February 2, 2010 - Kvaser AB unveiled a CAN bus datalogger, Memorator Light. Designed to help troubleshoot any CAN-based system, Memorator Light is an easy-to-use tool for logging serial data without configuration or software setup. It can be used in systems as wide ranging as factory automation, automotive, marine, medical and beyond. Memorator Light is ideal for situations when there’s an occasional need to gather diagnostics-related information, for example, when a control system intermittently misbehaves. The datalogger can be left continuously connected to the system so that when a fault condition arises, it records what happens just before and after the problem occurs.
Plugging this single channel, high-speed datalogger into a system’s CAN network provides access to a wide range of data without interfering with bus traffic, making hard-to-diagnose fault conditions considerably easier to track. Most dataloggers require preconfiguration prior to use in order to determine the individual CAN bus network’s bit rate. In contrast, Memorator Light can be used straight out of the box: simply plug the datalogger into the system’s CAN port via the standard male 9 pin DSUB CAN connector and the device’s inbuilt autobaud function will automatically determine the bit rate.
Memorator Light supports both 11-bit (CAN 2.0A) and 29-bit (CAN 2.0B active) identifiers, and bit rates from 10 Kbit/sec up to 1 Mbit/sec. The messages recorded by Memorator Light are held in a circular buffer where the oldest data is overwritten when the buffer becomes full. This first-in, first out (FIFO) feature ensures that users always have the most recent information to hand.
A second circular buffer records 1000 messages before and after an error frame occurs. Once enough data has been gathered, Memorator Light can be connected to a PC via its USB 2.0 interface. Easy access to the data is provided by Memorator Light Extraction Software, which comes as part of the package, supporting multiple file formats used by popular analysis software. Apart from the autobaud function, features that suit Memorator Light to troubleshooting intermittent fault conditions include the 1 GByte of built-in memory, which prevents data corruption from SD card mishandling and connector damage.
As with other members of the Memorator family, Memorator Light comes in a lightweight and easy-to-handle form factor that is capable of operating in the -40oC to 85oC temperature range. Power consumption is 600mW and a rechargeable battery ensures that all recorded data is preserved when the system shuts down. Four externally visible LEDs provide simple indicators of device status, including Power, CAN and Error frame. Among the popular analysis packages that Memorator Light supports are ATI Apollo, ATI CANlab, ATI Vision, Vector CANalyzer, Vector CANoe, Warwick X-Analyser and X.
About CAN:
Bosch began CAN development in 1983. Since then, CAN has become the most widely deployed communications network in both the factory automation and automotive sectors, with CAN appealing particularly for its high reliability and low cost. Nowadays, many system components are CAN-enabled, permitting them to send and receive signals over the CAN network. Thus, they are capable of transmitting data about their wear over time. Logging and analysing this information on a CAN bus enables potential problems with CAN-enabled components to be detected before they occur, saving not only costly repairs, but also system downtime.
