# How to use multi-LiDARs ## 1 Introduction This document will show you how to send out multi-LiDARs point cloud with only one driver running. Theoretically, one driver can decoder unlimited number of LiDARs at the same time. For convenient, we will use three LiDARs as an example. ## 2 Online connect with multi-LiDARs Please follow the steps below. ### 2.1 Get the data port number Suppose you have well connect three LiDARs with your computer and you can see the point cloud of each LiDAR on RSView. At this time, you should have known the *msop port and difop port* for each LiDAR. If you have no idea about this, please check the LiDAR user-guide first. ### 2.2 Set up the common part of the config file ```yaml common: msg_source: 1 #0: not use Lidar #1: packet message comes from online Lidar #2: packet message comes from ROS or ROS2 #3: packet message comes from Pcap file #4: packet message comes from Protobuf-UDP #5: point cloud comes from Protobuf-UDP send_packet_ros: false #true: Send packets through ROS or ROS2(Used to record packet) send_point_cloud_ros: true #true: Send point cloud through ROS or ROS2 send_packet_proto: false #true: Send packets through Protobuf-UDP send_point_cloud_proto: false #true: Send point cloud through Protobuf-UDP pcap_path: /home/robosense/lidar.pcap #The path of pcap file ``` ​ Since the message come from the LiDAR, set *msg_source = 1*. ​ We want to send point cloud to ROS so set *send_point_cloud_ros = true*. ### 2.3 Set up the lidar part of the config file ```yaml lidar: - driver: lidar_type: RS128 #The lidar type - RS16, RS32, RSBP, RS128, RS80 frame_id: /rslidar #The frame id of message device_ip: 192.168.1.200 #The device ip address msop_port: 6699 #The msop port of lidar,default is 6699 difop_port: 7788 #The difop port of lidar, default is 7788 start_angle: 0 #The start angle of point cloud area end_angle: 360 #The end angle of point cloud area min_distance: 0.2 #The minimum distance of point cloud area max_distance: 200 #The maximum distance of point cloud area use_lidar_clock: false #true--Use the lidar clock as the message timestamp;false-- Use the system clock as the timestamp angle_path: /home/robosense/angle.csv #The path of the angle calibration file. For the latest version lidars, there is no need to use this file. ros: ros_recv_packet_topic: /rslidar_packets #The topic which used to receive lidar packets from ROS ros_send_packet_topic: /rslidar_packets #The topic which used to send lidar packets through ROS ros_send_point_cloud_topic: /rslidar_points #The topic which used to send point cloud through ROS proto: point_cloud_recv_port: 60021 #The port number used for receiving point cloud point_cloud_send_port: 60021 #The port number which the point cloud will be send to point_cloud_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the point cloud will be send to msop_recv_port: 60022 #The port number used for receiving lidar msop packets difop_recv_port: 60023 #The port number used for receiving lidar difop packets msop_send_port: 60022 #The port number which the msop packets will be send to difop_send_port: 60023 #The port number which the difop packets will be send to packet_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the lidar packets will be send to - driver: lidar_type: RS128 #The lidar type - RS16, RS32, RSBP, RS128, RS80 frame_id: /rslidar #The frame id of message device_ip: 192.168.1.200 #The device ip address msop_port: 1990 #The msop port of lidar,default is 6699 difop_port: 1991 #The difop port of lidar, default is 7788 start_angle: 0 #The start angle of point cloud area end_angle: 360 #The end angle of point cloud area min_distance: 0.2 #The minimum distance of point cloud area max_distance: 200 #The maximum distance of point cloud area use_lidar_clock: false #true--Use the lidar clock as the message timestamp;false-- Use the system clock as the timestamp angle_path: /home/robosense/angle.csv #The path of the angle calibration file. For the latest version lidars, there is no need to use this file. ros: ros_recv_packet_topic: /left/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to receive lidar packets from ROS ros_send_packet_topic: /left/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to send lidar packets through ROS ros_send_point_cloud_topic: /left/rslidar_points #The topic which used to send point cloud through ROS proto: point_cloud_recv_port: 60024 #The port number used for receiving point cloud point_cloud_send_port: 60024 #The port number which the point cloud will be send to point_cloud_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the point cloud will be send to msop_recv_port: 60025 #The port number used for receiving lidar msop packets difop_recv_port: 60026 #The port number used for receiving lidar difop packets msop_send_port: 60025 #The port number which the msop packets will be send to difop_send_port: 60026 #The port number which the difop packets will be send to packet_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the lidar packets will be send to - driver: lidar_type: RS128 #The lidar type - RS16, RS32, RSBP, RS128, RS80 frame_id: /rslidar #The frame id of message device_ip: 192.168.1.200 #The device ip address msop_port: 2000 #The msop port of lidar,default is 6699 difop_port: 2001 #The difop port of lidar, default is 7788 start_angle: 0 #The start angle of point cloud area end_angle: 360 #The end angle of point cloud area min_distance: 0.2 #The minimum distance of point cloud area max_distance: 200 #The maximum distance of point cloud area use_lidar_clock: false #true--Use the lidar clock as the message timestamp;false-- Use the system clock as the timestamp angle_path: /home/robosense/angle.csv #The path of the angle calibration file. For the latest version lidars, there is no need to use this file. ros: ros_recv_packet_topic: /right/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to receive lidar packets from ROS ros_send_packet_topic: /right/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to send lidar packets through ROS ros_send_point_cloud_topic: /right/rslidar_points #The topic which used to send point cloud through ROS proto: point_cloud_recv_port: 60027 #The port number used for receiving point cloud point_cloud_send_port: 60027 #The port number which the point cloud will be send to point_cloud_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the point cloud will be send to msop_recv_port: 60028 #The port number used for receiving lidar msop packets difop_recv_port: 60029 #The port number used for receiving lidar difop packets msop_send_port: 60028 #The port number which the msop packets will be send to difop_send_port: 60029 #The port number which the difop packets will be send to packet_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the lidar packets will be send to ``` ​ Set the *lidar_type* for each LiDAR --- RS16,RS32,RSBP,RS128. ​ Set the *msop_port* and *difop_port* for each LiDAR. ​ Set the *ros_send_point_cloud_topic* for each LiDAR. ### 2.4 Run ​ Run the demo. ## 3 Offline use rosbag with multi-LiDARs Please follow the steps below. ### 3.1 Set up the common part of the config file ```yaml common: msg_source: 2 #0: not use Lidar #1: packet message comes from online Lidar #2: packet message comes from ROS or ROS2 #3: packet message comes from Pcap file #4: packet message comes from Protobuf-UDP #5: point cloud comes from Protobuf-UDP send_packet_ros: false #true: Send packets through ROS or ROS2(Used to record packet) send_point_cloud_ros: true #true: Send point cloud through ROS or ROS2 send_packet_proto: false #true: Send packets through Protobuf-UDP send_point_cloud_proto: false #true: Send point cloud through Protobuf-UDP pcap_path: /home/robosense/lidar.pcap #The path of pcap file ``` ​ Since the packet message come from the ROS, set *msg_source = 2*. ​ We want to send point cloud to ROS so set *send_point_cloud_ros = true*. ### 3.2 Set up the lidar part of the config file ```yaml lidar: - driver: lidar_type: RS128 #The lidar type - RS16, RS32, RSBP, RS128, RS80 frame_id: /rslidar #The frame id of message device_ip: 192.168.1.200 #The device ip address msop_port: 6699 #The msop port of lidar,default is 6699 difop_port: 7788 #The difop port of lidar, default is 7788 start_angle: 0 #The start angle of point cloud area end_angle: 360 #The end angle of point cloud area min_distance: 0.2 #The minimum distance of point cloud area max_distance: 200 #The maximum distance of point cloud area use_lidar_clock: false #true--Use the lidar clock as the message timestamp;false-- Use the system clock as the timestamp angle_path: /home/robosense/angle.csv #The path of the angle calibration file. For the latest version lidars, there is no need to use this file. ros: ros_recv_packet_topic: /rslidar_packets #The topic which used to receive lidar packets from ROS ros_send_packet_topic: /rslidar_packets #The topic which used to send lidar packets through ROS ros_send_point_cloud_topic: /rslidar_points #The topic which used to send point cloud through ROS proto: point_cloud_recv_port: 60021 #The port number used for receiving point cloud point_cloud_send_port: 60021 #The port number which the point cloud will be send to point_cloud_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the point cloud will be send to msop_recv_port: 60022 #The port number used for receiving lidar msop packets difop_recv_port: 60023 #The port number used for receiving lidar difop packets msop_send_port: 60022 #The port number which the msop packets will be send to difop_send_port: 60023 #The port number which the difop packets will be send to packet_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the lidar packets will be send to - driver: lidar_type: RS128 #The lidar type - RS16, RS32, RSBP, RS128, RS80 frame_id: /rslidar #The frame id of message device_ip: 192.168.1.200 #The device ip address msop_port: 1990 #The msop port of lidar,default is 6699 difop_port: 1991 #The difop port of lidar, default is 7788 start_angle: 0 #The start angle of point cloud area end_angle: 360 #The end angle of point cloud area min_distance: 0.2 #The minimum distance of point cloud area max_distance: 200 #The maximum distance of point cloud area use_lidar_clock: false #true--Use the lidar clock as the message timestamp;false-- Use the system clock as the timestamp angle_path: /home/robosense/angle.csv #The path of the angle calibration file. For the latest version lidars, there is no need to use this file. ros: ros_recv_packet_topic: /left/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to receive lidar packets from ROS ros_send_packet_topic: /left/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to send lidar packets through ROS ros_send_point_cloud_topic: /left/rslidar_points #The topic which used to send point cloud through ROS proto: point_cloud_recv_port: 60024 #The port number used for receiving point cloud point_cloud_send_port: 60024 #The port number which the point cloud will be send to point_cloud_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the point cloud will be send to msop_recv_port: 60025 #The port number used for receiving lidar msop packets difop_recv_port: 60026 #The port number used for receiving lidar difop packets msop_send_port: 60025 #The port number which the msop packets will be send to difop_send_port: 60026 #The port number which the difop packets will be send to packet_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the lidar packets will be send to - driver: lidar_type: RS128 #The lidar type - RS16, RS32, RSBP, RS128, RS80 frame_id: /rslidar #The frame id of message device_ip: 192.168.1.200 #The device ip address msop_port: 2000 #The msop port of lidar,default is 6699 difop_port: 2001 #The difop port of lidar, default is 7788 start_angle: 0 #The start angle of point cloud area end_angle: 360 #The end angle of point cloud area min_distance: 0.2 #The minimum distance of point cloud area max_distance: 200 #The maximum distance of point cloud area use_lidar_clock: false #true--Use the lidar clock as the message timestamp;false-- Use the system clock as the timestamp angle_path: /home/robosense/angle.csv #The path of the angle calibration file. For the latest version lidars, there is no need to use this file. ros: ros_recv_packet_topic: /right/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to receive lidar packets from ROS ros_send_packet_topic: /right/rslidar_packets #The topic which used to send lidar packets through ROS ros_send_point_cloud_topic: /right/rslidar_points #The topic which used to send point cloud through ROS proto: point_cloud_recv_port: 60027 #The port number used for receiving point cloud point_cloud_send_port: 60027 #The port number which the point cloud will be send to point_cloud_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the point cloud will be send to msop_recv_port: 60028 #The port number used for receiving lidar msop packets difop_recv_port: 60029 #The port number used for receiving lidar difop packets msop_send_port: 60028 #The port number which the msop packets will be send to difop_send_port: 60029 #The port number which the difop packets will be send to packet_send_ip: 127.0.0.1 #The ip address which the lidar packets will be send to ``` ​ Set the *lidar_type* to your LiDAR type --- RS16, RS32, RSBP, RS128, RS80. ​ Set the *ros_recv_packet_topic* for each LiDAR, need to corresbond to the topic names in rosbag. ​ Set the *ros_send_point_cloud_topic* for each LiDAR. ### 3.3 Run ​ Run the demo & play rosbag.