How to? ESPHome Time-of-Flight sensor reporting every 5s and I want to eliminate small variations in the reported value yet respond to a large change on next update

Configuration
1

Warning: This might make you scratch your head a bit!!
:thinking:
The Goal: Convert distance patio door is open in meters to a % to open the vertical blind and not have it change from 35% to 40% to 35% to 40% yet have it change within 5s from 35% to 60%.
Input: ESPHome -platform vl53l0x, range 0.00m to 0.80m (0 to 32 inches), every 5s.
Adjust blind position: 0% to 60% in steps of 5%.
So far: I have a template that converts the distance in metres to desired percent, in increments of 5%.
Problem: With the variations every 5s in measured distance, the templated percent can bounce from 35% to 40% to 35% to 40%.
Desired Solution: Figure out how to prevent small fluctuations in measurements from constantly re-adjusting the blind yet immediately adjust the blind when there is a large change!

ESPHome config:

esphome:
  name: patio-door-distance-sensor
  friendly_name: Patio Door Distance Sensor

esp32:
  board: esp32dev
  framework:
    type: arduino

# Enable logging
logger:

# Enable Home Assistant API
api:
  encryption:
    key: "<redacted>"

ota:
  password: "<redacted>"

wifi:
  ssid: !secret wifi_ssid
  password: !secret wifi_password

  # Enable fallback hotspot (captive portal) in case wifi connection fails
  ap:
    ssid: "Patio-Door-Distance"
    password: "<redacted>"

captive_portal:

i2c:
  sda: 21
  scl: 22
  scan: true
  id: bus_a

sensor:
  - platform: vl53l0x
    name: "Patio Door Distance"
    address: 0x29
    update_interval: 5s
    long_range: true
    unit_of_measurement: "m"
    filters:
      - calibrate_linear:
        - 0.0 -> 0.0
        - 0.19 -> 0.24
        - 0.80 -> 0.80

Sensor template:

{{ ((states("sensor.patio_door_distance")|float(0) * 39.37 / 30 * 55) / 5) | round(0) * 5 }}

I have tried a compensation sensor but it requires a numerical input and this one is string.

south_patio_vertical_blind_position:
#  source: sensor.south_patio_door_open_distance
  source: sensor.patio_door_distance
  unit_of_measurement: "%"
  lower_limit: true
  upper_limit: true
  precision: 0
  data_points:
    - [0.2, 80.0]
    - [0, 60]

I also tried - platform: average but it’s too slow to update to large changes.

  - platform: average
    name: Patio Door Position
    unique_id: patio_door_position
    duration: 00:02:00
    entities:
      - sensor.patio_door_distance
2

In ESPHome use a combination of the delta and throttle filter. For example:

    filters:
      - or:
          - throttle: 30s
          - delta: 24

This will send updates every 30 seconds except if the amount changes by more than 24%, in which case it will send immediately.

Adjust the values as needed.

Adding a windowed average of 10 values can cut down noise too and only slows the response slightly.

sensor:
  - platform: vl53l0x
    name: "Patio Door Distance"
    address: 0x29
    update_interval: 5s
    long_range: true
    unit_of_measurement: "m"
    filters:
      - calibrate_linear:
        - 0.0 -> 0.0
        - 0.19 -> 0.24
        - 0.80 -> 0.80
      - sliding_window_moving_average:
          window_size: 10
          send_every: 1
1 Like
3

You’re a genius!! I am relatively inexperienced at ESPHome config options and I’ve spent days trying to find something. I am trying the filters: throttle (60s) OR delta (5)…

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Thanks!

4

Still changing but not as often…

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Will try the sliding window now…

Still fluctuates…

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5

You appear to be applying that to your raw distance, not the % distance. This means that the delta won’t be used unless you move more than 5m!

6

So the delta is absolute not %? My % is an HA template therefore delta would be .05 for the absolute meter measurement?

7

It depends ow you specified it. See: Sensor Component — ESPHome

- delta: 5 # absolute 5 units

- delta: 5% # 5% change from previous value.
8

I just changed it from “5” to “.05” and it seems stable yet quite responsive to larger changes!

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  - platform: vl53l0x
    name: "Patio Door Distance"
    address: 0x29
    update_interval: 5s
    long_range: true
    unit_of_measurement: "m"
    filters:
      - calibrate_linear:
        - 0.0 -> 0.0
        - 0.19 -> 0.24
        - 0.80 -> 0.80
      - or:
          - throttle: 300s
          - delta: 5%

Thank you!

1 Like