TRONIC Evaluation Tool Software User Manual

TRONIC Evaluation Tool Software User Manual

http://www.tronicsgroup.com/

Background information

This user manual is a detailed description of Tronics Evaluation Tool software and provides guidance for the evaluation of GYPRO® or AXO® sensors. Before reading it, you should have already set-up Tronics Evaluation Kit as per the instructions of the document UMAXOGYPRO-EVK.

The content of this document is also presented in the form of a tutorial video (here).

1. System Requirements

Tronics Evaluation Tool software is compatible with Windows 7 or later versions. The program automatically adapts to the operating system on which it runs, eliminating the need for manual settings.

Recommended system configuration:

• Processor 1.6 GHz or faster
• 2 GB RAM
• 1280960 pixels minimal screen resolution (The window size of the Tronics software is 1280680).
• 780 MB free hard disk space for the Arduino IDE and Tronics Evaluation Tool software (an additional space is needed during installation only to accommodate the initial setup files).
• USB Port.
• Operating Systems: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Thin PC, Windows 8 / 8.1, Windows RT, Windows Server 2012 and Windows 10.

2. What is Tronics Evaluation Tool?

Tronics Evaluation Tool enables testing the performance and the specifications of GYPRO® and AXO® products. This software combines high-performance with easy-to-use and time-saving features that let you focus on the sensor abilities.

Using Tronics Evaluation Tool software, you can:

• Read the sensor output
• Read the Temperature Sensor output
• Measure the sensor startup time
• Visualize a heading indicator oriented in terms of the sensor angle (GYPRO® only)
• Visualize a roll indicator inclined in terms of the sensor inclination (AXO® only)
• Record data acquisitions in a text file
• Read and write the Temperature Compensation coefficients in the System Register and the MTP memory
• Read and write the Temperature Calibration coefficients in the System Register and the MTP
• Modify the sensor output format
• Modify the Temperature Sensor output format
• Check the self-test of the sensor
• Contact the Tronics support team

Note : All the software is based on an Arduino firmware developed by Tronics. Before running the software, make sure you have programmed your Arduino Leonardo board or Arduino Yùn Rev. 2 board as explained in the Evaluation Kit Quick Start Guide ref UMAXOGYPRO-EVK (MCD010).

Tronics Evaluation Tool software descriptions

3. Introduction

The Tronics Evaluation Tool is made of 5 tabs:

• Reading GYPRO® /AXO® (Main Tab) : To read the sensor data (Angular rate / Linear Acceleration and Temperature) and to display them on two real-time charts.
• System Register (SR) : To enable reading, writing or changing the output format of the data (Raw, Compensated or Calibrated) by modifying the sensor System Register.
• Multi-Time-Programmable (MTP): Useful to read and program new temperature compensation coefficients in the MTP of the sensor.
• Others : To check Hardware and Logic Self-Test, to measure startup time, to read Drive Frequency and to generate debug reports for Tronics support team.
• Compass / Plane : To display a real-time compass using GYPRO® or plane using AXO®.

Once the Arduino board is detected by the software, you can click on the top left power ON/OFF button. The application will start and read the sensor information (serial number and type of sensor).

Figure 1: Tronics Evaluation Tool opening screen (“Reading GYPRO® / AXO®” tab)

Please note that the correct position is to have the Arduino board on top (above the Evaluation board). If you want to place the Arduino Leonardo or Yùn at the bottom of the stack (upside-down configuration), just click on the compass during data acquisition in order to get a correct visualization of the data.

Figure 2: Correct position of the evaluation board

4. TAB#1 Reading GYPRO® / AXO® (main tab)

The tab called Reading GYPRO® / AXO® is the default screen when Tronics Evaluation Tool software is started. It is also the software’s main tab and includes all core features and functions in the application.

Actions that can be performed from the Reading GYPRO® / AXO® screen include:

• Reading the sensor’s outputs : Angular Rate output (for GYPRO® products), Linear acceleration (for AXO®),
  Temperature output and Self-Test

• Real-time display of the outputs

• Recording an acquisition

The main tab consists of 8 blocks:

1. Acquisition Time : Time during which the sensor will be read (in seconds)
2. Rate (for GYPRO®) or Acceleration (for AXO®) and Temperature output charts : Displays the Angular Rate output (in LSB or °/s) or Linear acceleration (in LSB or g) and the Temperature output (in LSB or °C) of the sensor during the defined acquisition time. Please be aware that the real-time display refresh rate is limited to 30 points per second.
3. Start/Stop Button : Starts or stops the reading.
4. Progress Bar: Shows the progress of the ongoing acquisition. When clicking on the percentage, the time remaining until the end of the reading will appear.
5. Record and 1 Hz Average features: It is possible to record all the measurement points into a csv file. Check “Record Acquisition”, enter a file name and adestination directory before starting the reading.
   One measurement point is ~ 15 bytes. For a 1-hour record (3600 seconds) with a 2500 Hz data rate (depends of the sensor), you should check that you have 2500 x 3600 x 15 = 135000000 = 135 free Mb on your hard drive.The data file is organized in three columns. The first is the angular rate or the acceleration, the second is the temperature and the third is the self-test status.
   

Figure 3: Tronics Evaluation Tool – Example of a data file
For long acquisition times, it is recommended to use the “1 Hz average” feature. The software will read all the points at the specified data rate but it will output only an average every 1s.

6. Self-Test: Displays the Self-Test status during the reading.

Figure 4: Tronics Evaluation Tool – Reading tab

5. TAB#2: System Register (SR)

In this tab, you can read and write the coefficients stored in sensor’s System Register (the temperature compensation coefficients
for the angular rate output and the calibration coefficients for the temperature output).

You also can switch the output between Raw / Compensated data (inertial measurement) and Raw / Calibrated data (temperature sensor output) by clicking on the corresponding buttons. This will automatically change the units of the display charts in the main tab: °/s to LSB using GYPRO® or g to LSB using AXO® and °C to LSB. For more information about these coefficients and the System Register of the sensor, please refer to the sensor datasheet.

Figure 5: Tronics Evaluation Tool – “System Register (SR)” tab

6. TAB#3: Multi-Time-Programmable (MTP)

In this tab you can program the coefficients in the sensor’s Multi Time Programmable memory (MTP).

Programming is irreversible. The temperature compensation coefficients for the angular rate output can be programmed up to 5 or 7 additional times. The temperature sensor calibration coefficients however can be programmed only one time. For more information on the sensor’s MTP, please refer to the sensor product datasheet.

Figure 6 : Tronics Evaluation Tool – “Multi-Time-Programmable (MTP)” tab

1. Procedure for re-programming the temperature compensation coefficients of the angular rate output:
   a- Check the MTP Slot Status (to make sure the sensor has free slots which can receive new temperature compensation
   coefficients)
   b- Enter the desired coefficients into the boxes or import the set of coefficients from the TAB#2 (System Register)
   c- Click on the “Program the temperature compensation coefficients” button. This step is irreversible but reprogramming is still possible as long as there are available slots in the MTP.

2. Procedure for programming the temperature sensor calibration coefficients:
   a- Enter the desired coefficients into the boxes or import the set of coefficients from the TAB#2 (System Register)
   b- Click on the “Program the temperature sensor calibration coefficients” button. This step is irreversible and the temperature sensor can be calibrated only 1 time.

7. TAB#4: Others

This tab includes several features such as checking self-test status, measuring the startup time, reading the drive frequency of the sensor and generating automatic debug reports to be sent to Tronics support team.

1. Self-test : There are two ways to check the self-test status of the sensor:
   a- A dedicated pin (‘Hardware Self-Test’)
   b- A dedicated bit in the SPI register (‘Logic SelfTest’)
   Here you can request the status of the Self-Test and get results from the 2 methods.

2. Startup-Time : You can measure the startup time of the sensor by clicking on the “Start” button.

3. Support : In case you encounter any issue during the evaluation of the sensor, you can generate here debug reports which will be useful for Tronics support team to understand the problem.
   First, you need to enter your name and company information, as well as a short description of the problem.

Then click on the “Support” button to generate the debug reports and make sure you don’t touch the Evaluation Kit or disconnect the USB cable while the procedure is ongoing.

The procedure will generate 3 text files into a folder called ‘Support’ at the same location as the software.exe.

• XX_SupportSensorInfo.txt contains information about the sensor (Serial Number, Drive Frequency…), and the computer (OS and Environment).
• XXX_SupportRead.txt is a 30-seconds data acquisition of the sensor output. The sensor should be at rest during this acquisition.
• XXX_SupportSystemRegister.txt is a copy of the complete System Register of the sensor.

Once the procedure is finished, you need to send these 3 files by e-mail at TEG-ECR-support@tdk.com

Figure 7: Tronics Evaluation Tool – “Others” tab

8. TAB#5: Compass / Plane

n the last tab, with a GYPRO® product you can see a real time compass similar to the compass on the main tab, but with a simultaneous display of the angular rate. If you have a AXO® sensor, you can see a plane inclined or positioned according to the accelerometer output.

Figure 8 : Tronics Evaluation Tool – “Heading / Roll” tab with a GYPRO® sensor

Figure 9 : Tronics Evaluation Tool – “Heading / Roll” tab with a AXO® sensor

9. Settings and About Evaluation Tool

On the settings tab, you have three parameters if you want change something during the software use:

• Reading Display: You can deactivate charts display of the “Reading GYPRO®” tab to optimize computer performance.
• Roll / Heading: You can disable the “auto-calibration” of the Roll / Heading display. By default, at the beginning of the Roll / Heading utilization, an auto-calibration is done. This calibration calculates the initial bias offset, and remove it during the sensor reading.
• Manual Connection: This parameter can be use if you have multiple devices connected to the computer, or you want to use the RS422 connection (in this case, please refer to MCD012 Technical note).
• AXO Setup: manual selection of the product reference in case it is not automatically recognized by the software.

Figure 10: Tronics Evaluation Tool – “Settings” tab

If you click on “About Tronics Evaluation Tool”, a pop-up will appear with information on the software version:

Figure 11: Tronics Evaluation Tool – About Tronics Evaluation Tool window

For further details

You are now ready to use Evaluation Kit and Tronics Evaluation Tool software.

Please note that the latest versions of all documents related to GYPRO® or AXO® sensors and evaluation kit can be downloaded
from Tronics website: sensor datasheets, evaluation kit user manuals, software, etc.

Available Tools and Resources

The following tools and resources are available on GYPRO® and AXO® webpages of Tronics website.

Should you encounter any issue while using GYPRO® or AXO® Evaluation Kit, please contact Tronics technical support by sending
an email to TEG-ECR-support@tdk.com.

©Copyright 2022 Tronic’s Microsystems S.A.. All rights reserved.
Specification subject to change without notice.

References

• Tronics: Inertial Sensors manufacturer & MEMS foundry
• TDK Tronics: Inertial MEMS Sensors Supplier & Foundry
• Inertial MEMS Sensors Supplier & Foundry I TDK I Tronics
• Tactical-grade digital MEMS accelerometers for INS/IMU/AHRS
• Tronics: Inertial Sensors manufacturer & MEMS foundry
• TDK Tronics: Inertial MEMS Sensors Supplier & Foundry

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