The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems (IPMS) has developed a CAN FD IP Core. Compatible with the CAN 2.0B and CAN FD ISO standard, the CAN FD IP Core can be implemented in stand-alone controllers, system-on-chips (SoC) or FPGAs. Although CAN 2.0B and CAN FD are predominantly used in the automotive sector, both can also be found in other areas such as industry, automation, process control, logistics and medical applications. As an extension, the IP Core supports both the established CAN 2.0B standard as well as ISO and non-ISO CAN FD. In particular, this extension includes a scalable data rate of more than 1 MBit/s as well as an enlarged payload of up to 64 bytes. Therefore, data throughput can be increased in comparison to a conventional CAN 2.0B interface. Because of this, users are able to, for example, meet the requirements of the growing need for higher bandwidths for increasingly complex electronic control units implemented in vehicle electronics.

„Our CAN FD IP Core supports both ISO and non-ISO CAN FD protocol functions. Users may simply choose between the variants in operation to compatibly communicate with the various devices found in a CAN network.“, explains Project Leader Frank Deicke. „The data rate can be increased to several MBit/s for CAN FD. Both the CAN FD transceiver and the implemented CAN FD network topology influence the maximum data rate. Our CAN FD IP Core itself has no limited data rate.“ Thanks to the 32-bit controller interface (8 bits and 16 bits as well as AMBA APB and AHB optionally), fully synchronous description as well as modern Clock Domain Crossing and simple storage solutions, the CAN FD IP Core can be easily integrated into ASIC or FPGA designs. The CAN FD IP Core is delivered with VHDL or Verilog source code or as a netlist as well as with comprehensive documentation and useful add-ons. It has already been integrated into numerous ASIC and FPGA designs and applied in production environments.

Visitors to the 15th International CAN Conference, Europe's largest meeting place for the exchange of CAN research and experience, will be convinced by the expertise displayed in an accompanying exhibition by the Fraunhofer IPMS from 27-28 October 2015 in Vienna.