Shared CAN XL Transceiver Architecture for Multi-Controller Bus Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current CAN XL bus standard requires a separate transceiver for each processing unit, leading to significant costs and complexity in managing communication across multiple processing systems within the same integrated circuit or on a printed circuit board.
Innovation Solution
A processing system architecture that includes a CAN XL protocol controller and a PWM signal generator circuit, allowing for the generation of NRZ and PWM signals based on mode selection, enabling direct data exchange between CAN XL protocol controllers without the need for a separate transceiver for each unit, using a shared bus system for communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate transceiver is provided for each processing unit, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple transceiver functions into a single shared transceiver that serves multiple processing units. The transceiver is configured to communicate with multiple processing units over a bus system, eliminating the need for separate transceivers for each unit while maintaining communication reliability through protocol-level management.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared transceiver is designed with multi-functionality to handle communications with multiple processing units. It can dynamically switch between different processing units and support both NRZ and PWM communication modes, making a single transceiver universal enough to replace multiple dedicated transceivers.
2Productivity
If a separate transceiver is provided for each processing unit, then communication performance is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple transceiver instances into a single shared transceiver resource that is time-multiplexed across multiple processing units. This merging approach reduces component quantity and cost while maintaining communication performance through efficient bus arbitration and protocol management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically allocates the shared transceiver resource to different processing units based on communication needs. The transceiver can switch between NRZ and PWM modes dynamically, and the bus system manages dynamic access rights, allowing flexible resource utilization that maintains performance while reducing hardware quantity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If NRZ and PWM signals are generated based on mode selection, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The signal generator is designed to dynamically switch between NRZ and PWM signal generation modes based on a mode selection input. This dynamic capability allows the same hardware circuit to adapt to different communication requirements without requiring separate dedicated circuits for each signal type, managing complexity through dynamic reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
A single signal generator circuit is designed to perform multiple functions by generating both NRZ and PWM signals based on mode selection. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate signal generation circuits for each modulation type, achieving adaptability while controlling complexity through shared hardware resources.
Data Source
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AI summary
A processing system is described. The processing system comprises a first CAN XL communication system (501) and a second CAN XL communication system (502), wherein each CAN XL communication system (501, 502) comprises a CAN XL protocol controller configured to generate a NRZ encoded transmission signal (TXD) and receive a NRZ encoded reception signal (RXD). Each CAN XL communication system (501, 502) is configured to generate a first transmission signal (TXD1) by selecting the NRZ encoded transmission signal (TXD) or a PWM signal generated as a function of the NRZ encoded transmission signal (TXD). Specifically, the processing system (10a) comprises a bus (22) having a transmission node (TX2) and a reception node (RX2), wherein the bus (22) is configured to receive from each CAN XL communication system (501, 502) a respective second transmission signal (TXD2) and drive the logic level at the transmission node (TX2) as a function of the logic levels of the second transmission signals (TXD2), and provide to each CAN XL communication system (501, 502) a respective second reception signal (RXD2) having a logic level determined as a function of the logic level at the reception node (RX2). Moreover, the processing system comprises a switching circuit (24, 224, 306, 308, 52, 520) configured to support a plurality of modes, wherein, in a first mode, the switching circuit (24, 224, 306, 308, 52, 520) is configured to provide the NRZ encoded transmission signals (TXD) of the CAN XL communication systems (501, 502) as the second transmission signals (TXD2) to the bus system (22), and provide the respective second reception signal (RXD2) received from the bus (22) to the CAN XL protocol controllers (300) of the CAN XL communication system (501, 502).