Diff: Updates.h

Revision:

35:e959ffba78fd

Child:

39:b3815a1c3802

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/Updates.h	Sat Dec 19 06:37:19 2015 +0000
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+// UPDATES
+//
+// This is a record of new features and changes in recent versions.
+//
+
+// January 2016
+//
+// Dynamic configuration:  all configuration options are now handled dynamically,
+// through the Windows config tool.  In earlier versions, most configuration options
+// were set through compile-time constants, which made it necessary for everyone
+// who wanted to customize anything to create a private branched version of the
+// source repository, edit the source code, and compile their own binary.  This
+// was cumbersome, and required way too much technical knowledge to be worth the
+// trouble to a lot of people.  The goal of the new approach is that everyone can
+// use the same standard binary build, and set options from the Windows tool.
+//
+// TSL1410R and 1412R parallel mode support:  these sensors are physically built
+// out of two separate pixel arrays, which can be read independently.  Past
+// versions only supported "serial" mode pixel transfer, where we read all of 
+// the first array's pixels before reading any of the second array's pixels.
+// In parallel mode, we can read pixels from both arrays at the same time.  The
+// limiting factor in image read speed is the amount of time it takes for the
+// ADC to transfer charge from a pixel and stabilize on a reading.  The KL25Z
+// has multiple ADC hardware channels, so we can read multiple analog values
+// concurrently - it takes the same amount of time for one ADC reading to
+// stabilize as two readings.  So by reading from the two sensor sections 
+// concurrently, we can essentially double the transfer speed.  Faster pixel
+// transfer allows for more accurate motion tracking when the plunger is
+// moving at high speed, allowing for more realistic plunger action on the
+// virtual side.
+//
+//