Electronic device, corresponding bus communication system and method of configuring a bus communication system

A differential bus communication system, comprising:

• a commander device, the commander device comprising a CAN protocol controller, a CAN transceiver circuit coupled to the CAN protocol controller, and a communication port coupled to the CAN transceiver circuit and connected to a first end of a first segment of a differential bus;
• a first responder device and a second responder device, each of the first and second responder devices respectively including:
• a CAN protocol controller;
• a first communication port being connected to the first segment of the differential bus;
• a second communication port being connected to a second segment of the differential bus;
• a first CAN transceiver circuit coupled to the CAN protocol controller and configured to receive a first CAN transmission signal therefrom and to transmit a first CAN reception signal thereto, the first CAN transceiver circuit being coupled to the first communication port and configured to drive a differential voltage at the differential bus based on the first CAN transmission signal and to sense a differential voltage at the differential bus and to produce the first CAN reception signal;
• a second CAN transceiver circuit coupled to the second communication port and configured to drive a differential voltage at the second segment of the differential bus based on a second CAN transmission signal or to sense a differential voltage at the second segment of the differential bus and to produce a second CAN reception signal;
• a logic circuit comprising a first NOR logic gate and a second NOR logic gate, the logic circuit being configured to set the first CAN transmission signal to a recessive level in response to the first CAN reception signal having a dominant level, and set the second CAN transmission signal to a recessive level in response to the second CAN reception signal having a dominant level, the first NOR logic gate being configured to apply NOR logic processing to the second CAN reception signal and to an output signal from the second NOR logic gate and to produce a first blocking signal, and the second NOR logic gate being configured to apply NOR logic processing to the first CAN reception signal and to an output signal from the first NOR logic gate and to produce a second blocking signal;
• and
• wherein the second communication port is enabled in response to a control signal being de-asserted and disabled in response to the control signal being asserted, wherein CAN signals are passed between the first communication port and the second communication port in response to the control signal being de-asserted, and the CAN signals are not passed between the first communication port and the second communication port in response to the control signal being asserted,
• and
• wherein the first communication port of the second responder device is connected to the second segment of the differential bus, and the second communication port of the second responder device is connected to a third segment of the differential bus.

A method of configuring a differential bus communication system, the differential bus communication system including:

• a commander device, the commander device comprising a CAN protocol controller, a CAN transceiver circuit coupled to the CAN protocol controller, and a communication port coupled to the CAN transceiver circuit and connected to a first end of a first segment of a differential bus;
• a first responder device and a second responder device, each of the first and second responder devices respectively including:
• a CAN protocol controller;
• a first communication port being connected to the first segment of the differential bus;
• a second communication port being connected to a second segment of the differential bus, the second communication port being enabled in response to a control signal being de-asserted and disabled in response to the control signal being asserted;
• a first CAN transceiver circuit coupled to the CAN protocol controller and configured to receive a first CAN transmission signal therefrom and to transmit a first CAN reception signal thereto, the first CAN transceiver circuit being coupled to the first communication port and configured to drive a differential voltage at the differential bus based on the first CAN transmission signal and to sense a differential voltage at the differential bus and to produce the first CAN reception signal;
• a second CAN transceiver circuit coupled to the second communication port and configured to drive a differential voltage at the second segment of the differential bus based on a second CAN transmission signal or to sense a differential voltage at the second segment of the differential bus and to produce a second CAN reception signal;
• an OR logic gate configured to apply OR logic processing to the control signal and the first CAN reception signal produced by the first CAN transceiver circuit and to produce the second CAN transmission signal;
• wherein CAN signals are passed between the first communication port and the second communication port in response to the control signal being de-asserted, and the CAN signals are not passed between the first communication port and the second communication port in response to the control signal being asserted,
• and
• wherein the first communication port of the second responder device is connected to the second segment of the differential bus, and the second communication port of the second responder device is connected to a third segment of the differential bus, the method comprising:
• sending, from the commander device to the first responder device via the first segment of the differential bus using a default bus address, a first configuration frame including instructions for setting a univocal bus address for the first responder device;
• receiving the first configuration frame at the first responder device and storing the univocal bus address for the first responder device in a memory area of the first responder device;
• enabling the second communication port of the first responder device by de-asserting the control signal of the first responder device;
• sending, from the commander device to the second responder device via the first segment and the second segment of the differential bus using a default bus address, a second configuration frame including instructions for setting a univocal bus address for the second responder device;
• receiving the second configuration frame at the second responder device and storing the univocal bus address for the second responder device in a memory area of the second responder device;
• and
• enabling the second communication port of the second responder device by de-asserting the control signal of the second responder device.