Now available from Nohau UK is version 5.0 of the IXXAT CANopen Master API software package. This product simplifies the development of CANopen master applications such as control, service and test programs under Windows.

With the new version 5.0 of the package, IXXAT has again extended the software functionality of the CANopen Master API. Besides multiple independent CAN channel support for certain of the IXXAT PC to CAN interfaces (the iPC-I XC16/PCI, tinCAN161 and USB-to-CAN II), the package now also supports the LSS master functionality according to CiA 305 (CANopen Layer Setting Services and Protocols) and the Flying Master mechanism (specified in CiA 302).

The software package consists of two components: The CANopen master software (firmware) which runs on an active IXXAT CAN interface and a programming interface in the form of a Windows DLL. The firmware implements a complete CANopen master and manages the CANopen communication processes completely independently, leaving the PC available for the application program.

The application accesses the data in remote CANopen devices via a function interface which supports both SDO and PDO services. The advantage of this approach, compared to an intermediate data storage in the form of a local object dictionary, is that the data is immediately available to the application and can be directly processed without introducing any further latencies.

The application thus has full control of all CANopen services which allows the user to also implement complex control algorithms. Therefore, the CANopen Master API is suitable for both the development of control programs and for the implementation of service and test programs.

The basic functionality of the software includes the transmission and reception of client SDOs with unlimited data length as well as the transmission and reception of PDOs. Furthermore, emergency messages can be received and sync messages or time stamp message can be transmitted. The NMT master functionality includes functions for boot-up control and node guarding or heartbeat.

To simplify the integration into customer specific applications, the software package includes programming samples for Microsoft C# and the .Net Framework.

Further information about the CANopen Master API can be found here >>>