System and method for interfacing a CAN device and a peripheral device

A system for synchronizing a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface with a peripheral device, the system comprising:

• a peripheral device, coupled to a host computer via an I/O bus;
• a CAN interface, coupled to the host computer via the I/O bus, wherein the CAN interface comprises:
• a memory configured to store program code;
• an embedded processor coupled to the memory, and configured to execute the program code;
• bus interface logic coupled to the embedded processor;
• and
• CAN interface logic coupled to the embedded processor and adapted for interfacing with a CAN bus;
• and
• an interconnecting bus, coupling the peripheral device to the CAN interface via the bus interface logic of the CAN interface;
• wherein the CAN interface is operable to generate an asynchronous trigger on the interconnecting bus in response to a CAN event;
• wherein the peripheral device is operable to receive the asynchronous trigger via the interconnecting bus;
• wherein the bus interface logic of the CAN interface is configured to assert the asynchronous trigger on the interconnecting bus to the peripheral device in response to the embedded processor performing a CAN event, wherein the peripheral device is operable to perform a peripheral event substantially synchronously with the CAN event upon receiving the asynchronous trigger on the interconnecting bus from the CAN interface;
• and
• wherein the generation and receipt of the asynchronous trigger, and the performing the peripheral event are performed independently of the I/O bus.

A method for synchronizing a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface with a peripheral device, wherein the CAN interface and the peripheral device are both coupled to a host computer via an I/O bus, wherein the CAN interface and the peripheral device are directly coupled through an interconnecting bus, the method comprising:

• the peripheral device generating an asynchronous trigger on the interconnecting bus in response to a peripheral event;
• the CAN interface receiving the asynchronous trigger from the peripheral device through the interconnecting bus;
• and
• the CAN interface performing a CAN event in response to the asynchronous trigger;
• wherein, in response to receiving the asynchronous trigger, the CAN interface performs the CAN event substantially synchronously with the peripheral event;
• and
• wherein the generation and receipt of the asynchronous trigger, and the performing the CAN event are performed independently of the I/O bus.

A method for synchronizing a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface with a peripheral device, wherein the CAN interface and the peripheral device are both coupled to a host computer using an I/O bus, wherein the CAN interface and the peripheral device are directly coupled through an interconnecting bus, the method comprising:

• the CAN interface performing a CAN event;
• and
• the CAN interface transmitting an asynchronous trigger to the peripheral device through the interconnecting bus in response to the CAN interface performing the CAN event;
• wherein the asynchronous trigger is operable to direct the peripheral device to perform a peripheral event substantially synchronously with the CAN event in response to the asynchronous trigger;
• and
• wherein the transmission of the asynchronous trigger and the performing each of the CAN event and the peripheral event are performed independently of the I/O bus.

A system for synchronizing a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface device with a peripheral device, the system comprising:

• a host computer system;
• a peripheral device coupled to the host computer system via an I/O bus, wherein the peripheral device couples to the physical system;
• a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus;
• one or more CAN devices coupled to the CAN bus, wherein the one or more CAN devices couple to the physical system;
• a CAN interface device coupled to the host computer system via the I/O bus;
• and
• an interconnecting bus, coupling the peripheral device to the CAN interface device;
• wherein the CAN interface device and the peripheral device are operable to communicate with each other using the interconnecting bus to synchronize measurement and/or control operations on the physical system, wherein said communicating is performed independently of the I/O bus;
• wherein said communicating with each other comprises using an asynchronous trigger signal.

A method for correlating measurements in a system comprising a host computer system coupled to a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface and a peripheral device via an I/O bus, wherein the CAN interface is adapted to couple through a CAN bus to one or more CAN devices, wherein the CAN devices couple to a physical system, wherein the peripheral device is also adapted to couple to the physical system, wherein the peripheral device and the CAN interface are directly coupled through an interconnecting bus, the method comprising:

• the CAN interface acquiring CAN data frames from the CAN bus;
• the CAN interface generating CAN timestamps for the acquired CAN data frames;
• the peripheral device transmitting an asynchronous trigger signal on the interconnecting bus to the CAN interface in response to a peripheral event performed by the peripheral device;
• the CAN interface receiving the asynchronous trigger signal and generating a trigger timestamp for the asynchronous trigger signal;
• and
• determining from the CAN timestamps and the trigger timestamps one or more of the CAN data frames which correlate in time with the peripheral event;
• wherein the transmission and receipt of the asynchronous trigger signal and the performing the peripheral event are performed independently of the I/O bus.

A method for correlating measurements in a system comprising a host computer system coupled to a Controller Area Network (CAN) interface and a peripheral device using an I/O bus, wherein the CAN interface is adapted to couple through a CAN bus to one or more CAN devices, wherein the CAN devices couple to a physical system, wherein the peripheral device is also adapted to couple to the physical system, wherein the peripheral device and the CAN interface are directly coupled through an interconnecting bus, the method comprising:

• the peripheral device transferring data values;
• the peripheral device generating peripheral timestamps indicating times-of-transference of said data values;
• the CAN interface performing a CAN frame transfer;
• the CAN interface transmitting an asynchronous trigger signal on the interconnecting bus to the peripheral device in response to the CAN frame transfer;
• the peripheral device receiving the trigger signal and generating a trigger timestamp indicating a time-of-occurrence of the asynchronous trigger signal;
• and
• determining from the peripheral timestamps and the trigger timestamp one or more of the data values which correlate in time with the CAN frame transfer;
• wherein the transmission and receipt of the asynchronous trigger signal are performed independently of the I/O bus.