Is there a possibility to permanently change the VL6180s calibration data or device address?

FKuch.2 · ‎2021-05-17

Hello,

is there any way at all to make the offset calibration data (and maybe the cross-talk-calibration data) sent to the VL6180 not volatile like this? What is the reasoning behind it being overwritten after every restart?

The same goes for the device address. Although that seems at least a little more reasonable to me.

Background: For an IoT Project we will be using multiple VL6180 (together in one case called "Sensorbox" for this purpose) controlled by one MCU. However, the MCU will not be in the same "Sensorbox" but connected to it via a short cable. Therefore, the MCU is interchangeable between multiple "Sensorboxes" and by extension multiple sets of VL6180s. It is next to impossible for us to do the calibration with the exact same MCU that will be used in the final application. Transferring the different sets of calibration data for each Sensorbox between MCUs is more than just annoying. In addition to that, the MCU is battery powered where energy consumption is a major factor and the overhead of all these writes seems to be unnecessary and wasteful.

Thank you very much for your attention!

Kind regards,

Florian Kuch

John E KVAM · ‎2021-05-17

Ouch - I feel your pain. The problem is that to add a non-volitile memory to the sensor would add cost and it was not critical to the main purpose of the sensor, which was a cheek detection for a cell-phone.

The only suggestion I have for you is to add a tiny EEPROM to the sensor board. That way you can add the calibration data to the sensor board and it will travel with the sensor. EEPROMs are pretty cheap, although it's non-zero.

But that would save you the power you need. And allow the sensors to be calibrated in one place, and run somewhere else.

john

If this or any post solves your issue, please mark them as 'Accept as Solution' It really helps. And if you notice anything wrong do not hesitate to 'Report Inappropriate Content'. Someone will review it.

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John E KVAM · ‎2021-05-17

Ouch - I feel your pain. The problem is that to add a non-volitile memory to the sensor would add cost and it was not critical to the main purpose of the sensor, which was a cheek detection for a cell-phone.

The only suggestion I have for you is to add a tiny EEPROM to the sensor board. That way you can add the calibration data to the sensor board and it will travel with the sensor. EEPROMs are pretty cheap, although it's non-zero.

But that would save you the power you need. And allow the sensors to be calibrated in one place, and run somewhere else.

john

If this or any post solves your issue, please mark them as 'Accept as Solution' It really helps. And if you notice anything wrong do not hesitate to 'Report Inappropriate Content'. Someone will review it.

FKuch.2 · ‎2021-05-17

Thank you for your quick reply. That is a great suggestion that I haven't thought of. It sounds like an obvious solution now that I think about it. I highly appreciate the input!

Many thanks!

Florian