can-newsletter.org – System design
The IoTize solution brings secure mobile access to CAN systems from phones and tablets. CAN data can be visualized on and created from Android and iOS platforms using an app builder.
The full article is published in the December edition of the CAN Newsletter magazine 2022. This is only an extract.
When it comes to accessing CAN systems from mobile platforms such as phones and tablets, so far solutions have often required custom coding to exchange and visualize data on Android or iOS platforms. The latest solution by IoTize simplifies the process and brings easy and secure mobile access to CAN systems based on a combination of NFC, Bluetooth and WLAN communication. The Tapioca port illustrated in Figure 1 has only 5 connections (Power, CAN, shield) and measures 8 cm x 5 cm x 2 cm. It is equipped with several wireless interfaces: NFC, Bluetooth and WLAN.
The Tapioca hardware interface is only one of the devices of the entire solution provided by IoTize. The configuration of the interface is handled in the IoTize Studio software which is provided at no extra cost. It can import the commonly used “candb” format used to define signals in CAN frames. The entered data immediately allows signals from the CAN system to be selected by point and click. The integrated application builder allows connecting graphic input and output elements to the selected signals. A locally generated HTML page shows the layout as it will be presented later in the application. The screenshot in Figure 2 shows the “Resource View” of the software with the imported signals.
From CAN database file to your custom application
Figure 3 illustrates the workflow involved in creating a mobile application to access your CAN system. First, you need a candb/dbc file with the CAN signals in your system. Import it into IoTize Studio. In IoTize Studio, configure your mobile application. What signals are used and where and how are they displayed? All entered signals can be selected and associated with a graphic element such as meter, slider, graph, circle, and others. Further configuration includes which of the communication channels (NFC, BT) is used. Once you have completed the configuration, it can be transferred to the IoTize server building to your custom application that you need to download and install on your mobile device. The same configuration is also transferred to the Tapioca device(s) that later provide access to the CAN system. After the application is installed and access is granted (e.g. through NFC authorization), the mobile application can connect to the gateway and display and set the configured signals.
If you want to read the full article, you can download it for free or you can download the entire magazine.
