Operating Principle

An ultrasonic sensor creates a sound pulse that is reflected by obstacles and then returns to the sensor. By measuring the time between creating and receiving the sound pulse, the USBoard-USS4 is able to calculate the distance between the sensor and the closest obstacle.

Activating the sensors cyclically one after the other reduces interfering signals (Cross-Talk). The activation sequence of the sensors is 1, 5, 9, 13, 2, 6, 10, 14, 3, 7, 11, 15, 4, 8, 12, 16.

A CAN and an RS-232 communication interface can be used to acquire distances measured by the sensors as well as the data from the analogue inputs.

For each sensor a warning and an alarm distance can be defined by software. This allows to easily use the board for collision protection. As soon as the distance measured by a sensor falls below the according warning distance, an LED on the board lights up and a relay is switched. A second LED and another relay indicate that an obstacle was detected within the alarm distance of one or more sensors. Warning and alarm distances are defined in the parameter set.

Warning

The USBoard-USS4 is no safety system and can only provide supporting, non-safe information. Never use the USBoard-USS4 for safeguarding of dangerous areas or movements.