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In-vehicle networks provide an efficient medium to share information between controllers, sensors and actuators. Networks may be comprised of subnetworks to support low, medium and high speed data-rate requirements or SAE CLASS A, B and C, respectively. These subnetworks can be linked using bridges or gateways to guarantee data consistency across the vehicle. This paper will describe a method to bridge an implementation of J1850, CLASS B to an implementation of the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol, CLASS C. The hardware and software elements of the bridge are discussed.

The use of microcomputers in automotive applications has placed new requirements on programmers. Programmers must protect their software against flaws in the hardware system in which it is operating. Various techniques for writing “fail-safe software” have been developed, and are discussed in this paper.

Automotive applications of microprocessor technology can benefit from using high technology solutions. Advanced silicon processing technology allows lower manufacturing cost for components, while improving reliability. Highly integrated single-chip microcontrollers provide cost-effective systems through the minimizing of chip count and packaging. Proper software and hardware support minimizes the system development cost and time to market.

Recently, significant focus and development effort has been dedicated toward in-vehicle networking. This effort includes work on behalf of the American Trucking Association (ATA), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the International Standards Organization (ISO), and independent developments by automotive and semiconductor manufacturers. In-vehicle networking extends, as a result, beyond passenger cars into heavy truck, military, and construction vehicles. In the course of these developments, the benefits of networking have been examined and networking is perceived as having significant benefits, resulting in production and custom development [1, 2, 3]. The Controller Area Network (CAN) is a high-performance serial communication solution which has been designed to meet the requirements for the broad range of applications and has now progressed from a specification to a product.

Intel's Package Development Group began development of Tape Automated Bonding (TAB) (See Figure 1) for two primary purposes: as a lead frame to device interconnect for high lead count products; and, as a stand-alone for surface-mounted-devices (SMD). New production assembly equipment, bumping equipment and tape technology have made it possible for TAB to become production-worthy. Intel, over the past few years, has made progress in the development of TAB technology. Using a 16-bit micro-controller as the process characterization vehicle, numerous milestones have been accomplished: tape design, carrier design, and assembly development. The 16-bit micro-controller has been tested to an Automotive product type flow and a number of piece part specifications have been generated. In addition, much of the production equipment has been characterized, and process characterization is well under way.

In the past, In-Circuit Emulations of single chip microcontrollers were accomplished by expensive emulators with elaborate development computers as drivers. This is no longer true with intelligent hardware design and the introduction of the Personal Computer (PC). This paper discusses two emulation tools for the MCS-96 family of 16-bit microcontrollers using a PC as it's host computer and minimal hardware design for almost a nonintrusive emulation tool for under $500.