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A Controller-Area-Network (CAN)-Bus system enables device communication in harsh environments, found in industrial automation, military and automotive applications. As a multi-master system, each device (node) can obtain bus access through its unique priority code (address) and broadcasts messages to all bus participants simultaneously. The robustness of the CAN architecture, proven for nearly 18 years, is now complemented with TI's fail-safe CAN transceivers.

Texas Instruments' CAN-Bus demonstration platform is a minimalist 3-node, mixed-voltage demonstration system. It showcases TI's robust SN65HVD230 (3V) and SN65HVD251 (5V) CAN transceivers.

Each node features a different TI processor with on-board CAN controller. TI offers solutions for industrial applications that need high-performance DSP functionality (i.e. for motion control), low-cost DSP based architectures (i.e. for monitoring), and ARM-based automotive applications.

Block Diagram for CANBUS-DEMO

This CAN-Bus demonstration kit simulates industrial and automotive control environments:

• A Motor Node controls speed or position of a stepper motor. A shaft position sensor continuously loads the bus with low-priority data packets. This node further contains a light source, which is either manually controlled or receives messages from a photo detector on the Sensor Node.
• A Sensor Node monitors temperature of a heating element and controls a fan. It also senses ambient light conditions. Light and temperature data generate additional high-priority data packets. The Sensor Node will also display the motor shaft position, regardless of the system operating with or without external PC control, and with or without the System Monitor Node.
• A System Monitor Node sounds an audible beep when packet latency is increasing because of bus loading, priority calls or error injections. This node can be connected to an external PC through a RS-232 serial cable. The PC/laptop controls the bus packet rate and provides bus statistics such as packet rate and packet error rate.

CAN-Bus specifications, ISO11898 and TI product specifications demand CAN-Bus transceivers to survive a number of failure conditions. In addition to the 3 nodes, a bus corrupter is included to demonstrate the survivability of common failure modes, allowing the user to stress the transceiver with the following bus conditions, but only one at a time:

1. CAN_H open
2. CAN_L open
3. CAN_H shorted to VCC
4. CAN_L shorted to VCC
5. CAN_H shorted to GND
6. CAN_L shorted to GND
7. CAN_H shorted to CAN_L
8. Loss of termination network
9. Excessive termination
10. Unpowered CAN node

TI CAN-Bus transceivers are not only robust enough to withstand each failure but operate at previous performance levels after the fault is removed. Bus loading, shown as packet rate, is accomplished with manual speed control of the stepper motor, and from the PC GUI by adjusting an artificial packet generator rate.

TI offers complete solutions for motor control, temperature control and data acquisition, including power management. See our product selection guide on how to connect your application reliably with CAN!

TI offers semiconductors for CAN applications that follow AEC-Q100 specifications. AEC-Q100 is an industry standard specification developed by major automotive manufacturers and suppliers that outlines the recommended new product and major change qualification requirements and procedures. See our product selection guide for a list of available devices.

• Interoperability of 5-V and 3.3-V CAN bus transceivers
• Multi-master operation of the CAN bus
• Bus arbitration operation
• Performance with injected error conditions
• Adjustable packet rate

Target Applications:

• Motor Control
• Solenoid Control
• Process Control
• Robotics
• Base Station control
• UPS control
• HVAC
• Building Automation
• Medical Devices
• Down-hole Instrumentation
• Automotive
• Avionics
• Railway Signaling
• Military