Arduino Nano PI Main Discussion

[Gunghouk]

I was asking a question of Gunghouk, different discussion, try not to be so sensitive ..

To answer your question the aim was to standardise the software loop time and ISR times to allow the ISR to complete without interrupting itself thus causing jitter. Most of the ISR time was spent bit banging the outputs, hence fast digital write instead. While attempting that it became obvious that other sections of code were adding to loop time, such as floating point maths in the pulse timing routine. So in for a penny.... I eliminated conditional statements as stated in the comments and used integer variables wherever possible. As stated by Teleno it is not about absolute accuracy but more about consistancy in pulse timing by hardware (preferred) and/or software.

[SaltyDog]

You can make very precise calculations but at the end of the day if you toggle the pin by software (bit-banging with digitalWrite()), especially inside an interrupt, you have to add the latencies which are not constant. The actual pulses will vary in timing from one period to the other, depending on which instruction is being interrupted. These vatiations are called jitter, and result in higher noise and loss of sensitivity.

You want to control the pulses by hardware with the precision of the crystal clock, which is not a problem because Atmega328P has the right peripheral to do the job.

Why not take andvantage of it? It also results in cleaner code and you don't have to mess wth offsets.

But I'm not forcing you, just giving you a choice for FREE. No thanks!

I was asking a question of Gunghouk, different discussion, try not to be so sensitive ..

[Teleno]

So I did the calculations, why the such precise timing? I don't see the need?

You can make very precise calculations but at the end of the day if you toggle the pin by software (bit-banging with digitalWrite()), especially inside an interrupt, you have to add the latencies which are not constant. The actual pulses will vary in timing from one period to the other, depending on which instruction is being interrupted. These vatiations are called jitter, and result in higher noise and loss of sensitivity.

You want to control the pulses by hardware with the precision of the crystal clock, which is not a problem because Atmega328P has the right peripheral to do the job.

Why not take andvantage of it? It also results in cleaner code and you don't have to mess wth offsets.

But I'm not forcing you, just giving you a choice for FREE. No thanks!

[SaltyDog]

1 = 1/16 Mhz = 62.5 nS so multiply those offset values by 62.5nS to give uS.

So I did the calculations, why the such precise timing? I don't see the need?

word TxOnOffset = -40; // TX-on pulse width offset (2.5us)
word MainDelayOffset = -36; // Main sample pulse delay offset (2.25us)
word MainSampleOffset = -41; // Main sample pulse width offset (2.56us)
word EfeDelayOffset = -118; // EFE pulse delay offset (7.38us)
word EfeSampleOffset = -42; // EFE pulse width offset (2.63us)
word TxPeriodOffset = -241; // TX period offset (15.1us)

[Teleno]

The way to generate precise pulses is to configure a timer to drive a PWM output.

I've added a sketch that applies this more precise timing method.

https://www.geotech1.com/forums/forum/projects/arduino-nano-pi/420019-modified-sketch-for-improved-timing-precision

[Gunghouk]

Nice. Mine is still bare bones awaiting the time and energy to actually test with the assortment of coils I've built or acquired.

[SaltyDog]

Here is what my unit looks like. Also, I managed 40cm with my gold ring.
The case is a waterproof clam-shell with an over-center clamp, and an o-ring seal.
The handle is a cutdown walking stick ... just perfect ..

[SaltyDog]

digitalWriteFast-1.2.0.zip

OK this is from the Arduino site.

https://www.arduino.cc/reference/en/...italwritefast/

Yep, that was better, thanks.

[Teleno]

The way to generate precise pulses is to configure a timer to drive a PWM output.

This is the best tool I know of.

https://dbuezas.github.io/arduino-web-timers/#mcu=ATMEGA328P&timer=0

[Teleno]

Or divide the number by 16 to get uS

Using clock cycles allows precision down to 62.5nS when tuning the pulse waveforms with an oscilloscope.

The way to generate precise pulses is to configure a timer to drive a PWM output.

[Gunghouk]

1 = 1/16 Mhz = 62.5 nS so multiply those offset values by 62.5nS to give uS.

The first line of the comments says exactly this.

Just Google digitalWriteFast.h to find the library and add it to your arduino library folder.

Or divide the number by 16 to get uS

Using clock cycles allows precision down to 62.5nS when tuning the pulse waveforms with an oscilloscope.

[Gunghouk]

digitalWriteFast-1.2.0.zip

OK this is from the Arduino site.

https://www.arduino.cc/reference/en/libraries/digitalwritefast/

[SaltyDog]

1 = 1/16 Mhz = 62.5 nS so multiply those offset values by 62.5nS to give uS.

The first line of the comments says exactly this.

Just Google digitalWriteFast.h to find the library and add it to your arduino library folder.

Ok, tried the included file digitalWriteFast.h, but get this on compile:

/Users/bernardmentink/My_Work/Arduino/arduino_PI/arduino_PI.ino:112:7: note: in expansion of macro 'digitalWriteFast'
digitalWriteFast(txPin, mosfetOn); // Turn on Mosfet
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Users/bernardmentink/My_Work/Arduino/arduino_PI/digitalWriteFast.h:316:18: error: call to 'NonConstantUsed' declared with attribute error:
NonConstantUsed(); \

[Gunghouk]

digitalWriteFast-master.zip

Here it is anyway.

[Gunghouk]

1 = 1/16 Mhz = 62.5 nS so multiply those offset values by 62.5nS to give uS.

The first line of the comments says exactly this.

Just Google digitalWriteFast.h to find the library and add it to your arduino library folder.