LightRanger 5 Click as its foundation uses the TMF8801, an actual direct time-of-flight (ToF) sensor system in a single modular package from AMS-TAOS. It offers highly accurate depth accuracy detection through a sub-nanosecond light pulse and an antialiasing “stop-watch” method to measure the round-trip time of the pulse. It comes with an integrated microprocessor (Cortex M0) featured with all algorithms included on-chip with no need for external optics and an emitter that offers high dynamic range and detection sensing measurements from 20 to 2500 mm distances. Alongside these features, it also provides single-zone detection of an object irrespective of color, reflectivity, and texture.

The TMF8801 utilizes highly sensitive Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) detection with fast, compact time-to-digital converters to make highly accurate distance measurements within ±5%. It is capable of operation in dark environments and the presence of sunlight. A built-in histogram is featured to detect cover glass and report object distances, operating with the highest Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) while compensating for dirt and smudges contaminants on a product cover glass to produce artifact-free measurement. The histogram delivers dynamic cover glass calibration, and crosstalk compensation and background light noise are minimized through on-chip sunlight rejection filters.

LightRanger 5 Click communicates with MCU using the standard I2C 2-Wire interface supporting Fast Mode operation with a clock frequency up to 1MHz. Also, it provides the possibility of the device Power-Up feature (Enable) routed to the CS pin of the mikroBUS™ socket, interrupt feature on the INT pin of the mikroBUS™ to optimize ranging operation, and two pins on the RST and PWM pins of the mikroBUS™ socket used as a general GPIO output signal.

This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before use with MCUs with different logic levels. However, the Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used, as a reference, for further development.