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Bridging the Gap: J1708 to J1939 Gateways for Diesel Engine Retrofits
Upgrading older diesel vehicles to support modern digital dashboards and telematics systems often requires translating legacy communication protocols. Specifically, many older heavy-duty vehicles use SAE J1708 with the J1587 data protocol, while newer systems rely on SAE J1939 over CAN bus. Bridging these two standards is essential when retrofitting dashboards, ECUs, or fleet monitoring devices. Fortunately, [...]
Implementing Vehicle Telematics with Raspberry Pi and PiCAN FD HAT
Understanding Vehicle Telematics Vehicle telematics refers to the integration of telecommunications and informatics technologies to collect, transmit, and analyze data from vehicles in real time. In practical terms, a telematics system in a fleet uses a combination of GPS and onboard sensors (e.g. engine diagnostics via the CAN bus) to send valuable vehicle and driver data [...]
I2C vs. CAN Bus: Choosing the Right Communication Protocol for Your Embedded System
In the world of embedded systems, choosing the right communication protocol can make or break your project's performance, scalability, and reliability. Among the most widely used protocols are I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) and CAN (Controller Area Network). Each has its own strengths, limitations, and ideal use cases—so how do you choose the right one for your [...]
Develop Real-Time Embedded Systems Using STM32, FreeRTOS, and STM32CubeIDE
Real-time operating systems (RTOS) are the backbone of many modern embedded applications—from automotive control units and aerospace instrumentation to laboratory test systems and consumer electronics. These systems demand consistent, deterministic behavior and the ability to respond to events within strict timing constraints—all without human intervention, often for years at a time. This hands-on guide introduces you [...]
Expanding Embedded Communication: CAN FD Shield for STM32G431 NUCLEO-G431RB
As embedded systems grow in complexity and demand faster, more reliable communication, developers turn increasingly toward advanced protocols like CAN FD (Controller Area Network with Flexible Data-rate). While classical CAN has served the automotive and industrial sectors reliably for decades, the rise of sensor-rich applications and real-time control systems calls for a modern alternative. STMicroelectronics’ [...]
Turn Your Raspberry Pi into a Smart Marine Hub with OpenPlotter and Signal K
The world of marine electronics is evolving. Once dominated by expensive, closed systems with limited flexibility, there’s now a shift toward something more open, more personal, and—frankly—more exciting. At the heart of this movement is OpenPlotter, a Linux-based operating system tailored for Raspberry Pi computers, and Signal K, an open data standard designed to bring [...]
The PiCAN Advantage: High-Performance CAN Interfaces for Raspberry Pi
The PiCAN series is a comprehensive line of CAN Bus interface boards (HATs) developed specifically for the Raspberry Pi platform. Designed and manufactured by Copperhill Technologies, these boards offer robust support for both Classical CAN (2.0A/B) and the more advanced CAN FD protocols. The product line is engineered to meet the diverse needs of automotive, [...]
Mastering SAE J1939: Real-Time Simulation & Monitoring Made Easy
The SAE J1939 ECU Simulator Board by Copperhill Technologies is a high-performance, low-latency vehicle network adapter designed for SAE J1939 applications. It allows any host device with a USB COM port to monitor SAE J1939 data traffic and communicate with the SAE J1939 vehicle network. The board supports the full SAE J1939 protocol, including J1939/81 [...]
Unlocking the Sea: Popular Applications of NMEA 2000 in Marine Systems
In the world of marine electronics, seamless communication between devices is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. Enter NMEA 2000, a marine data network standard developed by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). Based on the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol, NMEA 2000 provides a plug-and-play system that allows electronic devices to talk to each other [...]
J1708 to J1939 Conversion Made Smarter: The Truth Behind Protocol Gateways
I regularly receive inquiries about converting from SAE J1708/J1587 to SAE J1939. Most often, the goal is to bridge old and new technologies—for example, connecting a modern J1939-based dashboard to a legacy J1708-based diesel engine. There are other scenarios, but this one comes up frequently. The logical next step is to look for a protocol [...]