The Multi-Purpose Hardware Tool for Vehicle Networks

Intrepid Control Systems introduces neoVI, the new vehicle interface for your PC that fits in your pocket. The neoVI vehicle to PC interface is designed to be easy to install and use. Receiving and transmitting data on your network is hassle free.

Flexible Interfaces to the PC with Two Choices!

neoVI is an external device which can be used on both laptops and desktops -unlike competitive solutions with PCMCIA and PCI interfaces. It implements a RS232 interface for simple connection with low speed protocols and a high speed USB connection for both low and high speed protocols. The USB connection is fully isolated which protects your PC from the electrically noisy vehicle.

Network Protocols of Today and Tomorrow - Simultaneously!

neoVI can perform simultaneous reception and transmission on many different networks. This includes two dual wire CAN networks, one single wire CAN network, a Class 2/DCX compatible J1850 VPW network, a Ford SCP compatible J1850 PWM network, and a ISO9141/Keyword 2000/LIN network. Each network message is time stamped to a 100 µs clock. Also, neoVI is compatible with the GMLAN messaging strategy, OBD-II, LIN, and the J1939 truck and bus messaging strategy.

Unprecedented Software Support

Software support for the neoVI is outstanding. You can build your own applications or use off-the-shelf software to get started immediately. The Vehicle Spy product provides a turn-key solution - even with Palm PCs. The free RAW API and WIN32 DLLs allow fast development in languages such as Visual Basic, Visual C++, C# .NET, Delphi, and LabVIEW.

neoVI is Designed for Automated Test

neoVI  has built-in support for automated test. It is equipped with generic IO that can be configured to trigger a digital scope or data acquisition system. neoVI implements a DAQ clock feature which generates a start scan and scan clock for a data acquisition card. This allows correlation of network messages and DAQ card data to 100 µs. Finally, the firmware can be updated via the RS232 or USB port- even during a test script! This allows specialized real-time firmware to be temporarily loaded into the device and executed.

All trademarks are trademarks of their respective companies. Vehicle Spy, neoVI, and Vehiclescape are trademarks of Intrepid Control Systems, Inc. Specifications subject to change without notice.

neoVI BLUE Pins

Flexibility is Key

neoVI was designed to be flexible. neoVI is an external device which connects to either an USB or RS232 port on a PC. You have the choice!

No Extra Stuff Required

Unlike competitive solutions with an Ethernet interface you don't need to purchase and install an extra card (an Ethernet card). RS232 is present on almost every PC and USB is on almost every new PC shipped in the last few years.

Most laptops don't include a built in Ethernet interface. This requires you to use a PCMCIA version. Using a valuable PCMCIA slot can be problematic when you are using a data acquisition (DAQ) card. Data acquisition is a common practice in automotive engineering.

Keeping it External

These two interfaces allow neoVI to be an external device - no opening the computer for installation.

This also means it can be used on desktop or laptops - unlike competitive PCI cards or PCMCIA solutions.

With PCI cards you have to open the PC. This is a real pain when you have to move your vehicle interface from PC to PC. Also, you may have limited PCI slots if you are building a test stand.

PCMCIA cards are impressive in their size, but you need a PCMCIA slot. Desktops don't have them - so you will have to add it yourself. Also, PCMCIA card connectors aren't the most robust thing around - ask anyone who has used them in a vehicle. Finally, you lose a PCMCIA slot that could be filled up with a DAQ card.

Installation is a Breeze

Both RS232 and USB are plug and play. You just plug them in and they install themselves. You don't even have to reboot the machine.

This is a severe contrast to installing an Ethernet card. Be ready to understand IP addresses, TCP/IP and other arcane networking stuff. For an idea, look at the networking application in your Windows control panel. Like PCI cards, you will also have to reboot. If your lucky, you only will have to reboot once.

RS232 - A Ubiquitous Standard

RS232 is present on almost every computer (figure 1). This makes RS232 the most flexible interfaces in use today. It is supported by every operating system.

RS232 is also useful because it can serve any host - not just a PC. For example, using the neoVI RS232 API, you can use a micro controller to send and receive network messages.

RS232's main limitation is bandwidth. This limitation is important with high baud rate and high bus load CAN networks.

Figure 1 - RS232 is a popular standard for interfacing to a PC or other hosts.

USB - High Speed Simplicity

USB is a new interface standard for the PC (figure 2). USB was designed to overcome the limitations with other interface solutions including cost, speed, and ease-of-use.

USB is fast; over 200 times faster than a 56k RS232 connection. This allows neoVI to operate simultaneously on multiple high baud rate and high bus load vehicle networks.

The main limitation with USB is operating system support -you require Windows 2000 or Windows XP to use USB effectively.

Figure 2 - USB is a high speed serial port for the PC.

Software Support for all Types of Users

Different people require different solutions, many want a turn-key solution and others want to program their own. neoVI offers levels of solutions for each type of user. 

The included neoVI Explorer is an application that lets you setup the neoVI device without any programming (shown above). It lets you set features such as baud rate, timing parameters and power down modes. It also gives you a way to upgrade the firmware for the device. All settings are stored in non-volatile storage on neoVI. This avoids you having to send setup info every time the neoVI is powered down.

Vehicle Spy: State-of-the-Art Bus Analyzer

A complete turn-key solution is achieved when neoVI is combined with the Vehicle Spy application software. Vehicle Spy 2 lets you easily view, generate, analyze, and record bus traffic. This includes operations such as flight recording and simulation.

Test in the field without a laptop using a Palm PC: Vehicle Spy CE

Vehicle Spy CE is a special limited version of the Vehicle Spy bus analyzer designed to run on Windows Palm PCs. There is also a version available for regular versions of Windows. Currently, the software is free to neoVI users.

Visual C++, Borland C++ Builder, Borland Delphi, LabWindows CVI, Visual Basic 6, Visual C#, and Visual Basic .NET via a WIN32 DLL

C/C++, .Net, Delphi and Visual Basic users can use the included WIN32 DLL. This DLL supports one interface for both USB and RS232. The user interacts with neoVI via simple structures and function calls. The DLL is a high performance multi-threaded object oriented design.

LabVIEW VI's Included!

The neoVI API includes a set of LabVIEW VIs for you to write your own custom neoVI applications in National Instruments LabVIEW.

Any Host with the Raw API

RS232 is a simple interface standard supported by many operating systems and on low end devices. Since neoVI 's support is targeted at the Windows 32 bit operating systems we provide an raw API specification. This allows anyone with a RS232 or USB port to send and receive vehicle network messages.

Device

• RP1210 Compliant
• J2534 Compliant
• Power Consumption (typical) : 120mA @ 14.4 VDC.
• Power Supply: Vehicle compatible 6 to 32 VDC (Network Traffic will not be received or transmitted properly below 5.5V) (SWCAN and LIN Disabled above 17.5 V due to xcvr limits)
• Physical Dimensions : 120 x 70 x 25 mm ( 4.8 " x 2.8 " x 1.0" )
• Weight:  113 g ( 4 oz )
• Non USB Temperature Range: -40 to 85 C
• USB Temperature Range: 0 to 70 C 
• Physical Dimensions (with boot): 5 x 3 x 1.2" (12.9 x 7.6 x 3 cm); 5.5oz (157 g)
• Vehicle Connector : 25 Pin male D-SUB
• Standard PC/Host Connectors: USB downstream, RS232 9PIN D-SUB Female
• RS232 port capable of 1Mbaud, 750 Kb, 600 kb, 500 kb, 375 kb, 250kb, 230.4 kb, 115.2 kb, 57.6 kb, 38.4 kb, 28.8 kb, 19.2 kb, and  9600. Control lines include hardware handshaking (RTS/CTS).
• Warranty: One year limited warranty
• Firmware: Field upgradeable design (flash EEPROM)
• On board Processing: 16 MIPS RISC based multi-controller design
• Bicolor user notification LED (red-green) is user configurable or can change on network activity, trigger or IO pin.
• General Purpose IO: Six IO configurable as input or output. Four configurable as 10 bit analog inputs. ISO K and L Lines available as general purpose outputs. K Line available is general purpose input. 
• General Purpose IO rate report interval 1-100 ms or based on digital change. Analog input sampling rate is 1 ms per channel.
• Host controlled reset

Networks - General

• Time stamping to accuracy of 100uS on CAN networks, J1708 network, and Ford SCP network. 250 µs on Class 2 / J1850 VPW and ISO/KW2K.  Timestamp rollover is greater than 1 year.
• Simultaneous operations on all networks with aggregate bandwidth performance of 2 mega baud over USB.
• Transmit message double-buffering on all networks allows back to back message transmission.
• Multiple hardware triggers allow bit-wise filter specifications on entire message (first 12 bytes for block type messages).
• Generation of scan clock with correlated start message timestamp for synchronization of external data acquisition equipment.

High Speed CAN

• ISO11898 Dual Wire CAN Physical Layer (TJA1050).
• CAN 2.0B active
• PIC18F6680 integrated CAN controller with support for loop-back, error recognition, and  listen-only operation.
• Optimized Rx and Tx circuitry.
• Up to 1 M-Bit software selectable baud rate.
• Graphical Bit Time/Baud Rate Calculator .

Medium Speed CAN

• ISO11898 Dual Wire CAN Physical Layer (TJA1050).
• CAN 2.0B active.
• MCP2515 CAN controller with support for loop-back and  listen-only operation.
• Up to 1 M-Bit software selectable baud rate.
• Graphical Bit Time/Baud Rate Calculator.

Low Speed Fault Tolerant CAN

• ISO11519 Low Speed Fault Tolerant CAN Physical Layer (TJA1054).
• CAN 2.0B active.
• MCP2515 CAN controller with support for loop-back and  listen-only operation.
• Software selectable baud rate/bit timing up to limitations of physical layer.
• Graphical Bit Time/Baud Rate Calculator.
• Termination resistor in sockets for customization of network impedance .

Single Wire CAN

• Enhanced Single Wire CAN physical layer GMW3089 2.2/ SAE J2411 (TH8056).
• CAN 2.0B active.
• MCP2515 CAN controller with support for loop-back and  listen-only operation.
• High Speed Mode, High Speed Test Tool, and High Voltage Wakeup support.
• Software selectable baud rate/bit timing up to limitations of physical layer.
• Graphical Bit Time/Baud Rate Calculator

GM Class 2/ SAE J1850 VPW

• VPW Physical Layer capable of Tx and Rx operations in high speed modes (MC33390)
• Software controlled peripheral based VPW generation
• Reception of IFR data during rx and tx.
• Programmable relay selection of JVPW or JPWM J1850 on J1962 Connector

UART/ISO9141/Keyword 2000 (ISO14230)/ LIN Bus (Local Interconnect Network 1.x,2.0, J2602)

• K and L lines implemented.
• UART Based state machine.
• Initialization waveforms including Fast Init, Five Baud, CARB and Custom.
• Programmable timing parameters including inter-byte, TX inter-frame, RX inter-frame and initialization waveforms (0.5 ms resolution).
• Software selectable baud rate.
• Socket selectable pull up resistor on both K and L lines.
• Jumper selectable pull up voltage either 5V or Battery.
• K and L have software controlled transmit enable lines allowing many different variants of UART or ISO9141 communications including: Tx on L Rx on K (full duplex); Tx and Rx on K (half duplex); Tx on K and L and Rx on K.
• LIN Bus Monitor Mode identifies errors : Sync Break Error State and Length, Sync Wave Error, Message ID parity, TFrameMax/Slave Not Responding, Checksum Error and Transmit Bit Errors.
• LIN Bus Master Mode operates at same time as LIN Bus monitor.
• Dedicated LIN Transceiver (MC33399) with socketed pull-up resistor.
• LIN Bus Slave support simulates all LIN ID.
• LIN TFrame measurement to 4 microseconds .
• LIN is compatible with LIN 1.x, 2.0 and J2602.

Ford SCP/ SAE J1850 PWM 

• Software setup of LBCC including the Node Address, Lookup Table 1 and 2, and the Network Driver and Receive Control Register.
• Software selectable SCP bit rate of 41.6 kbps or 83.3 kbps.
• Programmable relay selection of JVPW or JPWM J1850 on J1962 Connector.
• Monitor Mode support allows viewing of all SCP messages on network including IFR data.
   

SAE J1708

• SAE J1708 Physical Layer.
• Software setup of SAE J1708 parameters.

Specifications are subject to change without notice.  Contact Intrepid Control Systems for latest product information.

• neoVI Blue Product PDF
• Help Documentation
• neoVI - DLL Documention