LED-based time-of-flight IC for object

detection and distance measurement

Lee Goldberg - October 20, 2015

Although Intersil's ISL29501 time-of-flight (ToF) signal processing IC doesn't have anything to do
with the lighting applications I normally cover, I felt compelled to bring it to your attention because
it's one of the most innovative LED applications I've seen this year. The device requires little more
than an external emitter (LED or laser) and a photodiode to implement a complete object detection
and distance measurement solution that provides precision long-range accuracy up to 2m in both
dark and bright ambient light conditions.
According to Intersil, the ISL29501 overcomes the shortcomings of traditional amplitude-based
proximity sensors and other ToF solutions, most of which perform poorly in lighting conditions above
2,000 lux, or cannot provide distance information unless the object is perpendicular to the sensor.
Alternative solutions do exist but, until recently, most of them have been be too expensive, bulky, or
power hungry for use in small form factor, battery-powered applications. Unlike competitive
solutions, the ISL29501 allows customers to select the emitter and photodiode of their choice and
configure a low power ToF sensing system customized for their application.

Intersil ISL29501 application diagram

In order to perform accurate, low-power proximity detection and distance measurement at up to 2m,
Intersil integrates several innovative design features within the ISL29501. This includes an on-chip
DSP that calculates ToF and an active ambient light rejection circuit to minimize the influence of
ambient light during distance measurement. To prevent interference with other consumer products
such as IR TV remote controls that operate at 40kHz, the IC's emitter DAC uses a modulation
frequency of 4.5 MHz. Achieving high accuracy is simplified thanks to the ISL29501's programmable
distance zones, which allow the user to define three ToF distance zones for determining interrupt
alerts. The ToF system also performs system calibration to accommodate performance variations of
the external components across temperature and ambient light conditions.
The ISL29501 includes several power-saving innovations that can greatly extend battery life in
handheld applications. The TX emitter driver output is programmable (up to 255 mA), allowing
system designers to select the desired current level for driving the external infrared (IR) LED or
laser. This feature enables designers to strike an optimal balance between distance measurement,
object detection, and power budget for their particular application. The devices single shot mode
provides additional power savings by allowing designers to define the sampling period for initial
object detection and approximate distance, while continuous mode more accurately measures
distance. The ISL29501 can also be combined with the ISL9120 buck-boost regulator to further
reduce power consumption and extend battery life.
Intersil's solution offers a compact form factor, low-power consumption, and superior performance,
which make it well-suited for connected devices that make up the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as
consumer mobile devices. Intersil also sees many potential applications for the device in the
emerging commercial drone market. Speaking of drones, I'm sorely tempted to order up one of
Intersil's eval kits to experiment with an idea I've had for an auto-land system for quadcopter-style
drones. And if Intersil could cut the price significantly (more about this shortly) I'll also bet that the
ISL29501 could become very popular for distance and proximity sensing in robotic applications.
The ISL29501 signal processing IC is available now in a low profile 4x5mm, 24-lead TQFN package
and is priced at $4.87 USD in 1k quantities.
To make system design easy for customers, Intersil offers a reference design featuring the
ISL29501, emitter, and photodiode, along with graphical user interface (GUI) software and users
guide. The ISL29501-ST-EV1Z reference design board is completely characterized and available
now, priced at $250 USD. Customers can use it along with Intersils ToF GUI software and users
guide to design their system with minimum effort.
I don't normally comment on pricing but in this case I feel compelled to say that Intersil may be
pricing itself out of several very large and potentially lucrative markets. While industrial applications
will certainly find the ISL29501 attractive at the heavily-discounted price ($2.00-$2.75) I'd expect
them to extend to high-volume customers, this is still too high to be designed into most consumer
applications. It's easy to imagine these chips being used to enable collision avoidance and precision
maneuvering in everything from Roomba-style domestic products to robotic arms and hands. But if
Intersil wants to enjoy design wins in these high-volume consumer items, they'll need to sharpen
their pencils and come up with a consumer-friendly price. Likewise, I'd strongly recommend that
Intersil cut the price of its evaluation board by close to half if it wants to attract the maker
community.
For more information on the ISL29501 and ToF reference design board and GUI, please visit this
page.

Also see:

The technology of measuring distance and speed

Measuring a signal's flight time

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