This is an external component for ESPHome that supports the TFMini-S time of flight distance sensor. It provides distance measurements along with signal strength and temperature readings from the sensor.

Features

Distance measurement in centimeters or meters (configurable)
Signal strength monitoring for reliability assessment
Internal temperature monitoring
Automatic configuration of the TFMini-S sensor
Configurable at 100Hz refresh rate

Installation

You can install this component in two ways:

1. Using ESPHome external components

external_components:
  - source: github://jdillenburg/esphome@master
    components: [ tfmini ]

2. Manual installation

Clone this repository into your ESPHome external components directory:

cd <your config directory>/esphome/external_components
git clone https://github.com/jdillenburg/esphome.git

Or copy the component files directly:

mkdir -p <your config directory>/esphome/components/tfmini
cd <your config directory>/esphome/components/tfmini
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdillenburg/esphome/main/components/tfmini/__init__.py
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdillenburg/esphome/main/components/tfmini/sensor.py
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdillenburg/esphome/main/components/tfmini/tfmini.cpp
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdillenburg/esphome/main/components/tfmini/tfmini.h

Then reference it in your configuration:

external_components:
  - source: <your config directory>/esphome/components
    components: [ tfmini ]

Configuration

Add the following to your ESPHome configuration file:

Basic Configuration

# UART configuration for the TFMini-S
uart:
  tx_pin: GPIO17
  rx_pin: GPIO16
  baud_rate: 115200

# TFMini-S sensor configuration
sensor:
  - platform: tfmini
    name: "Distance"
    id: tfmini_distance

Full Configuration with All Options

# UART configuration for the TFMini-S
uart:
  tx_pin: GPIO17
  rx_pin: GPIO16
  baud_rate: 115200

# TFMini-S sensor configuration with all sensors
sensor:
  - platform: tfmini
    name: "Distance"
    id: tfmini_distance
    distance_unit: cm  # Options: cm (default) or m
    strength:
      name: "TFMini Signal Strength"
      id: tfmini_strength
    temperature:
      name: "TFMini Temperature"
      id: tfmini_temperature

Configuration Options

Option	Default	Description
`name`	Required	Name of the distance sensor
`distance_unit`	`cm`	Unit for distance measurement. Options: `cm` or `m`
`strength`	Optional	Configuration for signal strength sensor
`temperature`	Optional	Configuration for temperature sensor

Technical Notes

The sensor is configured to use the standard 9-byte output format
Refresh rate is set to 100Hz
The component validates signal strength to ensure reliable readings (minimum 100)
Default unit is centimeters as that's the native output of the TFMini-S

Wiring

Connect your TFMini-S to your ESP device as follows:

TFMini-S	ESP
5V	5V
GND	GND
TX	RX (GPIO16 in example)
RX	TX (GPIO17 in example)

Troubleshooting

If you're having issues:

Check the wiring connections
Ensure the UART pins are correctly defined
Set the logger to DEBUG level to see detailed messages
Verify the sensor has a clear line of sight to the target
Check signal strength values to ensure reliable readings

License

This component is licensed under the MIT License.