MAX86141 SPI Communication with nRF5340

Hi,

I'm currently trying to utilize a MAX86141 sensor (datasheet found here) and am using an nRF5340 development kit to interface with it using SPI. The issue is, I've never used SPI before, so I could use some help setting this up and haven't been able to find much to help me along with it. Currently, I have the following code set up to simply read the part ID from register 0xFF and return 0x25, which is giving the expected result.

#include <zephyr/kernel.h>
#include <zephyr/drivers/gpio.h>
#include <zephyr/drivers/spi.h>
#include <ncs_version.h>


#define WRITE_EN 0x00
#define READ_EN 0xFF

#define REG_INT_STAT_1         0x00      //Interrupt Status 1
#define REG_INT_STAT_2         0x01      //Interrupt Status 2
#define REG_INT_EN_1           0x02      //Interrupt Enable 1
#define REG_INT_EN_2           0x03      //Interrupt Enable 2
#define REG_FIFO_WR_PTR        0x04      //FIFO Buffer Write Pointer
#define REG_FIFO_RD_PTR        0x05      //FIFO Buffer Read Pointer
#define REG_OVF_COUNTER        0x06      //Over Flow Counter
#define REG_FIFO_DATA_COUNT    0x07      //FIFO Data Counter
#define REG_FIFO_DATA          0x08      //FIFO Data Register

#define REG_FIFO_CONFIG_1      0x09      //FIFO Configuration 1
#define REG_FIFO_CONFIG_2      0x0A      //FIFO Configuration 2
#define REG_MODE_CONFIG        0x0D      //System Control

//Photoplethysmogram (PPG) registers
#define REG_PPG_SYNC_CTRL      0x10      //PPG Sync Control
#define REG_PPG_CONFIG_1       0x11      //PPG Configuration Settings Group 1
#define REG_PPG_CONFIG_2       0x12      //PPG Configuration Settings Group 2
#define REG_PPG_CONFIG_3       0x13      //PPG Configuration Settings Group 3

#define REG_PROX_INTR_THRESH   0x14      //Prox Interrupt Threshold
#define REG_PD_BIAS            0x15      //Photo Diode Bias
#define REG_PICKET_FENCE       0x16      //Picket Fence Settings

#define REG_LED_SEQ_1          0x20      //LED Sequence 1
#define REG_LED_SEQ_2          0x21      //LED Sequence 2
#define REG_LED_SEQ_3          0x22      //LED Sequence 3

#define REG_LED1_PA            0x23      //LED 1 Pulse Amplitude
#define REG_LED2_PA            0x24     //LED 2 Pulse Amplitude
#define REG_LED3_PA            0x25      //LED 3 Pulse Amplitude
#define REG_LED4_PA            0x26      //LED 4 Pulse Amplitude
#define REG_LED5_PA            0x27      //LED 5 Pulse Amplitude
#define REG_LED6_PA            0x28      //LED 6 Pulse Amplitude
#define REG_LED_PILOT_PA       0x29      //LED Pilot Pulse Amplitude
#define REG_LED_RANGE_1        0x2A      //LED Amplitude Range 1
#define REG_LED_RANGE_2        0x2B      //LED Amplitude Range 2

//Hi resolution DAC settings for each LED.
#define REG_S1_HI_RES_DAC1     0x2C
#define REG_S2_HI_RES_DAC1     0x2D
#define REG_S3_HI_RES_DAC1     0x2E
#define REG_S4_HI_RES_DAC1     0x2F
#define REG_S5_HI_RES_DAC1     0x30
#define REG_S6_HI_RES_DAC1     0x31

#define REG_S1_HI_RES_DAC2     0x32
#define REG_S2_HI_RES_DAC2     0x33
#define REG_S3_HI_RES_DAC2     0x34
#define REG_S4_HI_RES_DAC2     0x35
#define REG_S5_HI_RES_DAC2     0x36
#define REG_S6_HI_RES_DAC2     0x37

//Die-temp registers
#define REG_TEMP_CONFIG        0x40
#define REG_TEMP_INTR          0x41
#define REG_TEMP_FRAC          0x42

//SHA256 registers
#define REG_SHA_CMD            0xF0
#define REG_SHA_CONFIG         0xF1

//Memory registers
#define REG_MEM_CTRL           0xF2
#define REG_MEM_IDX            0xF3
#define REG_MEM_DATA           0xF4
#define REG_PART_ID            0xFF

#define SIZE 					20
#define FIFO_SAMPLES 			128-0x78

#define RESET_REG       0x00
#define READ_CMD        0x07

//Mode 3
static const struct spi_config spi_cfg = {
    .operation = SPI_OP_MODE_MASTER | SPI_WORD_SET(8) | SPI_TRANSFER_MSB |
             SPI_MODE_CPOL | SPI_MODE_CPHA,
    .frequency = 125000,
    .slave = 0,
};


#define SPI1_NODE       DT_NODELABEL(my_spi_master)
static const struct device *spi_dev = DEVICE_DT_GET(SPI1_NODE);

#define MY_GPIO1 DT_NODELABEL(gpio1)    //CS
#define GPIO_1_CS       12
const struct device *gpio1_dev = DEVICE_DT_GET(MY_GPIO1);

void spi_test_send(uint8_t reg, uint8_t size)
{
    int err;
    uint8_t tx_buffer[1];
    
    tx_buffer[0] = size | reg;
    static uint8_t rx_buffer[3];
    
    for (int i=0; i<sizeof(tx_buffer);i++)
    {
        rx_buffer[i] = 0x00;
    }

    const struct spi_buf tx_buf = {
        .buf = tx_buffer,
        .len = sizeof(tx_buffer)
    };
    const struct spi_buf_set tx = {
        .buffers = &tx_buf,
        .count = 1
    };

    struct spi_buf rx_buf = {
        .buf = rx_buffer,
        .len = size,
    };
    const struct spi_buf_set rx = {
        .buffers = &rx_buf,
        .count = 1
    };
    
    gpio_pin_set(gpio1_dev, GPIO_1_CS, 0);
    err = spi_transceive(spi_dev, &spi_cfg, &tx, &rx);
    gpio_pin_set(gpio1_dev, GPIO_1_CS, 1);
    
    if (err) {
        printk("SPI error: %d\n", err);
    } else {
        printk("\r\nTX sent: ");
        printk("0x%02x", tx_buffer[0]);
        
        printk("\r\nRX recv: ");
        printk("0x%02x", rx_buffer[2]);
        printk("\r\n");
    }   
}

void main(void)
{

    gpio_pin_configure(gpio1_dev, GPIO_1_CS, GPIO_OUTPUT);
    gpio_pin_set(gpio1_dev, GPIO_1_CS, 1);
    
    while(1){
    spi_test_send(WRITE_EN, REG_PART_ID);
    k_sleep(K_MSEC(1000));
    }
}

The problem is that now I need to actually utilize the sensor and get it to turn on the desired LEDs and read the photodiode values, and I've been struggling with where to even start with this. The datasheet provides the following pseudocode (Pages 21-22), but I don't know how to translate this into usable code that will actually function. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance!

Pseudo-Code Example of Initializing the Optical AFE:

DEVICE OPEN
START;
// AFE Initialization
WRITE 0x1 to RESET[0]; // Soft Reset (Register 0x0D[0])
DELAY 1ms;
READ Interrupt Status 1; // Clear Interrupt (Register 0x00)
READ Interrupt Status 2; // Clear Interrupt (Register 0x01)
WRITE 0x1 to SHDN[0]; // Shutdown (Register 0x0D[1])
WRITE 0x3 to PPG_TINT[1:0]; // Pulse Width = 123.8ms (Register 0x11[1:0])
WRITE 0x2 to PPG1_ADC_RGE1:0]; // ADC Range = 16μA (Register 0x11[3:2])
WRITE 0x2 to PPG2_ADC_RGE1:0]; // ADC Range = 16μA (Register 0x11[3:2])
// For MAX86141 when used in Dual Channel only
WRITE 0x0 to SMP_AVE[2:0]; // Sample Averaging = 1 (Register 0x12[2:0])
WRITE 0x00 to PPG_SR[4:0]; // Sample Rate = 25sps (Register 0x12[7:3])
WRITE 0x3 to LED_SETLNG[1:0]; // LED Settling Time = 12ms (Register 0x13[7:6])
WRITE 0x01 to PDBIAS1[2:0]; // PD 1 Biasing for Cpd = 0~65pF (Register 0x15[2:0])
WRITE 0x01 to PDBIAS2[2:0]; // PD 1 Biasing for Cpd = 0~65pF (Register 0x15[2:0])
// For MAX86141 when used in Dual Channel only
WRITE 0x3 to LED1_RGE[1:0]; // LED Driver 1 Range = 124mA (Register 0x15[2:0])
WRITE 0x3 to LED2_RGE[1:0]; // LED Driver 2 Range = 124mA (Register 0x15[2:0])
WRITE 0x20 to LED1_DRV[1:0]; // LED 1 Drive Current = 15.36mA (Register 0x23[7:0])
WRITE 0x20 to LED2_DRV[1:0]; // LED 2 Drive Current = 15.36mA (Register 0x24[7:0])
WRITE 0x1 to LP_Mode[0]; // Low Power mode enabled
// FIFO Configuration
WRITE 0x10 to FIFO_A_FULL[6:0]; // FIFO INT triggered condition (Register 0x09[6:0])
WRITE 0x1 to FIFO_RO; // FIFO Roll Over enabled (Register 0x0A[1])
WRITE 0x1 to A_FULL_EN; // FIFO_A_FULL interrupt enabled (Register 0x02[7])
WRITE 0x1 to LEDC1[3:0]; // LED1 exposure configured in time slot 1
WRITE 0x2 to LEDC2[3:0]; // LED2 exposure configured in time slot 1
WRITE 0x0 to LEDC3[3:0];
WRITE 0x0 to LEDC4[3:0];
WRITE 0x0 to LEDC5[3:0];
WRITE 0x0 to LEDC6[3:0];
WRITE 0x0 to SHDN[0]; // Start Sampling STOP;

Example pseudo-code for reading data from FIFO when using dual photodiode channels and two LED channels.

#define FIFO_SAMPLES (128-0x10) // FIFO_A_FULL[6:0] = 0x10
void device_data_read(void) {
    int i;
    uint8_t sampleCnt;
    uint8_t dataBuf[FIFO_SAMPLES*3]; //(128 - FIFO_A_FULL[6:0]) samples, 3 byte/channel
    uint8_t tag1A[FIFO_SAMPLES/4]; //(128 - FIFO_A_FULL[6:0])/4channels samples
    uint8_t tag1B[FIFO_SAMPLES/4]; //(128 - FIFO_A_FULL[6:0])/4channels samples
    uint8_t tag2A [FIFO_SAMPLES/4]; //(128 - FIFO_A_FULL[6:0])/4channels samples
    uint8_t tag2B [FIFO_SAMPLES/4]; //(128 - FIFO_A_FULL[6:0])/4channels samples
    int led1A[FIFO_SAMPLES/4];
    int led1B[FIFO_SAMPLES/4];
    int led2A[FIFO_SAMPLES/4];
    int led2B[FIFO_SAMPLES/4];
    ReadReg(0x07, &sampleCnt); // sampleCnt should be the same value as FIFO_SAMPLES
    //Read FIFO ReadFifo(dataBuf, sampleCnt * 3);
    for ( i = 0; i < sampleCnt/4/*channels*/; i++ ) {
        tag1A[i] = (dataBuf[i*12+0] >> 3) & 0x1f;
        led1A[i] = ((dataBuf[i*12+0] << 16) | (dataBuf[i*12+1] << 8) |
            dataBuf[i*12+2])) & 0x7ffff; // LED1, PD1
        tag1B[i] = (dataBuf[i*12+3] >> 3) & 0x1f;
        led1B[i] = ((dataBuf[i*12+3] << 16) | (dataBuf[i*12+4] << 8) |
            (dataBuf[i*12+5])) & 0x7ffff; // LED1, PD2
        tag2A[i] = (dataBuf[i*12+6] >> 3) & 0x1f;
        led2A[i] = ((dataBuf[i*12+6] << 16) | (dataBuf[i*12+7] << 8) |
            (dataBuf[i*12+8])) & 0x7ffff; // LED2, PD1
        tag2B[i] = (dataBuf[i*12+9] >> 3) & 0x1f;
        led2B[i] = ((dataBuf[i*12+9] << 16) | (dataBuf[i*12+10] << 8) |
            (dataBuf[i*12+11])) & 0x7ffff; // LED2, PD2 } }

Parents Reply Children
  • Thanks! This was very helpful, and I definitely feel like I have a better grip on how to program SPI functions now. I'm still a little lost in how to find what registers I need to read from/write to, however? For instance, if I wanted to simply get the data from the sensor from the photodiodes, is there a specific register I need to read from, or is it required to be something more involved than that? 

    If you have any information on how to interpret the pseudo-code, that might be helpful, as well, as I'm a bit confused still as to how to understand what it's asking to be done. For instance, when it says 

    WRITE RESET[0] to 0x1; // Soft Reset (Register 0x0D[0])
    DELAY 1ms;
    WRITE SHDN[0] to 0x1; // Shutdown (Register 0x0D[1])

    I'm not sure how to interpret this. Am I sending "0x1" to the same register twice?

  • Decider said:
    Thanks! This was very helpful, and I definitely feel like I have a better grip on how to program SPI functions now.

    Great!

    Decider said:
    I'm still a little lost in how to find what registers I need to read from/write to, however? For instance, if I wanted to simply get the data from the sensor from the photodiodes, is there a specific register I need to read from, or is it required to be something more involved than that? 

    Using the MAX30101 driver together with the datasheet can be helpful here. The MAX30101 uses I2C as communication but the set up for the register is applicable for MAX86141 as well. I hope this can get you started, and just let me know if there is something unclear with the driver.

    Decider said:
    WRITE RESET[0] to 0x1; // Soft Reset (Register 0x0D[0])
    DELAY 1ms;
    WRITE SHDN[0] to 0x1; // Shutdown (Register 0x0D[1])

    I'm not sure how to interpret this. Am I sending "0x1" to the same register twice?

    Yes, you are writing to the same register, but to different bits.

    Best regards,

    Maria

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