Analysis of Cooperative Operating Concepts for Robust Data Transmission in Periodically Disturbed CAN FD Networks

The demands on safety and reliability of fast automotive communication systems like controller area network (CAN) or CAN with flexible data rate (CAN FD) grow with the increasing use of highly automated driving functions in future vehicles. As the vehicular electromagnetic environment is very challenging, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and cable coupling in the extended wire harness are important issues. In particular, modern power electronic systems for electric driving with fast switching semiconductors can cause severe electromagnetic interference in nearby electronic systems, such as bus systems. Power electronic devices are often controlled by periodic pulsewidth modulation signals, so interference in communication systems is also periodic. The periodic disturbances in the transmission channel can result in a significant reduction in the effective data rate and high latency. This article introduces and analyzes the possibilities of cooperative operating concepts of EMI sources and a modified CAN FD communication system. Source and sink of electromagnetic emissions are considered together to minimize the influence of common and differential mode disturbances on the data transmission. In the proposed concept, data transmission is synchronized to a known major disturbance source, e.g., the motor inverter for electric driving. A much faster and more reliable data transmission with low latency can be realized.