Common use cases of timers

Let’s start with timers for time interval measurement.

Time interval measurement

One common use of timers is in ultrasonic sensors for distance measurement, widely used in robotics, automotive parking systems, and obstacle detection.

Timers play a vital role in the operation of these sensors. Here’s how they work:

1. The microcontroller sends a trigger signal to the ultrasonic sensor, causing it to emit an ultrasonic pulse.
2. The sensor waits for the echo of the pulse to return after bouncing off an object.
3. A timer starts counting when the pulse is emitted and stops when the echo is received.
4. The time interval measured by the timer is used to calculate the distance to the object based on the speed of sound.

By accurately measuring the time interval between sending the pulse and receiving the echo, the system can determine the distance to objects, enabling precise navigation and obstacle avoidance.

Timers are...