The Data Center Software is Total Phase’s free bus monitoring software that allows users to interface with Total Phase protocol analyzers supporting I2C, SPI, USB, CAN, and eSPI protocols. These analyzers include the Beagle I2C/SPI Protocol Analyzer, the line of Beagle USB Protocol Analyzers, the USB Power Delivery Analyzer, the Komodo CAN Duo Interface, and the Promira Serial Platform with the eSPI Analysis Application.

The Data Center Software offers various features to help with the debugging process, including the Last Packet View when developing CAN systems. In this article, we’ll provide background on this feature and how it can help provide further insight into the CAN bus.

About the Komodo CAN Duo Interface

The Komodo CAN Duo Interface is a two-channel USB-to-CAN adapter and analyzer. This all-in-one tool is capable of active CAN data transmission as well as non-intrusive CAN bus monitoring.  It offers a flexible and scalable solution for a variety of applications including automotive, military, industrial, medical, and more.

Komodo CAN Duo Interface

Features of the Komodo CAN Duo Interface include:

• Dual-channel: two independent customizable CAN channels
• Transfer rate up to 1 Mbps
• Independent galvanic isolation per CAN channel
• 8 configurable GPIOs
• USB 2.0 full-speed; bus-powered
• Free software and API
• Cross-platform support: Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X compatible

Viewing CAN Bus Data in the Data Center Software

Once users configure the Komodo CAN Duo Interface to operate per their requirements, the CAN data transactions will be displayed in the Transaction window in real time. When a transaction is selected in the Transaction window, detailed information about that transaction is displayed in the Info pane.

Within the Transaction window, users can view:

The channel on which the packet or event occurred.

Error codes listing abnormal conditions that occurred while capturing the transaction.

The bitrate of the CAN bus in kHz.

The ID of the source CAN node of the CAN packet. When a packet is marked as RTR, the ID, instead, corresponds to the destination CAN node (the requestee).

DLC (Data Length Code) is the specified number of bytes transmitted in a single CAN packet.

The data payload for CAN packets, and a textual description for CAN events, errors, and capture events.

What is the Last Packet View?

The Last Packet View feature within the Data Center Software provides further information into the CAN bus data. This feature displays the last data packet received on the CAN bus for each channel, CAN ID, RTR (remote request indicator), and DLC (data length code). This feature provides users with a count on how many data packets have been monitored for a specific device ID, as well as the average time calculated between packets received.

The Last Packet View can be accessed from clicking the button in the application toolbar at the top of the screen. This view is only supported by the CAN protocol.

CAN Last Packet View

The details within the Last Packet View window include:

The packet index number.

The channel on which the packet was captured.

CAN Identifier of the packet

Remote request indicator.

Data Length Code.

Average time between packets. Period is calculates based on the last 3 packets of this type.

The total number of packets captured since the last CAN capture session started.

Data payload for the last CAN packet of this type.

Debugging and Development Using the Komodo CAN Duo Interface

The two independent CAN channels of the Komodo CAN Duo Interface allows for simultaneous communication on and/or monitoring of two separate CAN buses. Users can configure the tool to actively send CAN messages using one channel and monitor the CAN bus with the other. To learn more about how the can be used for these applications, please see our video:

For more information on the Komodo CAN Duo Interface and how it can be used for your own CAN applications, please email sales@totalphase.com or submit a Demo Request.

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