Configurable CAN network components

Configurable CAN network components CiA (CAN in Automation) has released version 1.0 of the CiA 456 CANopen device profile for configurable network components.

Configurable network components include CAN bridges and CAN switches. These components links two (bridge) or multiple (switch) CAN network segments. They are configurable regarding the bit-timing as well as regarding the forwarding and filtering of CAN frames between the segments.

The configuration is done via the CAN port supporting CANopen. This CANopen interface implements the CiA 456 profile. In total, the bridge/switch component may provide 15 independent CAN ports plus the CANopen interface.

Components compliant to this profile may interconnect CAN segments running any kind of higher-layer protocols (e.g. CANopen, DeviceNet, Isobus, J1939, or Arinc 826).