A Prototype Implementation of a TTP/C Controller

The SAE has classified automotive electronics into two major categories, body electronics and system electronics. The latter (SAE class C) comprises safety critical functions that are of vital importance for the movement of the vehicle. This paper presents a prototype implementation of TTP, a time-triggered communication system developed for this type of applications. The main purpose of the prototype is to provide a means for verifying the concepts of TTP.

The paper focuses on a description of the hardware developed for the communication system as well as the protocol software. The TTP controller hardware is a custom made industry pack module which allows the use of TTP in conjunction with a wide variety of existing motherboards and host environments. The protocol software consists of a TTP/C protocol state machine and auxiliary modules to access the various hardware units.