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DC motor control

Description

API to control 4 DC motor output channels.

Multiple interfaces available:
- X4.dc - Specific functions affecting all (A, B, C, D) DC channels.
- X4.dcAB, X4.dcCD - Specific functions affecting only AB or CD channel groups.
- X4.dcA, X4.dcB, X4.dcC, X4.dcD - Functions affecting individual DC channels.

Code examples

Arduino projects: RoboBoardX4/DC

Function usage (click to expand) 

/* All DC channels control */
// Set all DC outputs to 50% power
X4.dc.power(50, 50, 50, 50);
// Brake all DC outputs at 100% power
X4.dc.brake(100, 100, 100, 100);
// Invert all DC outputs spin direction
X4.dc.setInvert(true, true, true, true);
// Enable automatic braking for all DC outputs
X4.dc.setAutobrake(50, 50, 100, 100); // 50% for A,B. 100% for C,D.
// Enable DC peripheral
X4.dc.enable();
// Disable DC peripheral
X4.dc.disable();

/* Control DC channel group */
// Play 123 Hz tone on A and B DC channels
X4.dcAB.tone(123); // Play tone
X4.dcAB.tone(123, 1000); // Play tone for 1 second and stop
X4.dcAB.tone(0); // Stop tone playing
tone(0, 123); // Same as "X4.dcAB.tone(123)"
tone(0, 123, 1000); // Same as "X4.dcAB.tone(123, 1000)"
// Play 300 Hz tone on C and D DC channels
X4.dcCD.tone(300); // Play tone
X4.dcCD.tone(300, 500); // Play tone for 500 milliseconds and stop
// Set A and B PWM frequency to 200 Hz
X4.dcAB.setFreq(200);
// Set A and B power range (resolution) to 300
X4.dcAB.setPowerRange(300);
X4.dcA.power(300); // Now power can be set more precisely in range [-300:300]
// Set A and B channels to individually controllable
X4.dcAB.setModeIndividual();
// Set A and B channels to combined controllable
X4.dcAB.setModeCombined();

/* Control single DC channel */
// Enable DC A output
X4.dcA.enable();
// Disable DC D output
X4.dcD.disable();
// Spin DC C output backwards and 50% power
X4.dcC.power(-50);
// Brake DC A output at 100% power
X4.dcA.brake(100);
// Invert DC C spin direction
X4.dcC.setInvert(true);
// Enable automatic brake for DC B channel
X4.dcB.setAutobrake(true); // Enable to 100% power
X4.dcB.setAutobrake(70); // To 70% power
X4.dcB.setAutobrake(0); // Disable

Functions

All DC channels control

Functions using X4.dc interface will affect all (A, B, C, D) DC channels at once.

X4.dc.power(powerA, powerB, powerC, powerD)

Set individual output power for all DC channels at once.
Positive - spin forward, negative - spin backward, 0 - no power.
Parameter:
powerA - channel A output power [-100:100]%.
powerB - channel B output power [-100:100]%.
powerC - channel C output power [-100:100]%.
powerD - channel D output power [-100:100]%.

X4.dc.brake(powerA, powerB, powerC, powerD)

Set individual brake for all DC channels at once.
If power() function was called, brake is automatically removed (set to 0).
Parameter:
powerA - channel A brake power [0:100]%.
powerB - channel B brake power [0:100]%.
powerC - channel C brake power [0:100]%.
powerD - channel D brake power [0:100]%.

X4.dc.setInvert(invertA, invertB, invertC, invertD)

Invert individual DC motor spin direction for all channels at once.
Parameter:
invertA - channel A inverted spin direction [true:false]
invertB - channel B inverted spin direction [true:false]
invertC - channel C inverted spin direction [true:false]
invertD - channel D inverted spin direction [true:false]

X4.dc.setAutobrake(powerA, powerB, powerC, powerD)

Set automatic individual brake for all DC channels at once.
Will automatically apply specified braking power when power() is set to 0.
Used to prevent motor from free spinning.
Parameter:
powerA - channel A automatic brake power [0:100]%.
powerB - channel B automatic brake power [0:100]%.
powerC - channel C automatic brake power [0:100]%.
powerD - channel D automatic brake power [0:100]%.

X4.dc.enable()

Enable DC peripheral. Turn on power.

X4.dc.disable()

Disable DC peripheral. Turn off power.

Control DC channel group

This API is available for DC channel groups X4.dcAB and X4.dcCD only. It will affect both combined (A+B or C+D) channels and can't be separated.

X4.dcAB.tone(frequency, duration)

Play tone (sound) by vibrating DC motor. Same as Arduino tone() function, but with motors. By setting tone, both motor channels (A and B) will start to output specified frequency. If you want only single channel, disable other one X4.dcB.disable(). Function X4.dcCD.tone() for channels C and D can be used independently to channels A and B.
Alternatives:
X4.dcAB.tone(frequency) - duration default to 0 (indefinitely)
tone(pin, frequency, duration) - alias to X4.dcAB.tone(frequency, duration).
tone(pin, frequency) - alias to X4.dcAB.tone(frequency).
Arduino tone() is forward to X4.dcAB.tone() for easy use with Buzzer example code.
Parameter:
frequency - sound frequency [0:20000]Hz. 0 - stop.
duration - tone output duration [0:65535]ms. 0 - indefinitely.
pin - ignored. Any value.

X4.dcAB.setFreq(frequency)

Set motor group (A and B channels) PWM frequency. By default it's 50Hz. Can be changed if certain applications or motors requires so.
Parameter:
frequency - PWM frequency [1:65535]Hz.

X4.dcAB.setPowerRange(power)

Set motor group maximum power range. By default power() function accepts range between 0% and 100%. This range can be increased if more precise control if required for a certain application. Values larger than 100 will be accepted by power() function.
Parameter:
power - max percentage of power [0:32767]%.

X4.dcAB.setModeIndividual()

Switch A and B channel control to individual (default).

X4.dcAB.setModeCombined()

Switch A and B channel control to combined, for output power up to 2 Amps. Single motor should be wired to both ports.
Warning: Experimental feature. Proper implementation and documentation is still missing. Do not use with rev 1.0 board as it will short DC channel.

Control single DC channel

This API is available for each DC motor channel X4.dcA, X4.dcB, X4.dcC, X4.dcD.

X4.dcA.enable()

Enable DC A channel.

X4.dcA.disable()

Disable DC A channel. Won't be affected by any functions.

X4.dcA.power(power)

Set output power for DC channel A.
Positive - spin forward, negative - spin backward, 0 - no power. Parameter:
power - channel A output power [-100:100]%.

X4.dcA.brake(power)

Set brake for DC channel A.
If power() function was called, brake is automatically removed (set to 0).
Parameter:
power - channel A brake power [0:100]%.

X4.dcA.setInvert(invert)

Invert DC motor spin direction for channel A.
Parameter:
invert - channel A inverted spin direction [true:false]

X4.dcA.setAutobrake(power)

Set automatic brake for DC channel A.
Will automatically apply specified braking power when power() is set to 0.
Used to prevent motor from free spinning.
Parameter:
power - channel A automatic brake power [0:100]% or [false:true].