No. 3 - February 16, 2024

A word from the CiA Managing Director

(Source: Adobe Stock)

The next edition of the ISO 11898-2 (Road vehicles – Controller Area Network – Part 2: Physical medium attachment (PMA) sublayer) standard is under publication. It contains the specifications for SIC (signal improvement capability) and CAN SIC XL (extended data field length) transceivers formerly specified in CiA documents, which have been withdrawn.

Unfortunately, the ISO Central Secretariat (CS) has not accepted all proposed document improvements. In the last FDIS (final draft international standard) ballot only editorial changes are allowed according to Part 1 of the ISO Directives. But there is room for interpretation what are editorial and technical comments. In my opinion, inconsistencies between information given in tables and figures should be regarded as editorial comments. Obvious failures should be also interpreted as editorial comments, especially when there is no objection against the elimination of them by the nominated experts in the related ISO working group.

Of minor issue are rejected comments such as improvements of terminology. An example: Due to historical reasons, ISO 11898-2 uses still the term arbitration bit rate. Correct is normal bit rate as defined in the new edition of the ISO 11898-1 (Road vehicles – Controller Area Network – Part 1: Data link layer and physical coding sublayer) standard. The two terms are used as synonyms. Unfortunately, arbitration bit rate is not defined and a newcomer could be confused. I could live with these minor problems, but I would prefer a harmonization of terms and I would like to improve the document.

As the project leader, meaning the editor, of ISO 11898-2, it was my fault not to provide a “clean” document for the FDIS ballot. In the past, ISO CS was not that strict to the rules as nowadays. I learnt my lesson: I (we) need to provide more accurate documents, when submitting them for the FDIS voting.

The new edition of ISO 11898-2 will be published with some of these above-mentioned weaknesses. Therefore, the working group (ISO TC22 SC31 WG3) responsible for this standard will request a document revision as soon as possible. The revision takes some time. I think, some months. In the meantime, CiA will provide a list of not accepted comments including the proposed changes. This might help readers of ISO 11898-2 to understand the standard correctly. Especially those parts, which are unclear or even misleading.

 

SIG functional safety

End of January, CiA has established the SIG (special interest group) functional safety. Round 30 CiA members participated in the inuagural meeting. The new SIG is assigned to the IG safety & security, which needs to confirm it. The SIG’s scope covers the development and maintenance of CAN-based functional safety protocols including layer management. This includes, in particular, the CANopen Safety protocol as specified in EN 50325-5. This standard needs to be updated due to outdated references. The SIG will revise the European CANopen Safety standard considering additional requirements by legal authorities, e.g. a running number. The SIG participants demanded to achieve backwards compatiblity to the legacy CANopen Safety rprotocol. Timeline for the update is summer 2025. The participants also discussed to develop in long term a black channel approach for CAN CC, CAN FD, and CAN XL. Parties Interested to join the SIG should contact CiA office.

CiA document releases

CiA has already released new versions of the CiA 437-1 and the CiA 437-2 document specifying the CANopen CC (classic) profile for grid-based photovoltaic systems. The updated Part 3 will be also published, soon. Additionally, the CiA profile specification for drives and motion controllers (CiA 402 series) has been revised. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 are released as version 5.0.0. All these documents are in DSP (draft specification proposal) status. They are only downloadable free-of-charge for CiA members. After one year, they may be released as DS (draft specifications), which can be purchased by non-members.

The CiA 410 series for inclinometers has been completely revised. The monolithic predecessor document is split into Part B (definitions and parameters), Part C (CANopen CC mapping), and Part F (CANopen FD mapping). Part J is still in review, and will reference Part B; it is intended to release Part J as DS. The other parts are in DSP status.

Call for experts: CiA J1939 profile for joysticks

CiA is going to specify a J1939 joystick based on the CiA 401 profile specification series. The PDOs as specified in CiA 401-C will be mapped one-to-one to J1939 parameter groups (PGs). Using the PGs tunneling CANopen SDO services enables a configuration of the joystick as known from CANopen joysticks. Additionally, the J1939 joystick profile will support the PG tunneling CANopen EMCY messages.

The CiA J1939 profile for joysticks brings the well-known CANopen profile for joysticks to the J1939 world. The benefit for CANopen joystick manufacturers is that they can reuse the CANopen joystick software. Only the mapping to J1939 PGs and the PGs for SDO and EMCY messages tunneling need to be added. The benefit for the J1939 system designers is that they can buy off-the-shelf products and can configure them for their application.

If you would like to learn more about the CiA J1939 profile for joysticks, please contact CiA office. CiA is just starting the development of this profile specification and is looking for joystick experts participating in the related CiA SIG (special interest group).

International CAN Conference (iCC) and CAN XL plugfest

The iCC is the place where new personal relations can be established or can be renewed. Of course, there are technical in-depth presentations and the tabletop exhibition. But the networking with other CAN experts is important as well. The 18th iCC sponsored by esd electronics and Vector provides the opportunity to exchange ideas, experiences, and knowledge with other members of the CAN community. This is valuable especially for OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). Registration for participants and tabletop exhibition is possible by email as long as there are enough places available.

One day after the iCC (on May 16), CiA has scheduled a CAN XL plugfest in Baden-Baden (Germany), where CAN XL products are tested on interoperability. Interested parties are welcome to indicate their interest via email.

Online CiA technology day

On March 14, CiA organizes an online CiA technology day comprising several presentations in English language. The 3,5 hours-event starts at 13:00, UTC+1. Here, the engineers from CiA speak about the three CAN protocol generations (CAN CC, CAN FD, and CAN XL) as well as CAN in modern vehicles. Further, CiA member experts with long-years CAN experience show a CAN XL pre-silicon verification (Moshik Rubin, Cadence), talk about migration to CANopen FD (Torsten Gedenk, emotas), and functional safety in CAN networks (Wilhelm Leichtfried, Microchip Technology). Uwe Koppe (Microcontrol) informs about the status and future of CANopen safety. Security in CAN networks is presented by Olaf Pfeiffer (Emdedded Systems Academy).

The participation is free-of-charge. Registration is obligatory and is possible via email.

CiA webinar: Security in CAN systems

In a webinar on March 21 (start 16:00, UTC+1), Thilo Schumann informs the attendees about the security mechanisms for CAN systems. He also gives an introduction into the ongoing CiA activities for specifying the cybersecurity measures for all three CAN generations: CAN CC, CAN FD, and CAN XL.

Participation in the 45-minute webinar is free of charge. Registration is obligatory and is possible online or via email.

CAN Newsletter magazine

The CAN Newsletter magazine published since June 1992 is a unique source of in-depth information about CAN technology, applications, and products. It is a sustainable publication with a significant number of downloads (about 5000 per issue). Some single articles are downloaded even after several years of publication. The next issue, published on March 1, will include product information published formerly in the CAN Newsletter Online, which is not more continued. The editors welcome article submissions at any time, in particular with technical in-depth content.

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