PGA460 ultrasonic sensing: How to set up and install the EVM
This video serves as an introduction to the PGA460 Evaluation Module (EVM) for ultrasonic sensing. An overview of the BOOSTXL-PGA460’s hardware and software will be provided, as well as the quick start procedure to install and get the EVM up and running with its associated GUI.
Agenda:
0:00-1:02 Required components for PGA460 EVM (BOOSTXL-PGA460 & MSP-EXP430F5529LP)
1:02-2:18 Connecting the PGA460 EVM hardware
2:18-2:48 Installing the PGA460 EVM GUI on a PC
2:48-4:15 Flash programming the MSP-EXP430F5529LP
4:15-5:56 Configuring GUI block diagram for Murata MA58MF14-7N transducer
5:56-6:20 Target placement and test-environment considerations
6:20-7:02 Echo Data Dump observations
7:02-7:28 Conclusion
Resources
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Hello, my name is Akeem Whitehead, applications engineer for the PGA460-Q1 Ultrasonic Signal Conditioner. This video serves as an introduction to the BOOSTXL-PGA460, which is an evaluation module for the PGA460-Q1 IC. An overview of the Boost XL-PGA460's hardware and software will be provided, as well as the quick start procedure to install and get the EVM up and running with its associated GUI.
The PGA460-Q1 is a highly integrated system on trip driver and signal conditioner for open air ultrasonic transducers, and offers advanced analog front end and digital signal processing capabilities. To fully evaluate the PGA460-Q1, you will need the Boost XL-PGA460 BoosterPack and GUI, the MSP 430 F5529 launchpad, a Micro-USB to USB Type-B cable, and a PC running Windows 7 or later.
The BOOSTXL-PGA460 is a combination of two boards-- a motherboard and a smaller daughtercard with an ultrasonic transducer. To assemble the evaluation platform, stack the BOOSTXL-PGA460 motherboard on top of the F5529 launchpad by aligning the standard 40 pin BoosterPack header pins to each other.
The BOOSTXL-PGA460 daughtercard offers two options of evaluation. For the purpose of this quick start procedure, connect the side labeled "Transformer Driven" into the motherboard's daughtercard connector. The daughtercard should stand perpendicular to the motherboard. This allows the transducer to easily be aimed horizontally, rather than vertically. To keep the transducer in an upright position, use a stand or material such as urethane sponge that will not impede or load the vibrating mechanics of the transducer.
Since the quick start procedure relies on the out-of- USB powered approach, ensure that LP-USP header pins are shunt connected on the BOOSTXL-PGA460 alternative power mode jumper block. This power mode will boost the USB voltage to operate the PGA460-Q1 and drive the transducer at a reference of 7.2 volts.
Connect the Micro-USB cable from the F5529 launchpad to the PC. If the orange VPWR-LED illuminates on the BOOSTXL-PGA460, then the USB boost circuit is working properly. Install the BOOSTXL-PGA460 GUI onto your PC. During installation, you will prompted to install two driver files. These driver files are necessary to flash program the F5529 launchpad with the GUI-associated firmware.
After installation is complete, navigate to and run the BOOSTXL-PGA460 GUI executable. After initialization, the GUI scans the USB ports for F5529 launchpad. And once found, it will automatically prompt the user to load and flash program the BOOSTXL-PGA460-firmware.batchfile onto the F5529 launchpad.
If not automatically prompted, the user can manually force the F5529 launch pad to be flash programmed by navigating to File, Flash Program, MSP-EXP430 F5529 LP. Flash programming of the F5529 launchpad may take several minutes. Do not interact with the GUI until the flash programming process is complete.
Once the flash programming routine has been completely and successfully executed, the user is advised to disconnect and reconnect the USB hardware, and then restart the GUI. The F5529 launch pad is now flash programmed to work exclusively with the BOOSTXL-PGA460 BoosterPack and GUI.
The flash programming routine does not need to be rerun unless the flash memory is erased or reused for other purposes, or a BOOSTXL-PGA460 firmware update is made available.
To visually confirm whether the BOOSTXL-PGA460 firmware loaded properly, you will see a green LCD illuminate and remain illuminated immediately upon reconnecting the F5529 launchpad to the USB port.
Now that the hardware has properly configured, the GUI can be used to read and write the PGA460-Q1's registers and evaluate the performance of the selected daughtercard configuration. The transducer supplied with the BOOSTXL-PGA460 in transformer driven mode is the muRata MA58 MF14-7N. This transducer has a center frequency of 58.5 kilohertz and a maximum applied pulse number of 20.
On the GUI's opening block diagram page, the critical PGA460-Q1 device settings are depicted as dropdown menus, and are in proximity of the block diagram segment that they influence. On the output driver block, set the frequency to 58.4 kilohertz, the number of pulses to 14, and the current limit to 250 milliamps.
On the analog front end block, set the gain to 64 db. On the digital signal processing block, set the bandpass filter bandwidth to 4 kilohertz, the low pass filter cutoff frequency to 2 kilohertz, the digital gain to times 4, and the record length a 20.48 milliseconds.
These settings are suggested for mid-range evaluation of the muRata MA58 MF14-7N transducer. You can optimize the device settings for your particular environment, target type, and use case via all device settings pages the GUI offers. The details of each page are discussed in the BOOSTXL-PGA460 software and optimization video.
Since the record length is set the 20.48 milliseconds, the maximum detectable distances is up to 3.5 meters. To ensure that you can see an object for this quick start demonstration, set an object with a solid surface material in the direct path of the transducer between one to three meters.
I'm using a PVC pole with a diameter of 7.5 centimeters as an example target. Ensure that your test area is not cluttered and free of foreign objects that may return unwanted reflections. Initial testing in an open environment is recommended.
Now that the device is configured for mid-range evaluation and a target is placed in front of the transducer, go to the device monitor page. The default run options are set for preset one-- burst and listen. Keep these default settings. Click the Start button to issue the command, and in response the echo data dump profile will be plotted.
From left to right, the echo data dump profile initially depicts the transmitted burst-- which typically appears saturated-- followed by the decreasing decay period, leveled noise floor, and eventually a peak which represents the returned ultrasonic echo captured by the transducer.
This completes the BOOSTXL-PGA460 overview and quick start procedure. If you are able to see a peak at the expected distance according to the second x-axis, then you have successfully completed the quick start set up and evaluation of the BOOSTXL-PGA460.
Stay tuned for additional videos on details for the hardware and software configuration of the device. [MUSIC PLAYING]
This video is part of a series
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Ultrasonic sensing with the PGA460-Q1
video-playlist (6 videos)