ColorPAL documentation

ManualsBrandsParallax ManualsInfrared & Light SensorsColorPAL Color and Light Sensor

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Tech Support: (888) 997-8267

ColorPAL (#28380): Color and Ambient Light

Sensor and Color Generator

General Description

The ColorPAL is a miniature color and light sensor which, through its RGB LED, doubles as a color

generator.

Features

• Detects a full range of colors and outputs data as RGB (Red/Green/Blue) components.

• Detects broad-spectrum ambient light with sensitivity down to 44µW/cm

per lsb.

• Generates 24-bit color using onboard RGB LED.

• Plugs into servo headers (with optional cable) or wireless breadboards.

• Single-pin interface uses a simple serial protocol to define and initiate color detection and

generation.

• Color detection and generation details handled by onboard microcontroller.

• Onboard EEPROM for saving custom color detection and generation programs.

• Autorun feature permits running a pre-designated EEPROM program with only a power

supply.

Out of the Box

What’s Included

ColorPAL Module

What You Need to Provide

• BASIC Stamp 2 or better and a carrier board, such as Parallax’s Board of Education (BOE).

• Optional, but desirable: “LCD” extension cable (e.g. Parallax #805-00011).

Summary of content (12 pages)

PAGE 1
Web Site: www.parallax.com Forums: forums.parallax.com Sales: sales@parallax.com Technical: support@parallax.com Office: (916) 624-8333 Fax: (916) 624-8003 Sales: (888) 512-1024 Tech Support: (888) 997-8267 ColorPAL (#28380): Color and Ambient Light Sensor and Color Generator General Description The ColorPAL is a miniature color and light sensor which, through its RGB LED, doubles as a color generator. Features • Detects a full range of colors and outputs data as RGB (Red/Green/Blue) components.
PAGE 2
Quick Start (Color Sensing) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Hook up your ColorPAL as shown below in the Installation section, using P15 for the signal. Download the color match software zip file from the ColorPAL product page on parallax.com. Load the program ColorPAL_sense.bs2 into your BASIC Stamp and RUN it. Close the DEBUG window. Start the program TCS230_ColorPAL_match.exe on your PC. Follow the instructions included with the color match zip file. Quicker Start (Color Sensing) 1. 2. 3. 4.
PAGE 3
The sensor outputs a voltage proportional to all the light that it sees, weighted by the above curve. Therefore, when a subject is illuminated with a red LED only, it will respond with a voltage proportional to the red component of the subject’s color, and similarly with blue and green.
PAGE 4
Feature or Capability Price Color detection accuracy with normal reflective subjects Color detection accuracy with fluorescent (e.g. Day-Glo, Astrobrite) reflective subjects Color detection on very glossy surfaces Color detection of radiant subjects (e.g.
PAGE 5
Programming Communication with the ColorPAL takes place using serial I/O, transmitting and receiving at between 2400 and 7200 baud, using a non-inverted, open-drain protocol. The ColorPAL includes a pullup resistor to Vdd, so you do not need to apply one externally. Because of the open-drain protocol, the pin used to communicate with the ColorPAL should always be configured as an input, except when being driven low.
PAGE 6
Direct Commands To begin programming the ColorPAL, you will need to be in Direct mode. In this mode, the ColorPAL will accept any of four different commands. These are: • = (Equal sign): Begin buffering commands. • ! (Exclamation point): Begin executing the buffered code. • # (Pound sign): Save the buffered code to an address in EEPROM. • + (Plus sign): Receive a “network” address. = ! Begin Buffering Commands Execute Buffered Commands Any programming (i.e.
PAGE 7
' {$STAMP BS2} ' {$PBASIC 2.5} sio PIN 15 baud pwidth i VAR Word VAR Word VAR Byte PAUSE 100 baud = $ffff FOR i = 0 TO 255 PULSIN sio, 0, pwidth baud = baud MAX pwidth NEXT baud = baud << 1 - 20 | 32768 +nn Address Networked ColorPALs While in Direct mode (and only then) a plus sign (+) followed by two hexadecimal digits will be accepted as a “network” address. Multiple ColorPALs can be paralleled and addressed individually in Direct mode.
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DO SEROUT sio, baud, ["+01= G !+02= B !"] : PAUSE 1000 SEROUT sio, baud, ["+01= B !+02= G !"] : PAUSE 1000 SEROUT sio, baud, ["+00= R !"] : PAUSE 1000 LOOP Program Commands While the ColorPAL is in Buffering mode, you can enter the commands that actually do something, like light up the LEDs or take a color sample. Here are the commands that it can accept. — LED Commands — WARNING! The light from the RGB LED is very concentrated and can be very bright.
PAGE 9
tnn Set Inter-color Transition Time By default, when colors are displayed in sequence, it’s done one color after the other without any kind of transition. This behavior can be modified by setting a non-zero transition time between colors. The twohex-digit argument accompanying this command establishes the rate at which one color blends into the next during a transition. The overall transition time depend on how dissimilar the two colors are to begin with.
PAGE 10
The ColorPAL normally references the full-scale output of the light sensor to +5V. For very low-light situations, this output can be referenced to 1.1V instead, which effectively multiplies the sensitivity by more than 4.5. This setting is not recommended for normal ambient lighting conditions or cases where the internal LED is used to illuminate a subject. This is because the reading will saturate just from the ambient light or reflections from the plastic snorkel.
PAGE 11
1. If the parameter is even, it is taken as a minimum, to which a random number between 0 and (deviate – 1) is added. The sum cannot go above FE. 2. If the parameter is odd, it is taken as a maximum, to which a random number between 0 and (deviate – 1) is subtracted. The sum cannot go below 01. To turn off randomization, just do a ?00.
PAGE 12
Deeply- or incorrectly-nested subroutine calls and loops may cause the stack to encroach upon the end of the buffer space in RAM. Each call adds one byte to the stack; each loop, two bytes. There is no error checking for excess nesting or unterminated loops. It is the programmer’s responsibility to ensure that programs are correctly structured. Color Matching Program The Parallax website includes a PC color-matching program that you can use to demo your ColorPAL.