VL53L7CX distance data stratification

[jairo1]

Hello, I have a VL53 sensor that's outputing distance data but the distance measurements I'm getting are getting "stratified" into about 3 different distances seemingly randomly. I'm using the ULD driver on a custom PCBA with a TM4C1239 microcontroller and sampling the sensor at 10 Hz.

This first video is with no obstacle in front of the sensor. You can see the data is not consistent

This second video is with my hand about 10 cm away from the sensor, then approaching and retreating the sensor. You can see the data jumping between a few discrete distances even as I approach and retreat from the sensor

Does anyone have any suggestions as to why this may be happening? 

[jairo1 · Accepted solution]

Found a potential bug or issue with the Ultra Lite Driver (ULD). In my application I was calling `vl53l7cx_check_data_ready()` and subsequently `vl53l7cx_get_ranging_data()` as fast as possible, but if I slow down this update rate to, say 10 Hz, the sensor stops producing the stratified distance measurements. 

My assumption from this flow diagram was that `vl57l7cx_check_data_ready()` would return false until the data was properly processed and was ready for consumption. 

[jairo1]

Unfortunately, the issue didn't resolve itself. I'm still seeing the distances jump "around"  - stratify into discrete magnitudes.

I'm printing the target_status of all 64 zones and i'm seeing mostly 5's, with no indication on why the distances jump even though the target is static

Photo of setup

Video of data