CAN
The design of the Controller Area Network (CAN) VHDL IP core started as a prototype activity with the intention to understand the internal of a CAN (Controller Area Network) controller and not to develop the full controller.
It was then gradually taken to the present level in a low level priority activity. The HurriCANe has now gone through 4 major versions with a major improvement in the release 3.
The latest release includes the CAN B features not available in the previous releases.
Overview
The HurriCANe is a VHDL core comprising the following elements:
* CAN controller core,
* AMBA APB wrapper (to integrate the CAN core into a system-on-chip),
* testbenches,
* synthesis scripts and reports,
* documentation.
The HurriCANe Design Hierarchy is illustrated in the following diagram (click on thumbnail to enlarge).
HurriCANe Design Hierarchy
The following block diagram illustrates the internal structure of the CAN core in a bit more detail (click on thumbnail to enlarge).
Internal structure of the CAN IP core
Area/Speed Results
CAN 5.2.4 on ACTEL A54SX72A
- Combinational cells : 1217 of 4024 (30%)
- Sequential cells : 530 of 2012 (26%)
- Total cells : 1747 of 6036 (31%)
- Clock buffers : 2
- Max clock frequency : 10.4 Mhz
Developers and contributors
Luca Stagnaro (ESA), Massimigliano Bracco (ESA) - CAN v.4.6 (1999)
Egidio Pescari (Aurelia Microelettronica S.p.A.) - CAN v.5.0 (2001)
Francisco Tortosa Lopez (ESA) - CAN v.5.1 (2005)
Fabrizio Bertuccelli (Aurelia Microelettronica S.p.A.) - CAN v.5.2.4 (2008)
Current Release
Version 5.2.4, 26-May-2008
An encrypted Modelsim (6.3d) simulation model is available for evaluation.
For a history of bug reports and fixes, modifications, upgrades, etc, please refer to the CAN IP Core Release Notes.
Special licensing restrictions
ESA can grant licenses for the use of the CAN IP core only for activities funded by the Agency (ESA projects).
Last update: 16 July 2008 | 
