TCS3200 Color Sensor Module

Description

The TCS3200 color sensor can detect a wide variety of colors based on their wavelength. This sensor is specially useful for color recognition projects such as color matching, color sorting, test strip reading, ambient light sensing and much more

The TCS3200 color sensor uses a TAOS TCS3200 RGB sensor chip to detect color. It also contains four white LEDs that light up the object in front of it.

The TCS3200 has an array of photodiodes with 4 different filters. A photodiode is simply a semiconductor device that converts light into current.

The TCS3200 color sensor sensor has:

• 16 photodiodes with red filter – sensitive to red wavelength
• 16 photodiodes with green filter – sensitive to green wavelength
• 16 photodiodes with blue filter – sensitive to blue wavelength
• 16 photodiodes without filter

If you take a closer look at the TCS3200 chip you can see the different filters.

The filters of each color are distributed evenly throughout the array to eliminate location bias among the colors. Internal to the device is an oscillator which produces a square-wave output whose frequency is proportional to the intensity of the chosen color.

Specification:

• Power: 2.7V to 5.5V
• Size: 28.4 x 28.4mm (1.12 x 1.12″)
• Interface: digital TTL
• High-resolution conversion of light intensity to frequency
• Programmable color and full-scale output frequency
• Communicates directly to microcontroller

Pinout:

• S0, S1 – Output frequency scaling selection inputs
• S2,S3 – Photodiode type selection inputs
• OE – Enable for Output Frequency(fo) (Active Low)
• OUT – Output Frequency (fo)
• VCC – Supply Voltage (5V)
• GND – Ground

Pins S2 and S3 of TCS3200 color sensor are used to select the group of photodiodes (red, green, blue and clear) that are active. The detailed pin description is given below.

S0 and S1 Functions

S0         S1        Output Frequency (fo)

L            L              Power Down

L            H              2%

H         L                20%

H         H              100%

Each sensor array in these three arrays is selected separately, depending on the requirement. Hence, it is known as a programmable sensor.

S2 and S3 Functions

S2            S3        Photodiode type

L               L               Red

L               H              Blue

H               L              Clear

H               H             Green

How to use this Sensor:

TCS3200 Color Sensor Tutorial | Arduino | TCS230