Device and methods for simulating controller area network signals
First Claim
1. A self-maintaining simulation signal generating device for Controller Area Network (CAN), comprising:
- microprocessor(s) or microcontroller(s) or field-programmable gate array(s) (FPGAs) or application-specific integrated circuit(s) (ASICs) or complex programmable logic device (s) (CPLDs), etc;
memory medium coupled to the microprocessor or microcontroller, FPGAs, ASICs, CPLDs, etc, wherein the memory comprises non-volatile memory (an EEPROM, a flash memory, a battery-backed RAM, etc) and wherein the memory medium stores initialization instructions and executable codes;
input and output (I/O), including but not limited to RS232 transceivers, USB transceivers, RS485 transceivers, SAE J1708 transceivers, etc;
one or more Controller Area Network interface(s) including but not limited to CAN transceivers (J1939 transceivers, NMEA 2000 transceivers, single wire CAN transceivers, etc), common mode choke(s), transient voltage suppressors (TVS), CAN network terminal resistors and signal isolation circuits (such as opto-isolators), etc;
some algorithms of defining and generating Controller Area Network simulating-signals wherein for any particular Controller Area Network signal the algorithm defines the simulation algorithm according to the practical usage conditions in multiple segments over the full range, and over the full range, or partially over the full range of Controller Area Network signal wherein the said signal full range is defined by a CAN protocol or multiple CAN protocols of the following, but not limited to;
SAE J1939, SAE J1939-01, SAE J1939-11, SAE J1939-13, SAE J1939-15, SAE J1939-21, SAE J1939-31, SAE J1939-71, SAE J1939-73, SAE J1939-74, SAE J1939-75, SAE J1939-81, SAE J2411, NMEA 2000 (National Marine Electronics Association
2000), ISO 11898-1, ISO 11898-2, ISO 11898-3, ISO 11898-4, ISO 11898-5, ISO 11992-1, ISO 11783-2, DeviceNet, CANopen, CAN Kingdom, SafetyBUS p, MilCAN, CANaerospace, Smart Distributed System, and ARINC 825, etc.simulation software embedded in the memory medium, executing the signal generating algorithm, executing I/O control algorithm for the simulating signals, controlling the simulating process and signals, communicating with remote terminal, generating and resetting warning messages, managing the device license identification system;
a license identification of the device, wherein the said license identification controls the functionality and features of the device in this invention;
oscillator circuits generating clock signals for microcontroller and peripheral devices;
a power regulator converting an unregulated power supply to a regulated power supply with stable voltage;
a human machine interface (HMI) including but not limited to operating switches, LEDs, lamps, other audible or visible signal components;
an enclosure wherein the said enclosure is compliable to NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) environment standard or it may not be compliable;
an in-field bootloading feature which enables the reloading process of initialization instructions and executable codes to the said device without opening the enclosure and without sending the said device back to a device service center or the manufacturer.elements of easily changing functionality and features of the said simulation device;
software toolsets that facilitate installations and operations of the said simulation device wherein the toolsets can be placed on a CD, in an email attachment or other electronically stored formats, or partially embedded in the said simulation device, etc.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a device of generating simulation signals for Controller Area Network (CAN). The device in this invention simulates CAN data streams normally generated by electronic control units (ECUs) in automobiles, vehicles, boats, etc. without the presence of these ECUs. The device in this invention has a visual display of simulated signals'"'"' values. In addition, this invention reveals a remote terminal method and software. The remote terminal software in this invention can control the simulated signal via graphic user interfaces. The remote terminal software in this invention also displays the precise values of simulated signals via graphic user interfaces. Furthermore, this invention presents an advantageous method using a license identification management technique to change the functionality and features of the simulation device without any hardware modifications and without sending the device back to the device manufacturer.
25 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A self-maintaining simulation signal generating device for Controller Area Network (CAN), comprising:
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microprocessor(s) or microcontroller(s) or field-programmable gate array(s) (FPGAs) or application-specific integrated circuit(s) (ASICs) or complex programmable logic device (s) (CPLDs), etc; memory medium coupled to the microprocessor or microcontroller, FPGAs, ASICs, CPLDs, etc, wherein the memory comprises non-volatile memory (an EEPROM, a flash memory, a battery-backed RAM, etc) and wherein the memory medium stores initialization instructions and executable codes; input and output (I/O), including but not limited to RS232 transceivers, USB transceivers, RS485 transceivers, SAE J1708 transceivers, etc; one or more Controller Area Network interface(s) including but not limited to CAN transceivers (J1939 transceivers, NMEA 2000 transceivers, single wire CAN transceivers, etc), common mode choke(s), transient voltage suppressors (TVS), CAN network terminal resistors and signal isolation circuits (such as opto-isolators), etc; some algorithms of defining and generating Controller Area Network simulating-signals wherein for any particular Controller Area Network signal the algorithm defines the simulation algorithm according to the practical usage conditions in multiple segments over the full range, and over the full range, or partially over the full range of Controller Area Network signal wherein the said signal full range is defined by a CAN protocol or multiple CAN protocols of the following, but not limited to;
SAE J1939, SAE J1939-01, SAE J1939-11, SAE J1939-13, SAE J1939-15, SAE J1939-21, SAE J1939-31, SAE J1939-71, SAE J1939-73, SAE J1939-74, SAE J1939-75, SAE J1939-81, SAE J2411, NMEA 2000 (National Marine Electronics Association
2000), ISO 11898-1, ISO 11898-2, ISO 11898-3, ISO 11898-4, ISO 11898-5, ISO 11992-1, ISO 11783-2, DeviceNet, CANopen, CAN Kingdom, SafetyBUS p, MilCAN, CANaerospace, Smart Distributed System, and ARINC 825, etc.simulation software embedded in the memory medium, executing the signal generating algorithm, executing I/O control algorithm for the simulating signals, controlling the simulating process and signals, communicating with remote terminal, generating and resetting warning messages, managing the device license identification system; a license identification of the device, wherein the said license identification controls the functionality and features of the device in this invention; oscillator circuits generating clock signals for microcontroller and peripheral devices; a power regulator converting an unregulated power supply to a regulated power supply with stable voltage; a human machine interface (HMI) including but not limited to operating switches, LEDs, lamps, other audible or visible signal components; an enclosure wherein the said enclosure is compliable to NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association) environment standard or it may not be compliable; an in-field bootloading feature which enables the reloading process of initialization instructions and executable codes to the said device without opening the enclosure and without sending the said device back to a device service center or the manufacturer. elements of easily changing functionality and features of the said simulation device; software toolsets that facilitate installations and operations of the said simulation device wherein the toolsets can be placed on a CD, in an email attachment or other electronically stored formats, or partially embedded in the said simulation device, etc. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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6. A remote terminal method and software for CAN signals simulation, wherein the said remote terminal method and software comprising
a control panel in the form of graphic user interface (GUI) software wherein the signal simulation process can be made for signals increase one-step-at-a-time, decrease one-step-at-a-time, increase multi-steps-at-a-time, decrease multi-steps-at-a-time; - automatic increase, automatic decrease;
wherein other simulation process control functions include but not limited to;
switching simulation modes between static mode and dynamic mode;
mode status display control, turning on visible signals, turning off visible signals, turning on audible signals, turning off audible signals, turning on certain warning signals, turning off certain warning signals, turning on all warning signals, and turning off all of the warning signals;a display panel in the form of graphic user interface (GUI) software wherein the product name, version, serial number, etc of a device are displayed, the simulated signals'"'"' actual values are displayed, warning signals and warning lamps are displayed, simulation mode is displayed, operational instructions are displayed;
wherein multi-packets parameters are displayed for various signals;a communication port selection panel in the form of graphic user interface (GUI) software wherein communication ports are designed and displayed to choose;
wherein communication ports include but are not limited to serial ports (COM1, COM2, COM3, . . . COM9, etc), Ethernet ports, I2C channels, USB ports, parallel ports, infrared ports, WiFi channels, etc;
wherein the selected port information is displayed;
wherein the connecting and disconnecting functions are designed and displayed to choose;a control software wherein the said control panel, display panel, and communication port selection panel are united by several control logic to work with a CAN protocol or multiple CAN protocols as defined by, but not limited to;
SAE J1939, SAE J1939-01, SAE J1939-11, SAE J1939-13, SAE J1939-15, SAE J1939-21, SAE J1939-31, SAE J1939-71, SAE J1939-73, SAE J1939-74, SAE J1939-75, SAE J1939-81, SAE J2411, NMEA 2000 (National Marine Electronics Association
2000), ISO 11898-1, ISO 11898-2, ISO 11898-3, ISO 11898-4, ISO 11898-5, ISO 11992-1, ISO 11783-2, DeviceNet, CANopen, CAN Kingdom, SafetyBUSp, MilCAN, CANaerospace, Smart Distributed System, and ARINC 825, etc. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
- automatic increase, automatic decrease;
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11. A method of controlling and changing the functionality and features of a signal simulating device for Controller Area Network applications comprising
a license identification wherein a particular license identification is assigned to each signal simulation device based on requirements for simulating device functionality and features; - wherein the said license identification is readable by the device itself at any time;
a master license identification management system (typically at the manufacturer'"'"'s end) wherein a new license identification for any particular edition of the simulating device can be created by the manufacturer'"'"'s master management system;
wherein the license identification of a simulation device can be read by the master license identification management system when the said simulation device is connected to the master license identification management system;
wherein the manufacturer informs (via email, mail, phone or other acceptable communicating methods between manufacturer and end user) the new license (which represents the new license identification) of the end user'"'"'s purchased simulating device;
wherein upon a request for a change of functions of simulating device, the manufacturer overwrites the old license for that particular simulating device followed by generating a new license in the master management system, followed by the manufacturer informing the end user about the new license;
wherein the new license represents a new license identification for the simulation device;a license identification management system in user'"'"'s edition, wherein it is generally provided for the end user of the simulation device, wherein the license identification is governed by the said license management system, and the license identification of the said simulating device is readable by the license management system when the simulation device is connected to the license management system;
wherein the change of device functions is completed through the end user purchasing and obtaining a new license from the manufacturer, then connecting the simulating device to the end user'"'"'s license identification management system, entering the new authorized license in the license identification management system and updating the license;
wherein the new license represents a new license identification for the simulation device;One or more established license identification hierarchies based on the simulating device functions;
wherein the identification hierarchy levels are represented by device identifications or device license or product identification, wherein the higher the hierarchy level, the higher level of the license identification, the more powerful or wider range of functionality and features of the simulation device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
- wherein the said license identification is readable by the device itself at any time;
Specification