A laser module for human height ranging

Abstract

This invention discloses a laser module for measuring human height, comprising a microcontroller for controlling the measurement process, managing the laser emission and reception process, and processing and outputting measurement data; a direct time-of-flight sensor, communicatively connected to the microcontroller, the sensor including a laser emission component and a light signal receiving component for emitting laser light and receiving light signals reflected from the ground; and a power interface including a socket for connecting to an external power source, the socket having a positive power terminal and a negative ground terminal. The principle of this invention for measuring human height is to use the microcontroller to control the direct time-of-flight (dToF) sensor to emit a very thin laser beam. The laser beam is reflected from the ground or an object, and then photons reflected back from the ground or object are received by a photoelectric element. A timer measures the time from emission to reception of the laser beam, calculates the distance traveled by the laser beam, and thus accurately measures the human height.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of laser height measurement, specifically to a laser module for measuring human height. Background Technology

[0002] In applications such as medical and health management, child growth and development monitoring, and smart health terminals, human height is a fundamental measurement data point with widespread demand. Traditional height measurement methods mostly employ contact-based measurement structures, such as mechanical sliding ruler height meters and electronic ruler height meters. These measuring devices are typically bulky, inconvenient to carry, and require users to stand on specialized measuring equipment, resulting in limitations in usage space, complex operation, and slow deployment.

[0003] In recent years, non-contact laser ranging technology has begun to be applied in the field of height measurement, using laser sensors to measure vertical distance and thus achieving automated human height detection. However, existing laser ranging modules still have shortcomings in terms of integration, anti-interference ability, and system stability. On the one hand, some solutions use a combination of multiple components, resulting in large module size, complex installation, and high power consumption; on the other hand, some systems are unstable in complex reflective or low-reflectivity ground environments, affecting accuracy and reliability, and making it difficult to meet the requirements of embedded applications in portable devices.

[0004] Furthermore, in existing technologies, communication between the laser module and the main control system often employs complex or high-power bus protocols, which are not conducive to the low-power control requirements of battery-powered devices. At the same time, sensors often rely on external optical lenses, increasing system assembly costs and size, and impacting overall packaging efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a laser height measurement module that is compact, consumes little power, has high measurement accuracy, has a simple communication interface, and is easy to embed into portable devices, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a laser module for measuring human height, which effectively overcomes the shortcomings of existing technologies.

[0007] This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution: a laser module for measuring human height, comprising:

[0008] Microcontrollers are used to control the measurement process, manage the laser emission and reception process, and process and output measurement data.

[0009] A direct time-of-flight sensor is communicatively connected to the microcontroller. The sensor includes a laser emitting component and an optical signal receiving component, used to emit laser light and receive optical signals reflected back from the ground.

[0010] A power interface includes a socket for connecting to an external power source, the socket having a positive power terminal and a negative ground terminal;

[0011] A serial communication interface is connected to the microcontroller, and measurement data is output using UART communication.

[0012] Several capacitors and resistors are connected to the power line and communication line respectively for filtering, decoupling and port pull-up to enhance anti-interference capability;

[0013] The microcontroller also includes a chip select control terminal, which is used to control the entry into the measurement working state when the module is powered on;

[0014] The microcontroller and the direct time-of-flight sensor are connected via an IIC communication bus.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, the microcontroller is a 32-bit low-power microcontroller chip with serial data communication and interrupt control functions.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution, the power interface includes a socket J1, where pin P1 is the positive input terminal and pin P5 is the negative ground terminal.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution, the serial communication interface is a UART interface, the P11 pin of the microcontroller is connected to the P2 pin of the socket as the data transmitting end, and the P12 pin is connected to the P3 pin of the socket as the data receiving end.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution, the microcontroller is connected to the SDA pin of the direct time-of-flight sensor via the P5 pin and to the SCL pin of the sensor via the P6 pin, to form an IIC communication interface.

[0019] As a preferred technical solution, the P2 pin of the microcontroller is connected to the interrupt output pin of the sensor, and the P3 pin is connected to the reset pin of the sensor, which is used to realize the wake-up and standby control of the sensor.

[0020] As a preferred technical solution, the circuit includes capacitors C1 to C6 for power supply filtering and signal decoupling, and resistors R1 to R4 for port pull-up, thereby improving circuit stability and anti-interference performance.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: the module of this utility model consists only of a microcontroller, a direct time-of-flight sensor, a power interface, a communication interface and a small number of capacitors and resistors. The overall circuit design is simple and easy to integrate into a portable measurement terminal, effectively reducing the overall size and assembly complexity.

[0022] This invention achieves height measurement through laser ranging, avoiding the operational requirements of traditional contact devices such as the person being measured standing or leaning against the object, thus improving ease of use and making it suitable for rapid measurement of children, the elderly, and other groups.

[0023] Employing an integrated direct time-of-flight sensor with a built-in photon receiver array and laser emitter, it possesses strong resistance to ambient light interference and is unaffected by ground material, color, or reflectivity, ensuring stable and reliable measurement data.

[0024] The module adopts UART serial communication, which has a simple and versatile interface, and can easily interact with host computers, control motherboards and other devices, simplifying system development and debugging. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is the circuit schematic diagram of this utility model;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0028] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in all disclosed methods or processes, may be combined in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.

[0029] Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features, unless specifically stated otherwise. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, this utility model provides a laser module for measuring human height, which aims to achieve non-contact and accurate measurement of human height through a compact and integrated design, and has good system compatibility and low power consumption characteristics.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the laser module comprises a microcontroller, a direct time-of-flight sensor (dToF sensor), a power interface, a serial communication interface, and several capacitors and resistors.

[0032] The microcontroller, as the core control unit of the module, manages the entire measurement process, including controlling the laser emission, receiving and processing the reflected light signals, calculating the time of flight, and outputting height and distance measurement data. In this embodiment, a 32-bit low-power microcontroller chip is preferably used. This chip has abundant I / O resources and high processing speed, which can meet the requirements of real-time control and data processing. Simultaneously, the microcontroller also supports serial communication and interrupt control functions to ensure rapid data interaction and status response with the sensor.

[0033] The direct time-of-flight sensor is connected to a microcontroller via a communication line. During measurement, it emits a narrow-beam laser and receives photon signals reflected from the ground via its built-in photodetector. The sensor calculates the round-trip time of the laser to determine the vertical distance between the microcontroller and the ground, thus indirectly measuring the height of the person. The sensor integrates both a laser emitting component and a light signal receiving component, resulting in a highly integrated structure suitable for small-volume module applications.

[0034] The microcontroller and the direct time-of-flight sensor exchange data via the IIC communication bus. Specifically, the microcontroller's P5 pin is connected to the sensor's SDA pin, and its P6 pin is connected to the sensor's SCL pin, forming a complete serial data (SDA) and serial clock (SCL) path for configuring and controlling the sensor and reading data.

[0035] In the power supply section, the laser module has a power interface for connecting to an external DC power source. This interface consists of socket J1, where pin P1 is connected to the positive power supply and pin P5 is connected to the negative power supply, providing a stable operating voltage for the entire module. To achieve low-power applications, the overall circuit of the module is compatible with a voltage input range of 3.3V to 5V, allowing direct integration into common portable devices.

[0036] The serial communication interface is used to upload data measured by the module to an external host device or display terminal. This communication interface uses the standard UART protocol. The microcontroller's P11 pin connects to the P2 pin of socket J1 as the serial data transmitter (TX), and the P12 pin connects to the P3 pin of socket J1 as the serial data receiver (RX). The communication baud rate is 9600, and the transmission mode uses TTL level. The interface is simple and facilitates rapid deployment and debugging.

[0037] To enhance system reliability and anti-interference capabilities, several capacitors and resistors are incorporated into the module circuitry. The capacitors, including C1 to C6, are distributed along the power and signal lines for filtering and decoupling, ensuring stable power supply and clean signals. The resistors, including R1 to R4, serve as pull-up resistors for the IIC and UART communication lines, ensuring stable port levels and preventing external interference from affecting the communication status.

[0038] In addition, to manage the module's operating status, the microcontroller is equipped with a chip select control pin. When the module is powered on, this chip select pin activates the microcontroller to enter the measurement operating state, thereby activating the sensor to begin the laser emission and reception process. For wake-up and standby control, the microcontroller's P2 pin is connected to the sensor's interrupt output pin to receive the sensor's interrupt signal, and the P3 pin is connected to the sensor's reset pin to control the sensor's entry or exit from standby mode, thereby reducing standby power consumption.

[0039] The module described in this embodiment also supports a structural installation design, with multiple mounting and positioning holes on its outer shell for fixing, which facilitates quick positioning and reliable fixing of the module in terminal devices, and is suitable for embedded measuring instruments, children's height monitoring terminals, intelligent physical examination equipment and other occasions.

[0040] Through the above structure and connection relationship, the laser module of this utility model can achieve stable and accurate non-contact height measurement, and has good system compatibility, integration and low power consumption performance, making it suitable for embedded applications of various mobile devices or smart terminals.

[0041] like Figure 1 As shown, the module circuit consists of only an MCU main controller U3 and a direct time-of-flight (dToF) sensor U2. The circuit is simple, has strong anti-interference capabilities, provides accurate measurements, and offers significant cost advantages. The main controller U3 uses a 32-bit microcontroller with abundant resources, fast processing, and powerful functionality. The direct time-of-flight (dToF) sensor U2 is a single-module package, easy to install, and has a simple structure, making it ideal for use in portable human height measurement products.

[0042] The direct time-of-flight (dToF) sensor U2 integrates a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) receiver array and a laser emitter. By calculating the round-trip time of the returning photons, it measures human height, and system configuration information is transmitted to the application via the main IIC communication interface.

[0043] The U2 sensor is easy to integrate into systems and requires no additional optical components. It can accurately measure human height regardless of ground or object color, reflectivity, and texture, providing a compact solution for portable height measurement products on the market. The U2 sensor uses a Class 1 940nm stealth laser emitter, is eye-safe, and complies with the latest standard IEC 60825-1:2014 (3rd edition), belonging to a new type of human height measurement technology.

[0044] The module circuit adopts a serial UART interface with a baud rate of 9600 and uses TTL level output to transmit measurement data to the upper device. The communication interface is simple and easy to manufacture.

[0045] The module circuit consists of socket J1, low-power CMS32L032 microcontroller U3, VI5300 direct time-of-flight (dToF) sensor U2, capacitors C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 and resistors R1, R2, R3, R4;

[0046] The P1 pin of module circuit J1 is connected to the positive terminal of the external power supply, and the P5 pin of J1 is connected to the negative terminal of the external power supply to power the module.

[0047] The P2 pin of the J1 socket in the module circuit is connected to the P11 pin of U3 as the serial UART interface data output port TX. The P3 pin of the J1 socket is connected to the P12 pin of U3 as the serial UART interface data input port RX. The P4 pin of the J1 socket is connected to the P13 pin of U3 as the chip select pin of U3. When powered on, U3 is selected through the chip select pin to enter the measurement working state. The measurement data is output to the external device through the serial UART interface.

[0048] In module circuit U3, pin P2 is connected to pin P7 of U2 as the interrupt output of U2; pin P3 of U3 is connected to pin P5 of U2 as the reset input for standby mode of U2; pin P5 of U3 is connected to pin P9 of U2 as the I2C serial data SDA input / output of U2; and pin P6 of U3 is connected to pin P10 of U2 as the I2C serial clock SCL input of U2. SCL and SDA are the IIC interfaces connecting to microcontroller U3. Microcontroller U3 uses this IIC interface to control the direct time-of-flight (dToF) sensor U2 to accurately measure human height.

[0049] Capacitors C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, and C6 are used for filtering, decoupling, and anti-interference. Resistors R1, R2, R3, and R4 are used as port pull-ups to ensure port stability and improve anti-interference capability.

[0050] Communication protocol:

[0051]

[0052]

[0053] Communication protocol examples and explanations: The default sending interval is approximately 100ms.

[0054] 0xAC 0x00 0xFF 0xFF 0xFE 0xCD Uploaded measurement error 0xAC 0x00 0xXX 0xXX 0xXX 0xCD Send measurement data For example: 0xAC 0x00 0x06 0x66 0x6C 0xCD Distance = 163.8mm

[0055] Start Test Command: The system defaults to starting test mode upon power-up.

[0056] 0xAC 0x01 0x00 0x00 0x01 0xCD Issue start measurement

[0057] Offest calibration command:

[0058] 0xAC 0x03 0x00 0x00 0x03 0xCD Offset calibration 0xAC 0x03 0x00 0x00 0x03 0xCD Re: Offset calibration 0xAC 0x03 0xFF 0xFF 0x01 0xCD Reply: Calibration complete

[0059] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions conceived without inventive effort should be included within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A laser module for measuring human height, characterized in that, include: Microcontrollers are used to control the measurement process, manage the laser emission and reception process, and process and output measurement data. A direct time-of-flight sensor is communicatively connected to the microcontroller. The sensor includes a laser emitting component and an optical signal receiving component, used to emit laser light and receive optical signals reflected back from the ground. A power interface includes a socket for connecting to an external power source, the socket having a positive power terminal and a negative ground terminal; A serial communication interface is connected to the microcontroller, and measurement data is output using UART communication. Several capacitors and resistors are connected to the power line and communication line respectively for filtering, decoupling and port pull-up to enhance anti-interference capability; The microcontroller also includes a chip select control terminal, which is used to control the entry into the measurement working state when the module is powered on; The microcontroller and the direct time-of-flight sensor are connected via an IIC communication bus.

2. The laser module for measuring human height according to claim 1, characterized in that: The microcontroller is a 32-bit low-power microcontroller chip with serial data communication and interrupt control functions.

3. The laser module for measuring human height according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power interface includes a socket J1, with pin P1 being the positive input terminal and pin P5 being the negative ground terminal.

4. The laser module for measuring human height according to claim 1, characterized in that: The serial communication interface is a UART interface. The P11 pin of the microcontroller is connected to the P2 pin of the socket as the data transmitting end, and the P12 pin is connected to the P3 pin of the socket as the data receiving end.

5. The laser module for measuring human height according to claim 1, characterized in that: The microcontroller is connected to the SDA pin of the direct time-of-flight sensor via the P5 pin and to the SCL pin of the sensor via the P6 pin, to form an IIC communication interface.

6. The laser module for measuring human height according to claim 1, characterized in that: The P2 pin of the microcontroller is connected to the interrupt output pin of the sensor, and the P3 pin is connected to the reset pin of the sensor, which is used to realize the wake-up and standby control of the sensor.

7. The laser module for measuring human height according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circuit includes capacitors C1 to C6 for power supply filtering and signal decoupling, and resistors R1 to R4 for port pull-up, which improve circuit stability and anti-interference performance.

Images