Radio frequency (RF) coax interface for full data rate controller area network (CAN) protocol signaling with low latency

• US 10,547,472 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2017
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales Defense & Security Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thales Defense & Security Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Koenigsmark, Brian, Peterson, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Sai Ming
• Application Number:
  US15/488,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20170302471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 370297
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/417 with deterministic access, e.g. token passing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40215 Controller Area Network CAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/04 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/143 for modulated signals H04L5/1469 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A method for implementing controller area network (CAN) communications between a plurality of CAN nodes using a single radio frequency (RF) coax cable is provided. In an aspect, a hardware interface (e.g., an electronic circuit) may be coupled to each of the plurality of CAN nodes. The hardware interface may receive a CAN signal from a first CAN node. The hardware interface may convert the CAN signal to a single RF signal and transmit the RF signal to a second CAN node over the single RF coax cable. Moreover, the hardware interface may transmit a CAN feedback signal received over the RF coax cable to the first CAN node. In an aspect, the hardware interface may include an amplitude modulation (AM) modulator, an AM detector, and a bandpass filter.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit, comprising:

an input port configured to receive a first controller area network (CAN) signal;

a conversion circuit configured to convert the first CAN signal to a radio frequency (RF)-over-coax signal; and

a first output port coupled with a coaxial cable and configured to transmit the RF-over-coax signal over the coaxial cable.

2. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein the conversion circuit comprises:

an amplitude modulation (AM) circuit configured to modulate the first CAN signal to produce a RF modulated signal; and

a bandpass filter circuit configured to filter the RF modulated signal to produce the RF-over-coax signal.

3. The electronic circuit of claim 2, wherein the conversion circuit further comprises:

a detection circuit, wherein the detection circuit is configured to;

detect a presence of the RF modulated signal, and

convert the RF modulated signal to a second CAN signal.

4. The electronic circuit of claim 3, further comprising:

a second output port configured to transmit the second CAN signal, wherein the second CAN signal is a CAN feedback signal.

5. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the input port is coupled with a modem or an antenna interface unit of an antenna.

6. The electronic circuit of claim 1, wherein:

the first output port is coupled with an input port of a diplexing circuit via the coaxial cable.

7. The electronic circuit of claim 5, wherein:

the modem is a satellite modem, and

the antenna is a phased array antenna configured to track a satellite.

8. A method for implementing controller area network (CAN) communications between a plurality of CAN nodes using a radio frequency (RF) coax cable, the method comprising:

receiving a first CAN signal from a first CAN node;

converting the first CAN signal to a RF-over-coax signal; and

transmitting the RF-over-coax signal to a second CAN node over the RF coax cable.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the converting the first CAN signal to the RF-over-coax signal further comprises:

modulating the first CAN signal to produce a RF modulated signal; and

filtering the RF modulated signal to produce the RF-over-coax signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a presence of the RF modulated signal; and

converting the RF modulated signal to a second CAN signal.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the second CAN signal to the first CAN node, wherein the second CAN signal is a CAN feedback signal.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first CAN node is a modem or an antenna interface unit of an antenna.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein transmitting the RF-over-coax signal to a second CAN node over the RF coax cable further comprises:

combining the RF-over-coax signal with one or more different RF-over-coax signals;

transmitting the combined RF-over-coax signals to the second CAN node over the RF coax cable.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the modem is a satellite modem, and

the antenna is a phased array antenna configured to track a satellite.

15. A computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for controller area network (CAN) communications, comprising code to:

receive a first CAN signal from a first CAN node;

convert the first CAN signal to a radio frequency (RF)-over-coax signal; and

transmit the RF-over-coax signal to a second CAN node over an RF coax cable.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the code is configured to convert the first CAN signal to the RF-over-coax signal by:

modulating the first CAN signal to produce a RF modulated signal; and

filtering the RF modulated signal to produce the RF-over-coax signal.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising code to:

detect a presence of the RF modulated signal; and

convert the RF modulated signal to a second CAN signal.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising code to:

transmit the second CAN signal to the first CAN node, wherein the second CAN signal is a CAN feedback signal.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first CAN node is a modem or an antenna interface unit of an antenna.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the code is configured to transmit the RF-over-coax signal to a second CAN node over the RF coax cable by:

combining the RF-over-coax signal with one or more different RF-over-coax signals; and

transmitting the combined RF-over-coax signals to the second CAN node over the RF coax cable.