Technical Field

The invention according to the application relates to a CAN adapter which generates analogue and digital signals required for controlling indicator and warning lights on an electronic gauge by interpreting information from the CAN (Controller Area Network) communication and control lines in passenger land vehicles, particularly in buses used for public transportation.

The State-of-the-Art (Prior Art)

Presently, the engine, transmission, brakes, suspension and all other sub-mechanical systems in land vehicles, particularly automobiles, are in constant communication among themselves as well as with the electronic control unit (ECU). Owing to this communication, all mechanical systems and the ECU that is known as the brain of the vehicle process momentary information regarding driving and the condition of the mechanical parts and the driver is warned by means of the gauge when necessary.

A similar system is present in commercial passenger vehicles and particularly buses used for public transportation.

In public transportation vehicles such as buses, the engine, transmission, brake system, suspension system and all other sub-mechanical and -electronic systems exchange data among themselves by using the CAN (Controller Area Network) communication and control lines.

For this reason, the information that is to be transmitted to the driver is also transferred along the CAN line.

However, since no CAN connectors are provided in the electronic gauges used in many existing and recently produced public transportation vehicles unlike automobiles, the basic information that is received from the CAN communication lines and required by the driver cannot be transmitted to the gauge panel.

i Aims and Brief Description of the Invention

By means of the CAN adapter developed with this invention, the related signals received from the CAN communication lines are converted into analogue signals that can be comprehended by the electronic gauge and are sent to the gauge panel in vehicles with electronic gauges where no CAN connector is provided and thereby the driver is able to observe the information regarding the vehicle's mechanical and electronic systems on the gauge panel.

Moreover, the CAN adapter according to the invention is able to receive and reinterpret related CAN messages and reproduce required CAN message for the related sub- systems.

The following have been aimed in the development of the CAN adapter according to the invention:

• Transmitting information received from the CAN lines to the driver in vehicles with electronic gauges where no CAN connector is provided,

· Obtaining an adapter that may be installed to all existing vehicles subsequently,

• Obtaining an adapter that may be used in both left-hand and right-hand drive vehicles,

• Obtaining an adapter that may operate in a sensitive manner in high electromagnetic noise environments,

· Obtaining an adapter that is able to receive all information from the CAN communication lines and send all information through the line,

• Converting information from the CAN lines to analogue signals that may be comprehended by the vehicle's electronic gauge.

Definition of Figures Describing the Invention

The figures used for a better explanation of the CAN adapter developed with the present invention and their corresponding definitions are as follows.

Figure 1 - Top view of the CAN adapter according to the invention

Figure 2 - Front view of the CAN adapter according to the invention Figure 3 - Side view of the CAN adapter according to the invention

Definitions of Elements/Sections/ Parts Constituting the Invention

The parts and sections included in the figure for a better explanation of the CAN adapter developed with the present invention are enumerated and a corresponding definition for each number is provided below.

1. CAN adapter

2. Body

3. Mounting bracket

4. Mounting hole

5. CAN line connection socket

6. 10-pin connection socket

7. 8-pin connection socket

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention according to the application is a CAN adapter (1) for displaying information from the CAN (Controller Area Network) communication and control lines on the gauge panel in passenger land vehicles, particularly in buses used for public transportation, which is able to interpret the information from the CAN lines by means of the microprocessor-controlled circuit board provided thereon and the software run by the said board in order to generate the analogue and digital signals that are required for controlling the indicator and warning lights on the electronic gauge, and to reproduce the CAN messages required for sub-systems by receiving and reinterpreting the related CAN messages by means of

• at least one CAN line connection socket (5) where signals from multiple CAN lines are received,

• at least one 8-pin and at least one 10-pin connection sockets through which data from various mechanical and electronic systems are received;

and which may be installed on any left-hand or right-hand drive vehicle by means of • the body with electromagnetic field shielding that houses the electronic circuit board as well as the sockets (5, 6 and 7),

• at least one mounting bracket (3) per side and at least one mounting hole (4) per bracket which are located on the shorter sides of the body (2).

An example for the function of the CAN adapter (1) according to the invention which generates the CAN messages required for sub-systems by receiving and reinterpreting the related CAN messages is transmitting the speed limit information required for the engine control unit as a CAN message through the communication line.

Similarly, an example for the function of receiving analogue signals and converting them into related CAN messages is converting analogue pressure signals received from brake pressure sensors into CAN messages and transmitting them through the communication line.

The basic implementation of the invention comprises,

• one RX uart pin, one TX uart pin, two auxiliary analogue outlets, two brake pressure sensor lines, one ESC outlet and one RS 232 button line in the 8-pin connection socket (7),

• two speed limit lines for different speed limits, one adblue warning line, one water in fuel warning line, one analogue adblue outlet, one analogue overheating outlet, one zero km speed outlet, one digital auxiliary inlet, one speed inlet and one C3 outlet in the 10-pin connection socket (6),

• one inlet for +/- power supply, one CAN A high, one CAN A low, one CAN B high and one CAN B low line inlets in the CAN line connection socket (5).

The inlet/outlet sockets and connection lines of the CAN adapter according to the invention may be provided in various combinations, numbers and with various functions depending on different embodiments of the invention.

The operational functions of the CAN adapter (1) obtained with the socket combinations used in the basic implementation of the invention are explained through the following examples. Engine Overheating Information: The Engine overheating information on the CAN line is processed and converted into an analogue signal required for the overheating indicator on the electronic gauge.

ADBIue Level Information: The adblue level information from the CAN A or CAN B line is processed and converted into an analogue signal required for the 7-level adblue indicator on the electronic gauge panel. The said levels are as follows.

1 ^st Level 0-10 %

Level 11-25 %

3 ^rd Level 26-45 %

Level 46-55 %

5 ^th Level 56-70 %

6 ^th Level 71-85 %

7 ^th Level 86-100 %

ADBIue Warning Signal Outlet: When the adblue level from the CAN A or CAN B line drops below 5%, the adblue error light on the electronic indicator blinks with short intervals. If it is between Level %5 and %10, then the light is constantly on. When the CAN adapter is powered for the first time, this light blinks with short intervals for 7 seconds and then the momentary adblue level is displayed.

Water in Fuel Warning: The water in fuel information from the CAN A or CAN B line is converted to a digital signal and the water in fuel warning indicator on the gauge panel is activated.

CCSS Speed Limit Information: The pins in the related socket are grounded and 5km/h and 30km/h speed limit information is transmitted to the engine once every 250 ms through the CAN B line. Speed Signal: The speed information from the tachograph is converted into C3 signal using the related speed revolution coefficient and transmitted to the speed indicator on the gauge panel.

Zero Kilometre Outlet: If the wheel speed or the shaft output speed is zero for 0.5 seconds, a digital output is generated and sent to the bus stop valve. In order for this output to be passive, vehicle speed must be 5 km/h or more. Brake pressure Information Outlet: The analogue signals received from the vehicle's pressure sensors are converted into CAN messages and transmitted through the CAN A line.

ESC Warning Information: When one of the related bits of the information received from the vehicle's CAN A line with the 0xl8FE4F0B message is active, this output is sent to the electronic gauge unit as an ESC warning.