Example Code for Arduino-LCD Distance Display

Last revision 2025/12/08

In practical application, the sensor will generally work offline. We provide a special case, which powered by a lithium battery and display distance measurement data with LCD. It is especially suitable for outdoor usage.

Hardware Preparation

Software Preparation

Wiring Diagram

TFmini Connection Diagram(LCD) TFmini Plus Connection Diagram(LCD)

Sample Code

/*
  * @File  : DFRobot_TFmini_test.ino
  * @Brief : This example use TFmini to measure distance
  *         With initialization completed, we can get distance value and signal strength
  * @Copyright   [DFRobot](https://www.dfrobot.com), 2016
  *             GNU Lesser General Public License
  *
  * @version  V1.0
  * @date  2018-1-10
*/
#include <Wire.h>
#include <DFRobot_RGBLCD.h>
#include <DFRobot_TFmini.h>            //TF Mini header file

SoftwareSerial mySerial(12, 13);      // RX, TX
DFRobot_TFmini  TFmini;
uint16_t distance,strength;

unsigned int lcd_r = 0, lcd_g = 0, lcd_b = 0;
unsigned long delaytime = 0, lighttime = 0;
DFRobot_RGBLCD lcd(16, 2);
void setup()
{lcd.init();
  delay(5000);
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial.println("hello start");

  TFmini.begin(mySerial);
  lighttime = millis();
  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  lcd.print("Dis:");
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
  lcd.print("Str:");
  lcd.setRGB(255, 255, 000);
}
void loop() {

/******************LCD*******************/
 lcd_r = random(256);
  delayMicroseconds(10);
  lcd_g = random(256);
  delayMicroseconds(10);
  lcd_b = random(256);
  if (millis() - lighttime > 3000)
  {
    lcd.setRGB(lcd_r, lcd_g, lcd_b);
    lighttime = millis();
  }
  //delay(100);
  /**************TF Mini***************/
 if(TFmini.measure()){                          //Measure Distance and get signal strength
        distance = TFmini.getDistance();       //Get distance data
        strength = TFmini.getStrength();       //Get signal strength data

    lcd.setCursor(5, 0);                       //LCD display
    lcd.print(  distance / 10000);
    lcd.print(  distance/ 1000 % 10);
    lcd.print('.');
    lcd.print(  distance / 100 % 10);
    lcd.print(  distance / 10 % 10);
    lcd.print(  distance  % 10);
    lcd.print(" m");
    lcd.setCursor(5, 1);
    lcd.print(strength / 10000);
    lcd.print(strength / 1000 % 10);
    lcd.print(strength / 100 % 10);
    lcd.print(strength / 10 % 10);
    lcd.print(strength % 10);
    }
}

Result

The following data format is displayed on the LCD monitor:

Dis: 05.000 m
Str: 00600
The following data format is displayed on the LCD monitor

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