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Under Development: Programmable CAN Bus to USB, Bluetooth, BLE, WiFi Gateway
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For the longest time, I had resisted the idea of creating my version of a CAN-to-USB gateway, primarily due to the vast competition. A professional CAN/J1939 development requires a professional CAN-to-PC solution to monitor data traffic. I am pleased with the PEAK PCAN-USB device, as shown in the above image. However, not everybody is willing (or able) to spend in the neighborhood of $500...$800 for such a commodity. On the other hand, there are lower-priced alternatives, but they usually shine through poorly written firmware and bizarre PC user interfaces. Furthermore, regardless of the price range, most gateways either do not provide a programming interface or are excessively complex.
Consequently, we at Copperhill Technologies will enter the market with a reasonably priced and easy-to-program series of CAN Bus gateways. And since we are using the ESP32 processor for our development, we will offer not only a USB connection but also Bluetooth, BLE, and Wifi. The initial version will support Classical CAN, but we are currently modifying existing hardware to support CAN FD.
The current hardware is the same as for our SAE J1939-to-USB Gateway (see image to the right). In addition, we are utilizing existing software libraries which helps to shorten the development process.
We use an ASCII-based serial protocol for communication between the gateway and the PC. It loosely resembles the commands and functionality of the LAWICEL CAN232/CANUSB specifications to establish a basic communication format. It uses only a sub-set of the LAWICEL commands but adds new features where necessary (e.g., to support CAN FD features).
Furthermore, the protocol differs from the LAWICEL functionality regarding the command responses. While LAWICEL responds to commands with either CR (ASCII 13 = success) or BELL (ASCII 7 = error), our version responds with the command token (first character of the command line = Success) or 'x' for error, terminated by a CR.
Available ASCII Commands
- All messages between the gateway and the PC end with [CR] (ASCII 13) and are case-sensitive.
- All ASCII commands start with a token byte identifying the function.
- Commands are accepted by repeating the token, while erroneous commands are answered with ‘x’.
Here is a set of available ASCII Commands:
The image below demonstrates a sample to transmit an 11-bit CAN data frame:
The next image (below) shows a test session, where I set the CAN baudrate (S command), opened the CAN port (O command), and sent CAN data frame with an 11-bit message identifier (t command).
Following these commands are several CAN data frames as received from the PEAK PCAN-USB gateway. These are samples of 11-bit and 29-bit messages.
As part of the delivery, we will provide C source code samples for programming under Linux and C# for Windows demonstrating the process. Finally, a Windows monitor, analyzer, and recording software is in the works, but it will take a few more months before it is ready for release.
Last, but not least, please feel free to contact us for further information.
SAE J1939 ECU Simulator and Gateway With USB Port
Our SAE J1939 gateway allows you to monitor, simulate, and record any PGN as defined in the SAE J1939-71 Standard but also including diagnostic messages according to SAE J1939-73. The gateway supports the full SAE J1939 protocol according to J1939/81 Network Management (Address Claiming) and J1939/21 Transport Protocol (TP). It is also supported by an extensive programming interface for Windows and Linux/Ubuntu applications, including full C/C++/C# source code for short time-to-market developments.
SAE J1939 Protocol Stack Sketch for ESP32 Using the Arduino IDE
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NMEA 2000 / SAE J1939 Data Scanner with BLE Interface for iOS Applications
This post is a follow-up on NMEA 2000 Data Scanner with Bluetooth, BLE for Android, iOS, PC Applications. In this new post, I also include SAE J1939, since NMEA 2000 is based on J1939. Also, in this particular case, instead of the NMEA2000-compatible 5-pin M12 connector, I used a DSUB9 as it applies to the CAN Bus [...]
NMEA 2000 Data Scanner with Bluetooth, BLE for Android, iOS, PC Applications
Our N2K-BT gateway functions as a NMEA 2000 to Bluetooth data scanner for any host device with a Bluetooth or BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) port, such as PCs, phones, or tablets. Therefore, it supports operating systems such as Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and more. In addition, the wireless communication protocol employs easy-to-read and easy-to-process ASCII [...]
ESP32 Project: USB to Bluetooth Gateway
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ESP32 Starter and Development Kits for Building Bluetooth and WiFi Enabled IoT Devices
The integration of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Bluetooth LE allow a wide range of applications with ESP32 modules. Using Wi-Fi ensures connectivity within a large radius, while using Bluetooth allows the user to easily detect (with low-energy beacons) a module and connect it to a smartphone. The chips add priceless functionality and versatility to your applications [...]
CAN Bus Development with ESP32-WROOM32 Development Board
This post will demonstrate how to add a CAN Bus port to the ESP32-WROOM32 development board, i.e., regarding hardware and software. Download this post as PDF... As a matter of fact, we already offer a hardware utilizing the ESP32 processor and an onboard CAN Bus transceiver as shown in the image to the left. The ESP32 WiFi, Bluetooth [...]
Wireless IoT Project Development with the ESP32
The ESP32 represents a low-cost, low-power System-on-Chip (SoC) microcontroller with integrated Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth. The ESP32 series utilizes either a Tensilica Xtensa LX6 microprocessor in dual-core and single-core variations, Xtensa LX7 dual-core microprocessor, or a single-core RISC-V microprocessor and includes built-in antenna switches, RF balun, power amplifier, low-noise receive amplifier, filters, and power management [...]
ESP32 Project: CAN Bus, SAE J1939, NMEA2000 Converter With IoT Functionality
It was just a few weeks ago that I received some bad news. Due to the worldwide shortage of electronic components, the NXP LPC1754 processor we use for our SAE J1939 ECU Simulator with USB Port will not be available for several months, maybe even well into 2022. Consequently, it was time to rethink the design, and [...]