tlv_xyzQFormat = {tlv_xyzQFormat} \t x = {x}")
#x = x / tlv_xyzQFormat

#y = y / tlv_xyzQFormat
#z = z / tlv_xyzQFormat

# Store the data in the detObj dictionary
detObj = {"numObj": objectNum, "rangeIdx": rangeIdx, "range": rangeVal, "dopplerIdx": dopplerIdx, \
"doppler": dopplerVal, "peakVal": peakVal, "x": x, "y": y, "z": z}

dataOK = 1


# Remove already processed data
if idX > 0 and byteBufferLength > idX:
shiftSize = totalPacketLen

byteBuffer[:byteBufferLength - shiftSize] = byteBuffer[shiftSize:byteBufferLength]
byteBuffer[byteBufferLength - shiftSize:] = np.zeros(len(byteBuffer[byteBufferLength - shiftSize:]),dtype = 'uint8')
byteBufferLength = byteBufferLength - shiftSize
# Check that there are no errors with the buffer length
if byteBufferLength < 0:
byteBufferLength = 0

# ------------------------- MAIN -----------------------------------------

# Configurate the serial port
CLIport, Dataport = serialConfig(configFileName)

# Get the configuration parameters from the configuration file
configParameters = parseConfigFile(configFileName)

# START QtAPPfor the plot
"""
app = QtGui.QApplication([])

# Set the plot
pg.setConfigOption('background','w')
win = pg.GraphicsWindow(title="2D scatter plot")
p = win.addPlot()
p.setXRange(-0.5,0.5)
p.setYRange(0,1.5)
p.setLabel('left',text = 'Y position (m)')
p.setLabel('bottom', text= 'X position (m)')
s = p.plot([],[],pen=None,symbol='o')

win.show()
app.exec_()
"""
#plt.axis([0, 10, 0, 1])
#plt.show()


# Main loop
detObj = {}
frameData = {}
currentIndex = 0
for i in range(20):
try:
# Update the data and check if the data is okay
dataOk = update()


if dataOk:
# Store the current frame into frameData
frameData[currentIndex] = detObj
currentIndex += 1

time.sleep(0.033) # Sampling frequency of 30 Hz

# Stop the program and close everything if Ctrl + c is pressed
except KeyboardInterrupt:
CLIport.write(('sensorStop\n').encode())
CLIport.close()
Dataport.close()
#win.close()
break

Best Regards,

James

Hi James,

Depeng Man said:

Yes i can open the comport of the arduino with a different python code and read data from it in the visual studio code terminal.

This is not what I meant. Let me try to explain more clearly. So you are running some python code on the arduino which attempts to connect to the mmWave EVM, configure the device, and read output UART data, Is this Correct? If that is not working, are you able to run the same code on a PC (probably needs minor change of com port name)?

Regards,

Josh