How to measure ambient light Sensor functionality??

[AnkitRamani]

Thank you very much for reply...

May be I am lacking of lots of knowledge....

Actually I asked to design a window  on front panel in order to see numeric value which is change accordingly  the light intensity means if full light  then value should be maximum and if its dark then value should be 0 and it varied according to the light intensity.

We are using photo cell..And I have to start from beginning and I have no idea about how to design this and which kind of software is needed..

Will you please guide me that which driver I have to download and what the information I should collect in order to start designing of vi.

Thank you very much for understanding......

[dkfire]

Okay, before you start with any software, you need to find out how you connect the Photo cell to the PC.

Who has made the Photo cell ?

Does is give a voltage out ?

Does it have a RS232 connection ?

Does it have a USB connection ?

[ajmartin]

Also, once you answer the questions DKfire asked, you will need to learn some LabVIEW. There are a bunch of free LabVIEW lessons on the NI site. From your LEGO analogy it sound like your light sensor generates an analog voltage. Depending on the voltage all you need to do what you want is an in-expensive DAQ like a USB 6008 or 6009. Unless of course you already have some DAQ equipment. (that question has been asked at least twice). Then you really do not need any special drivers besides DAQmx. Things you will need to know about LabVIEW before you start the Front Panel and Block Diagram are:

for loops,shift registers and arrays, and for starters you could get away with using DAQ express. I think if you learn all those things you should be able to continuously pull in the analog signal, stick it in an array, make decisions based on the analog voltage level and then out put an action based on the decision.

[ajmartin]

A correction to my reply, you will need a while loop to continuously pull in the analog signal, and my suggestion for a beginner to try using DAQ assist, you will need to study up on Dynamic Data and how to convert from Dynamic Data.  So once you study up on LabVIEW basics, you can drop DAQ assist into the while loop and configure it to acquire your data, the rest should be easy.

Alan

[AnkitRamani]

Hello,

thank you for your guidance. I have refered tutorials regarding to DAQ and also Modbus..

My case is regarding to transducer.

And ambient light is implement in another device and we are communicate with that device by using RS485...

My question is now suppose I want to measure all the data regarding to ambient light sensor in VI front panal then I should have sufficient information about registers, starting address of register ,and from that I have to implement modbus and then I have to use DAQ in order to measure data.

Is this right or I should know any thing else.

Thank you for your reply.

[dkfire]

And why do you think you need DAQ?

What will you be using the DAQ for?

[AnkitRamani]

Thank you for reply..

No I don't have idea about this I thought DAQ should be necessary in order to communicate with other devices like transducer...

OK it means I don't need DAQ and by using Modbus I can directly communicate with Ambient light sensor and can measure the intensity..

In my company's software I can see the values are changes according to intensity of light and I asked to do same in front panel of labview so it means I have to call Ambient light register from That software(device) by using modbus.That device is connected with PC by using RS485 cable.

Am I right Or any thing else should I consider..???

Thank you very much for your reply....

[dkfire]

First I will give you some ,'s, it seems that you don't have too many of them.

Second, so fare you have only talk about a decive connected to the PC through RS485.

So as long as you know modbus and the device information you should be good to go. 

[AnkitRamani]

Thank you for reply...

now everything looks ok...

but i got time out error after some time from second modbus write in my vi.

can you please tell me that how can i avoid that time out error..??

Thank you...