Controlling DC motors with pulseIn

Using Arduino Project Guidance
1

I am able to control 2 DC motors with the pulseIn command and with an rc receiver. My problem is that when the - if (digitalRead(52) == LOW) - is triggered on or off by a switch on the receiver. the code should switch to an autonomous mode that I want to be controlled by ultrasonic sensors. However when this happens the motors move then stop repeatedly causing an unwanted twitching effect, I believe the pulseIn may be causing this but i am still unsure.

const int rc = A1;
const int rc2 = A0;
const int Forward1 = 10;
const int Backward2 = 9;
const int Forward3 = 8;
const int Backward4 = 7;
int duration;
int duration2;

double fnc_ultrasonic_distance(int _t, int _e){
  unsigned long dur=0;
  digitalWrite(_t, LOW);
  delayMicroseconds(5);
  digitalWrite(_t, HIGH);
  delayMicroseconds(10);
  digitalWrite(_t, LOW);
  dur = pulseIn(_e, HIGH, 18000);
  if(dur==0)return 999.0;
  return (dur/57);
}


void setup() {
  
  pinMode(rc, INPUT);
  pinMode(rc2, INPUT);
  pinMode(Forward1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Backward2, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(Forward1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(Backward2, LOW);  
  pinMode(Forward3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Backward4, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(Forward3, LOW);
  digitalWrite(Backward4, LOW);
  pinMode(24, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(22, INPUT);
}

void loop() {










  if (digitalRead(52) == LOW) {

  duration = constrain(pulseIn(rc, HIGH), 1000, 2000);
  duration2 = constrain(pulseIn(rc2, HIGH), 1000, 2000);

  if (duration <= 1600 && duration >= 1400) {
    analogWrite(Forward1, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward2, 0);
    analogWrite(Forward3, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward4, 0);
    
    
  }
    if (duration > 1600) {
    analogWrite(Forward1, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward2, map(duration,1600, 2000, 180, 255));
    analogWrite(Forward3, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward4, map(duration,1600, 2000, 180, 255));
    
    
  }

 if (duration2 > 1600) {
    analogWrite(Forward1, map(duration2,1600, 2000, 180, 255));
    analogWrite(Backward2, 0);
    analogWrite(Forward3, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward4, map(duration2,1600, 2000, 180, 255));
    
     
  }


    if (duration < 1400) {
    analogWrite(Forward1, map(duration,1400, 1000, 180 , 255));
    analogWrite(Backward2,0);
    analogWrite(Forward3, map(duration,1400, 1000, 180 , 255));
    analogWrite(Backward4,0);
    
}
  if (duration2 < 1400) {
    analogWrite(Forward1, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward2,map(duration2,1400, 1000, 180 , 255));
    analogWrite(Forward3, map(duration2,1400, 1000, 180  , 255));
    analogWrite(Backward4,0);
    
     
} 


  }

  if (digitalRead(52) == HIGH) {

     if ((fnc_ultrasonic_distance(24,22) <= 20)) {
      analogWrite(Forward1, 100);
    analogWrite(Backward2,0);
    analogWrite(Forward3, 100);
    analogWrite(Backward4,0);

    } else {
      analogWrite(Forward1, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward2,100);
    analogWrite(Forward3, 0);
    analogWrite(Backward4,100);

    }


  }



  

   

  
}
2

@TORTLE_TECH, your topic has been moved to a more suitable location on the forum.

3

I think the problem may be late echoes. If you trigger the ultrasonic rangefinder before the echoes from the previous ping have died out, the sensor may see an echo from the old ping and get an unexpectedly low distance. Try adding a 30 millisecond delay:

  if (digitalRead(52) == HIGH) 
  {
    if ((fnc_ultrasonic_distance(24,22) <= 20)) 
    {
      analogWrite(Forward1, 100);
      analogWrite(Backward2,0);
      analogWrite(Forward3, 100);
      analogWrite(Backward4,0);
    } 
    else 
    {
      analogWrite(Forward1, 0);
      analogWrite(Backward2,100);
      analogWrite(Forward3, 0);
      analogWrite(Backward4,100);
    }

  delay(30);
  }
4

I have changed the delay and I found that when changing the delay it changes how often the motor stops then continues to go forward. for example when the delay is 1000 or 1 second the wheels move forward for 1 second then stop for a very small amount of time then repeat.

I think it might be worth noting that whenever I put something in the if (digitalRead(52) == HIGH) section the wheels start t have that annoying jerk effect but when the motors are set forward with no additional code they perform fine.

5

It seems odd to me that you appear to be going forward when the distance sensor reads less than 20. Won't that ram into walls?

Maybe the sound of the motors is interfering with the sensor and causing it to miss an echo. That would result in a pulse length of 0 which you translate to a distance of 999. That would make the motor switch to backward when it misses a read.

6

No the sensor works fine detecting things, I was just trying to explain the jittering effect the motors have regardless if the sensor is triggered or not. my only issue here is the jittering the motors have.

7

the autonamous code works fine with no errors or jitters but when using the rc controller piece at the top it has the jitters.

8

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