The use of embedded control units continues to increase in embedded systems such as automotive, trucks, etc. The industry trend is to develop distributed architecture, using embedded networks like CAN bus technology to link the increasing numbers of Electronic Control Units and functions all together.
At the same time, there is the need to connect consumer electronics products (telematics and infotainment systems, fleet management systems, Pay As You Drive equipment, black box for insurance, etc) to the distributed electronic architecture of these embedded systems. By this way, electronic devices could take a lot of information from the car and offer more powerful added value functionalities within a limited cost structure.
Unfortunately, systems makers don't allow intrusive solutions for safety, reliability reasons and to maintain integrity of their entire systems. So, at this moment, there is no reliable and legal way to integrate consumer electronics devices without compromising the integrity of the vehicle's electronic system in an existing platform in the aftermarket.
NSI proposes one way to accomplish this via its CAN contactless technology.
Such an interface acts as a 100% spy and neutral system. It extracts data from the embedded networks (CAN bus or other) without any electrical contact to the network's medium. In this way, it follows the system maker's requirements for no degradation to their system integrity.
There are plenty of applications for such an interface: fleet management system, CAN spy analyzer and tools, insurance spy equipments and other after market equipments.
Such an interface can be a standard way to interface CAN networks to aftermarket automotive products.
This paper presents the main characteristics of an innovative CAN contactless solution: