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Reverse Parking Alarm System with Pico W¶

This project uses an I2C LCD1602, a buzzer and an ultrasonic module to create a reversing assist system. We can put it on a remote control car to simulate the the actual process of reversing a car into a garage.

../_images/picow_project.jpg

Required Components

In this project, we need the following components.

  • Raspberry Pi Pico W

  • I2C LCD1602

  • Ultrasonic Module

  • 1k Resistor

  • S8050 NPN Transistor

  • Active Buzzer

  • BreadVolt

  • 800 Holes Breadboard

  • Jumper Wires

Wiring Diagram

../_images/picow_ultrasonic.png

Code

import machine
import time
import _thread
from lcd1602 import LCD

# GPIO pin setup
TRIG = machine.Pin(17, machine.Pin.OUT)
ECHO = machine.Pin(16, machine.Pin.IN)
BUZZER = machine.Pin(14, machine.Pin.OUT)
SDA = machine.Pin(6)
SCL = machine.Pin(7)

# I2C setup for LCD1602
i2c = machine.I2C(0, scl=SCL, sda=SDA)
lcd = LCD(i2c)

dis = 100

def distance():
    timeout = 10000 * 5 / 340
    TRIG.low()
    time.sleep_us(2)
    TRIG.high()
    time.sleep_us(10)
    TRIG.low()
    timeout_start = time.ticks_ms()  # For timeout, re-read distance
    while not ECHO.value():
        waiting_time = time.ticks_ms()
        if waiting_time - timeout_start > timeout:
            return -1
    time1 = time.ticks_us()
    while ECHO.value():
        waiting_time = time.ticks_ms()
        if waiting_time - timeout_start > timeout:
            return -1
    time2 = time.ticks_us()
    during = time.ticks_diff(time2, time1)
    return during * 340 / 2 / 10000

def ultrasonic_thread():
    global dis
    while True:
        dis = distance()

_thread.start_new_thread(ultrasonic_thread, ())

def beep():
    BUZZER.high()
    time.sleep(0.1)
    BUZZER.low()
    time.sleep(0.1)

intervals = 10000000
previousMills = time.ticks_ms()
time.sleep(1)

while True:
    if dis < 0:
        lcd.message("Error in\nmeasurement")
    else:
        lcd.clear()
        lcd.message(f"Distance: {dis:.2f} cm")
        if dis <= 10:
            intervals = 300
        elif dis <= 20:
            intervals = 500
        elif dis <= 50:
            intervals = 1000
        else:
            intervals = 2000

    currentMills = time.ticks_ms()
    if time.ticks_diff(currentMills, previousMills) >= intervals:
        beep()
        previousMills = currentMills

    time.sleep_ms(100)
  • As soon as the program runs, the ultrasonic sensor will continuously read the distance to the obstacle in front of you, and you will be able to see the exact distance value on the shell.

  • The LED and buzzer will change the frequency of blinking and beeping depending on the distance value, thus indicating the approach of the obstacle.

  • When the ultrasonic sensor works, the program will be paused. To avoid interfering with the LED or buzzer timing, we created a separate thread for ranging in this example.

Library

Here you need to use the library called lcd1602.py. You can create a new code in Thonny, copy the following code into it and then save it to your Raspberry Pi Pico W.

import machine
import time

class LCD():
    def __init__(self, addr=None, blen=1):
        sda = machine.Pin(6)
        scl = machine.Pin(7)
        self.bus = machine.I2C(1,sda=sda, scl=scl, freq=400000)
        #print(self.bus.scan())
        self.addr = self.scanAddress(addr)
        self.blen = blen
        self.send_command(0x33) # Must initialize to 8-line mode at first
        time.sleep(0.005)
        self.send_command(0x32) # Then initialize to 4-line mode
        time.sleep(0.005)
        self.send_command(0x28) # 2 Lines & 5*7 dots
        time.sleep(0.005)
        self.send_command(0x0C) # Enable display without cursor
        time.sleep(0.005)
        self.send_command(0x01) # Clear Screen
        self.bus.writeto(self.addr, bytearray([0x08]))

    def scanAddress(self, addr):
        devices = self.bus.scan()
        if len(devices) == 0:
            raise Exception("No LCD found")
        if addr is not None:
            if addr in devices:
                return addr
            else:
                raise Exception(f"LCD at 0x{addr:2X} not found")
        elif 0x27 in devices:
            return 0x27
        elif 0x3F in devices:
            return 0x3F
        else:
            raise Exception("No LCD found")

    def write_word(self, data):
        temp = data
        if self.blen == 1:
            temp |= 0x08
        else:
            temp &= 0xF7
        self.bus.writeto(self.addr, bytearray([temp]))

    def send_command(self, cmd):
        # Send bit7-4 firstly
        buf = cmd & 0xF0
        buf |= 0x04               # RS = 0, RW = 0, EN = 1
        self.write_word(buf)
        time.sleep(0.002)
        buf &= 0xFB               # Make EN = 0
        self.write_word(buf)

        # Send bit3-0 secondly
        buf = (cmd & 0x0F) << 4
        buf |= 0x04               # RS = 0, RW = 0, EN = 1
        self.write_word(buf)
        time.sleep(0.002)
        buf &= 0xFB               # Make EN = 0
        self.write_word(buf)

    def send_data(self, data):
        # Send bit7-4 firstly
        buf = data & 0xF0
        buf |= 0x05               # RS = 1, RW = 0, EN = 1
        self.write_word(buf)
        time.sleep(0.002)
        buf &= 0xFB               # Make EN = 0
        self.write_word(buf)

        # Send bit3-0 secondly
        buf = (data & 0x0F) << 4
        buf |= 0x05               # RS = 1, RW = 0, EN = 1
        self.write_word(buf)
        time.sleep(0.002)
        buf &= 0xFB               # Make EN = 0
        self.write_word(buf)

    def clear(self):
        self.send_command(0x01) # Clear Screen

    def openlight(self):  # Enable the backlight
        self.bus.writeto(self.addr,bytearray([0x08]))
        # self.bus.close()

    def write(self, x, y, str):
        if x < 0:
            x = 0
        if x > 15:
            x = 15
        if y < 0:
            y = 0
        if y > 1:
            y = 1

        # Move cursor
        addr = 0x80 + 0x40 * y + x
        self.send_command(addr)

        for chr in str:
            self.send_data(ord(chr))

    def message(self, text):
        #print("message: %s"%text)
        for char in text:
            if char == '\n':
                self.send_command(0xC0) # next line
            else:
                self.send_data(ord(char))