Variable oscillator for generating different frequencies in a controller area network

• US 7,934,039 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Xinshu Management LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lennartsson, Kent, Fredriksson, Lars-Berno
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers; Paul R
• Application Number:
  US12/267,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063909A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 710/305, 713/501
• US Class Current: 710/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4291 using a clocked protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40013 Details regarding a bus controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2335 using temporal properties of the received signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps

Abstract

A device suitable for use as a module in a Controller Area Network (CAN) system with a bus or connection includes relatively simple and inexpensive components, including an oscillator that generates a number of different frequencies in response to directions from a microcomputer. A CAN Controller receiving the frequencies is connected to the bus via a transceiver. The device has utility for verification and validation work in association with a CAN system.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processing device configured to determine at least one characteristic of at least one CAN module;

an oscillator configured to generate a number of different frequencies in response to directions from the processing device;

a transceiver configured to communicate through a communication bus with the at least one CAN module;

a Controller Area Network (CAN) controller operatively coupled to the oscillator, the transceiver, and the processing device;

wherein the processing device is configured to receive a reference frequency and is configured to compare an oscillator frequency to the reference frequency to adapt the CAN controller to any CAN bit time based on the characteristics of the at least one CAN module.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the CAN controller is configured to receive levels (zeros and ones) appearing on the bus connection and the CAN controller is configured to detect transitions between the levels.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for measuring deviations between bit times in messages received from the at least one CAN module connected to the communication bus.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a counter configured to receive the plurality of frequencies generated by the oscillator, wherein the processor is configured to clock the counter according to the reference frequency.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising an internal oscillator configured to generate the reference frequency.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to determine the reference frequency from a CAN message received at the CAN controller.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the CAN Controller is connected to the transceiver via a transmission connection and a reception connection, and wherein the transceiver is coupled to the communication bus via a CAN High Connection and a CAN Low Connection.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the processing device is configured to set the transceiver for either an active or a passive function.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for generating pulses and pulse trains according to a selected CAN bit time.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for receiving pulse trains from the at least one CAN module and determining, by means of the pulse trains, within which setting limits the at least one CAN module interprets the pulse trains as correct CAN messages according to rules of the CAN system.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for determining that a particular sample point is located within a certain time period of a bit time by the indication of an error flag due to a bit error.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to obtain a clock frequency of the oscillator indirectly from a particular message on the communication bus by measuring a number of clock cycles that the particular message takes up from Start Of Frame to an acknowledgement bit.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising means for validating limits for a frequency deviation by compiling a number of error frames as a function of frequency.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to determine at least one characteristic of at least one CAN module comprising sample point, bit rate, frequency swing tolerance, synchronization jump width, signal delay, or message length.

15. A method, comprising:

selecting a clock frequency to be generated by a variable frequency oscillator for use by a first Controller Area Network (CAN) module on a bus connection;

determining a bit rate for communicating with the first CAN module on the bus connection;

transmitting at least one message over the bus connection to a second CAN module;

receiving at least one message over the bus connection at a CAN controller of the first CAN module;

determining a characteristic of the bus connection with respect to the clock frequency based at least in part on the at least one message received;

adjusting a transmission characteristic used by the CAN controller for the first CAN module over the bus connection based on the characteristic of the bus connection.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

wherein the transmitting at least one message further comprises the CAN controller sending the message according to a CAN protocol.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising disabling transmissions from the CAN controller after the sending.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

adjusting the clock frequency in at least one incremental step away from a nominal frequency;

determining a number of received error messages from the bus connection at the first CAN module.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining a reference frequency according to a number of pulses generated by the variable frequency oscillator before receiving the at least one message.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

capturing a time associated with sending a start of frame message;

capturing a time associated with the receiving of an acknowledge bit associated with the start of frame message.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein determining a characteristic further comprises determining a bit quanta setting.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting a second clock frequency to be generated by a second variable frequency oscillator of the first CAN module, wherein a second CAN controller determines a bit rate for communicating on the bus connection.

23. The method of claim 16,

wherein the transmitting at least one message further comprises transmitting a series of digital ones, and

wherein the selecting a clock frequency to be generated further comprises selecting a clock frequency corresponding to a length of time associated with a sample point at the second CAN module.

24. The method of claim 16,

wherein the transmitting at least one message further comprises transmitting a series of digital ones, and

wherein the selecting a clock frequency to be generated further comprises selecting a clock frequency corresponding to a length of time necessary for the message to cause a bit stuffing error at the second CAN module.

25. The method of claim 16 wherein the selecting a clock frequency further comprises selecting a clock frequency corresponding to outer bounds of a tolerance range.

26. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory memory medium, readable by a computing device, having instructions stored thereon that cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

selecting a clock frequency to be generated by a variable frequency oscillator for use by a first Controller Area Network (CAN) module on a bus connection;

determining a bit rate for communicating with the first CAN module on the bus connection;

transmitting at least one message over the bus connection to a second CAN module;

receiving at least one message over the bus connection at a CAN controller of the first CAN module;

determining a characteristic of the bus connection with respect to the clock frequency based at least in part on the at least one message received;

adjusting a transmission characteristic used by the CAN controller for the first CAN module over the bus connection based on the characteristic of the bus connection.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 26, further having instructions stored thereon that cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

adjusting the clock frequency in at least one incremental step away from a nominal frequency;

determining a number of received error messages from the bus connection at the first CAN module.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 26, further having instructions stored thereon that cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

determining a reference frequency according to a number of pulses generated by the variable frequency oscillator before receiving the at least one message.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 28, further having instructions stored thereon that cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

capturing a time associated with sending a start of frame message;

capturing a time associated with the receiving of an acknowledge bit associated with the start of frame message.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, further having instructions stored thereon that cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

selecting a second clock frequency to be generated by a second variable frequency oscillator of the first CAN module, wherein a second CAN controller determines a bit rate for communicating on the bus connection.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

means for selecting a clock frequency to be generated by a variable frequency oscillator for use by a first Controller Area Network (CAN) module on a bus connection;

means for determining a bit rate for communicating with the first CAN module on the bus connection;

means for transmitting at least one message over the bus connection to a second CAN module;

means for receiving at least one message over the bus connection at a CAN controller of the CAN module;

means for determining a characteristic of the bus connection with respect to the clock frequency based at least in part on the at least one message received;

means for adjusting a transmission characteristic used by the CAN controller for the first CAN module over the bus connection based on the characteristic of the bus connection.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for adjusting the clock frequency in at least one incremental step away from a nominal frequency;

means for determining a number of received error messages from the bus connection at the first CAN module.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

means for determining a reference frequency according to a number of pulses generated by the variable frequency oscillator before receiving the at least one message.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising:

means for capturing a time associated with sending a start of frame message;

means for capturing a time associated with the receiving of an acknowledge bit associated with the start of frame message.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising means for selecting a second clock frequency to be generated by a second variable frequency oscillator of the first CAN module, wherein a second CAN controller determines a bit rate for communicating on the bus connection.

36. A Controller Area Network (CAN) system comprising a plurality of CAN modules, individual ones of the CAN modules comprising:

a processing device configured to determine at least one characteristic of at least one CAN module;

an oscillator configured to generate a number of different frequencies in response to directions from the processing device;

a transceiver configured to communicate through a communication bus with at the at least one CAN module;

a CAN controller operatively coupled to the oscillator, the transceiver, and the processing device;

wherein the processing device is configured to receive a reference frequency and is configured to compare an oscillator frequency to the reference frequency to adapt the CAN controller to any CAN bit time based on the characteristics of the at least one CAN module.