TTTech's FlexRay subsidiary, TTTech Automotive has introduced TTX-Connexion, a universal gateway tool that combines data manipulation, online viewing, and logging for FlexRay and CAN network analysis and system integration.
The portable device can be used to test applications running on FlexRay and CAN networks through all work stages, from early prototyping to the start of production. Users can apply various data and manipulation scenarios to simulate a variety of environments without changing the software application in the electronic control unit itself. TTX-Connexion's data manipulation functionality is used to modify messages on the bus and to simulate the application's range limits before test runs.
TTX-Connexion can translate Fieldbus Exchange Format (FIBEX) communications schemes of various development stages. It supports FlexRay-to-FlexRay connections as well as FlexRay-to-CAN and CAN-to-CAN gateway functionality. FIBEX network descriptions are used for configuring FlexRay network parameters, signals, and protocol data units (PDUs). The CANdb description is supported for CAN-based networks. A new electronic control unit can be added to an existing CAN or FlexRay network to handle additional functionalities, even without modifying an existing control unit.
TTX-Connexion supports the integration of FlexRay control units by forming subnetworks with FlexRay schedules of their own. The device connects networks and translates the necessary messages from one FlexRay network into the other. Control units from different integration stages are merged into a single network.
Test data can be analyzed and logged on TTX-Connexion's compact flash card. Intelligent logging ensures that data are recorded only if needed for later analysis. Data can be filtered selectively, so memory and time usage are minimized. TTX-Connexion comes with TTX-Analyze, a viewing tool that allows real-time monitoring of the manipulated data and their effects, as well as analysis of bus communication.