¶ Overview
The «CAN Bus» tab is used to configure the processing of data received by the device from:
- the built-in CAN interface;
- external CAN adapters (connected to the RS-232/RS-485 and Bluetooth interfaces).
Up to two data sources can be selected simultaneously.
Settings for each source are described below in the «Built-in CAN Interface» and «External CAN Data Source» sections.
When at least one of the data sources — «Built-in CAN Interface» (in «By Decoding File» mode) and/or «External CAN Data Source» — is selected, the list of parameters/commands supported by the device becomes available.
This part of the configuration is described in the «Parameter List» section.
When data received from the CAN bus changes, a «CAN Parameters Changed» event can be generated. The settings used to define the conditions for generating additional events are described in the «Additional Events» section.
¶ Built-in CAN Interface
The device has a built-in CAN interface that allows direct connection to the vehicle CAN bus without additional adapters/decoders.
The interface can operate in «Active» or «Passive» mode:
«Active» - the device «listens» to the CAN bus, can send commands/requests, and can acknowledge messages on the CAN bus.
Be extremely careful when using «Active» mode. Due to the specific characteristics of each vehicle, errors may occur in the vehicle electronics.
«Passive» - the device only «listens» to the CAN bus.
When using «Passive» mode, some functions related to reading data from the CAN bus may be unavailable.
For example, when working with a VDO Continental tachograph, the device must send requests to the CAN bus to obtain driver card codes.
When using the built-in CAN interface, two parameter reading modes are available:
- «By Decoding File»;
- «By Custom Parameters».
The parameter reading modes cannot be used simultaneously.
¶ Decoding File
The «Decoding File» contains all settings required to work with the CAN bus, as well as a list of parameters available for reading.
To work with the CAN bus of a vehicle of a particular make, model, and production year, load the corresponding decoding file from the Configurator library to the device.
A separate area for working with the decoding file is located directly below the «Parameter Reading Mode» area.
To view the list of decoding files and load them to the device, the Configurator must be connected to the device via USB or the RCS service.
«Loaded File Name Field» - displays the name of the decoding file loaded to the device.
The file name is requested from the device, so the field remains blank when the device is not connected.
«Show File» - click this button to display the name of the decoding file currently loaded to the device in the text field on the left.
«Change File» - click this button to open the «Decoding File Upload» dialog box containing a list of available files.
A file name filter is provided at the top of the window for easier searching.
- Name format:
<File Type><Make><Model><[Production Years]><File Version><File Modification Date> - Description:
<File Type>- decoding file status:
- the file has not been verified;
BETA - test version;
OK - the file has been verified by several users.
<Make>- vehicle make.
<Model>- vehicle model.
<[Production Years]>- vehicle production years for which the information in the file is applicable.
<File Version>- decoding file version for this vehicle (the version changes when corrections or improvements are made).
<File Modification Date>- date of the last modification to the decoding file.
To load a decoding file to the device, select it in the list and click «Upload to Device».
After the decoding file is loaded, the «Parameter List» section displays the parameters that can be read on this vehicle. The «Parameter List» section is described later in this document.
¶ Decoding File Library
The list of decoding files is updated by updating the Configurator library.
The decoding file version is displayed in the Configurator «About» menu.
The decoding file is updated from the Configurator «Program Settings» menu.
To receive notifications when new Configurator libraries are available, select «Automatic Update» and «Notify of New Versions».
If «Notify of New Versions» is not selected, updates are downloaded automatically without user confirmation.
¶ Custom Parameters
When configuring the built-in CAN interface using «Custom Parameters», you must know:
- the CAN bus bit rate;
- the type and value of CAN message identifiers, as well as the set of their parameters;
- whether CAN messages must be requested.
«Interface Speed» - to receive information from the CAN bus, the device must set the built-in CAN interface to the required bit rate.
If the required interface speed is not in the list, it can be entered manually in the same field.
Information is exchanged on the CAN bus through messages. Each message has an identifier and a DATA field. A message can contain multiple parameters. Each parameter, in turn, has a specific length and offset (position) within the message DATA field.
¶ «CAN Messages» Area
To continue configuring the parameters, specify which messages must be received from the CAN bus.
Up to 16 messages can be configured.
«Type» - the type of identifier to receive. The following 3 identifier types are available:
-
«11 bit» is used on CAN 2.0A buses;
-
«29 bit» is used on CAN 2.0B buses;
-
«PGN» is a specific identifier format used on CAN 2.0B buses.
«Identifier» - specifies the CAN message identifier in hexadecimal format (HEX).
Although 11- and 29-bit identifiers are generally shown in documentation in hexadecimal format (HEX), PGNs are usually specified in decimal format (DEC).
To convert a decimal value to hexadecimal, use an online «dec to hex» converter or the standard Windows «Calculator» in «Programmer» mode.
«Period» - the interval at which the message appears on the CAN bus. If the device does not receive the message from the CAN bus for a time equal to three periods, it «resets» the message.
When a message is «reset», each parameter received from that message is assigned a special value that is unique to its parameter type. The parameter types and their corresponding special values are described in the «CAN Message Data» section.
«On Request» - this setting is available only when the interface operates in «Active» mode. When selected, the device sends a request to the CAN bus for this message.
«Do Not Reset» - when selected, the device does not «reset» the message even if it no longer receives it from the CAN bus.
If the "Type" or "Identifier" settings are changed, or if a message is deleted from the «CAN Messages» area, all rows containing that message are cleared automatically. Therefore, always check the related settings after changing the messages.
This rule applies to the following settings:
- «CAN Message Data» («CAN Bus» tab);
- «Custom Parameters» («Protocol Settings» tab).
¶ «CAN Message Data» Area
This area describes the parameters contained in the received messages in the «Data» area.
Up to 32 parameters can be configured.
«Message» - after the required CAN messages have been configured, they become available for selection in this list.
Each message is displayed in the following format:
<Type><space><Identifier>
For example: 11bit 4fd, 29bit fe65da or PGN fe72.
Because a single message DATA field can contain multiple parameters, the same message can be selected on multiple rows.
«Parameter» - determines the size and type of the parameter to be received from the message. Several combinations of sizes and types are available.
- Sizes:
1,2,4and8bytes.
The size determines the custom parameter group in which the received parameter is transmitted. That is, if the selected parameter is 2 bytes long, it is available only in the two-byte parameter group when configuring the protocol. - Types: «
bit field», «signed», «unsigned» and «real» (an IEEE 754 floating-point number). The «Real» type is available only for parameters with a size of 4 or 8 bytes.
The type is required to correctly process the event trigger conditions described in the «Additional Events» section, as well as to process information on the monitoring server.
When a message is «reset», or when the device does not detect the message on the CAN bus, the parameters received from that message take the following values:
| Parameter size |
Type | Value when reset |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | «bit field» | 00000000 |
| «signed» | -128 |
|
| «unsigned» | 255 |
|
| 2 | «bit field» | 00000000 00000000 |
| «signed» | -32768 |
|
| «unsigned» | 65535 |
|
| 4 | «bit field» | 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 |
| «signed» | -2147483648 |
|
| «unsigned» | 4294967295 |
|
| «real» | 0x7FFFFFFF (nan) |
|
| 8 | «bit field» | 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 |
| «signed» | -9223372036854775808 |
|
| «unsigned» | 18446744073709551616 |
|
| «real» | 0x7FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF (nan) |
«Offset» - specifies the byte containing the parameter in the DATA field. If the parameter occupies multiple bytes, the setting specifies the first byte it occupies in the DATA field. The following example shows the location of parameters in a CAN message DATA field:
According to the example:
Param 4 - occupies one byte at offset 7.
Param 2 - occupies two bytes at offset 2.
«Big-endian» - specifies the byte order used to read a value longer than 1 byte. When selected, the parameter is read in «Big-endian» byte order (most significant byte on the left); when cleared, it is read in «Little-endian» byte order (least significant byte on the left).
Example:
The Param 3 parameter is 2 bytes long, uses «Big-endian» byte order, and is located in the CAN message at offset 5.
That is, the Param 3 value consists of two bytes: 0xAB (most significant byte) and 0xCD (least significant byte).
When «Big-endian» byte order is used, the device stores the parameter value as 43981. When «Little-endian» byte order is used, the device stores the parameter value as 52651 (which is incorrect in this example).
«Position» - this column in the «CAN Message Data» area is not a setting. It visually represents how the device will «read» the parameter value from the CAN message DATA field based on the «Parameter», «Offset», and «Big-endian» settings (the least significant byte is «B0», «B1» is the next byte, and so on).
After custom CAN parameters have been configured, they become available for selection in the following settings:
- «Conditions for Generating the Additional Event «CAN Parameters Changed»» («CAN Bus» tab);
- «Custom Parameters» («Protocol Settings» tab).
- Parameter display format:
UC,<Message>,<Position>,<Type> - Description:
UC- symbolic designation of a custom CAN parameter.
<Message>- the value selected for this parameter in the "Message" setting in the "CAN Message Data" area;
<Position>- representation of this parameter, identical to the "Position" column in the "CAN Message Data" area;
<Type>- parameter type selected in the "Parameter" setting in the "CAN Message Data" area. - Example:
UC,11bit 235,B0 B1 __ __ __ __ __ __,unsigned
UC,11bit 235,__ __ __ __ B3 B2 B1 B0,unsigned
If any settings for a parameter in the "CAN Message Data" area are changed, all related rows containing that parameter are cleared automatically. Therefore, always check the related settings after changing the parameters.
This rule applies to the following settings:
- «Conditions for Generating the Additional Event «CAN Parameters Changed»» («CAN Bus» tab);
- «Custom Parameters» («Protocol Settings» tab).
¶ CAN Adapters
External CAN bus adapters can serve as a data source for the device.
The corresponding area displays the selected external sources used to read data from the CAN bus:
CAN adapters are connected to the device through the RS-232/RS-485 and Bluetooth digital interfaces.
The interfaces are configured on the "RS-232/RS-485" and "Bluetooth" tabs. Click «Configure Interface Parameters» to quickly open the required tab.
After the interface has been configured to work with a CAN adapter, the adapter type is displayed in the corresponding text field:
After an external CAN adapter type is selected, the «Parameter List» section displays the parameters that the device can receive from it.
¶ Parameter List
The «Parameter List» area determines which parameters and commands the device can use with the settings specified in the «Built-in CAN Interface» and «External CAN Data Source» areas.
The following indication shows whether a parameter is available:
- If the device can use a parameter or command through the built-in CAN interface, the parameter is highlighted in green.
- If the device can use a parameter or command through an external CAN adapter, the parameter is shown in bold.
- If the device cannot receive the parameter with the current settings, it is not highlighted in color or bold.
CAN parameters are divided into two groups:
«Standard Parameters» - parameters most commonly encountered when working with vehicle CAN buses. The data transmission protocol reserves dedicated fields for these parameters, with a clear description of their purpose and units. For example, «Fuel Level in Tank, L».
«Additional Parameters» - parameters rarely encountered when working with vehicle CAN buses. The data transmission protocol has no dedicated fields for these parameters, so they are transmitted as custom parameters. For example, «Lifting Mechanism Boom Rotation, 0.1*».
Each parameter or parameter group can be selected by selecting the checkbox next to its name.
If the checkbox next to a parameter or parameter group in the «Standard Parameters» list is selected, the parameter or group name becomes available in the following settings:
- «Conditions for Generating the Additional Event «CAN Parameters Changed»» («CAN Bus» tab).
If the checkbox next to a parameter or parameter group in the «Additional Parameters» list is selected, the parameter or group name becomes available in the following settings:
- «Conditions for Generating the Additional Event «CAN Parameters Changed»» («CAN Bus» tab);
- «Custom Parameters» («Protocol Settings» tab).
¶ Additional Events
This group of settings defines the conditions for generating custom events when selected parameters in the «CAN Message Data», «Standard Parameters to Read», and «Additional Parameters to Read» areas change.
«CAN Parameters Changed» events are transmitted to the server with the following codes:
6122 - «Standard CAN Parameters Changed»;
6123 - «Custom CAN Parameters Changed»;
6124 - «Additional CAN Parameters Changed».
- In total, no more than 10 conditions can be configured for generating additional events.
- Each parameter can have no more than one condition.
«Parameter» - select the parameter whose value change generates the «CAN Parameters Changed» event.
The list contents change dynamically based on the settings in the «CAN Message Data», «Standard Parameters to Read», and «Additional Parameters to Read» areas. When a new parameter is added to one of these areas, it becomes available in the list; when the parameter is removed, it also disappears from the list.
If a parameter is selected in the list and a condition is assigned to it, changing or deleting that parameter in the area where it was defined («CAN Message Data», «Standard Parameters to Read», or «Additional Parameters to Read») automatically clears the row containing the additional event condition for that parameter.
«Trigger Condition» - 3 condition types are available: «Threshold Change», «Boundary Crossing», and «Zone Entry/Exit». Each type has its own additional settings.
¶ Threshold Change
This function requires one setting - «Change Threshold».
Under this condition, the device uses the first parameter reading received after startup as the reference value. Whenever the parameter value changes by the «Change Threshold» relative to the reference value, the device:
- generates a «CAN Parameters Changed» event;
- updates the reference value to the current value.
The following figure illustrates the «Threshold Change» condition:
¶ Boundary Crossing
This function requires two settings: «Lower Boundary» and «Upper Boundary».
Under this condition, the device detects when the parameter value crosses upward through the «Upper Boundary» or downward through the «Lower Boundary».
The following figure illustrates the «Boundary Crossing» condition:
¶ Zone Entry/Exit
This function requires the following settings: «Lower Boundary», «Upper Boundary», and «Boundary Hysteresis».
Under this condition, the device detects when the parameter value enters or exits the zone defined by the «Lower Boundary» and «Upper Boundary» settings. To prevent excessive entry and exit events caused by value fluctuations near a boundary, the «Boundary Hysteresis» setting is used.
The following figure illustrates the «Zone Entry/Exit» condition:
