Real-Time CAN Bus Joystick Interface With TMS320 32-bit Microcontroller for Defence Applications

This paper employs the TMS320F28335 microcontroller to establish a CAN bus communication system for interfacing with a joystick. The microcontroller’s ADC converts analog joystick signals into digital values, which are processed using linear scaling algorithms to derive motion (azimuth) and angle (elevation) measurements. These measurements are averaged for noise reduction and then transmitted via the CAN bus in structured byte-array packets. Implementation involves initializing system control, GPIO, ADC, CAN, and timer peripherals. The ADC continuously samples signals and stores them in lookup tables; the converted values are packaged using pre-configured CAN mailboxes and sent at regular intervals using a timer-based ISR. Additionally, the system integrates a secondary CAN node (Arduino) to demonstrate multi-node communication. Visualization and validation are achieved through an Integrated Guidance and Control Display Unit (IGCDU) and a CAN Bus Analyzer. The authors have developed and implemented the complete embedded system architecture, including real-time signal acquisition routines, ADC-to-angle conversion algorithms, multi-node CAN communication logic, and visualization through the IGCDU. This integration enables synchronized, real-time data capture, monitoring, and fault-tolerant transmission, making it ideal for embedded defense system applications.