Total Phase TP360210 CAN/I2C Activity Board Pro

What training and educational applications does the Activity Board Pro support?

The Activity Board Pro serves as an exceptional educational platform for teaching embedded systems concepts, protocol analysis, and hardware-software integration principles. Universities and training institutions worldwide utilise the board's diverse target devices to demonstrate real-world CAN and I2C implementations across automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics applications. The comprehensive example code and detailed documentation enable structured learning progression from basic protocol understanding to advanced system integration, whilst the board's professional-grade components ensure students gain experience with industry-standard devices. Compared to expensive educational packages from major vendors, the Activity Board Pro provides superior hands-on learning value whilst preparing students for real-world embedded development challenges through practical experience with professional tools available exclusively from Debug Store.

How does the board's CAN implementation handle arbitration and error detection?

The board implements a robust CANopen-like protocol using 11-bit identifier fields split into 7-bit node addresses and 4-bit function codes, enabling proper bus arbitration and collision detection. The integrated CAN bridge includes multiple receive buffers with overflow protection and transmit queues with automatic retry mechanisms to ensure reliable message delivery. Hardware-based error detection includes bit stuffing error recognition, missing acknowledgement detection, and CRC validation with precise timestamping capabilities. The board's galvanic isolation prevents ground loops and electrical interference, whilst the auto-baud detection feature automatically synchronises with existing CAN networks. This professional-grade CAN implementation exceeds many lower-cost solutions whilst remaining more accessible than complex automotive-grade testing systems.

What software and development support is available for the Activity Board Pro?

Total Phase provides comprehensive software support including example code in C, C#, Python, .NET, VB.NET, and VB6 through the Komodo Software API and shared library packages. The included Control Centre software offers streamlined GUI-based testing with automated scripting capabilities, whilst the Data Center software provides real-time protocol analysis with LiveDisplay, LiveFilter, and LiveSearch technologies. Professional LabVIEW drivers enable seamless integration with test automation systems, and comprehensive user manuals with README files explain each example application. This extensive software ecosystem, provided free with regular updates, offers superior value compared to expensive competitor solutions requiring additional licensing fees for development tools.

What are the power requirements and electrical specifications for the board?

The Activity Board Pro operates with VDD supply requirements of 3.1-3.5V and CAN supply input of 4.3-5.5V, supporting both dominant and recessive CAN signalling states with proper differential voltage levels. The board handles CAN differential inputs up to ±7V and single-ended inputs up to ±12V whilst maintaining I2C compatibility with standard 3.3V and 5V logic levels. GPIO port expanders support 2.0-5.5V input levels with standard TTL output characteristics, ensuring broad compatibility with various embedded systems. Unlike many competitor solutions requiring external power supplies or complex level shifting, the Activity Board Pro's integrated power management simplifies setup whilst maintaining professional electrical specifications for reliable operation across diverse applications.

How does the Activity Board Pro support both CAN and I2C protocols simultaneously?

The board's sophisticated microcontroller bridge architecture enables simultaneous CAN and I2C operation by translating between protocols whilst maintaining electrical isolation and signal integrity. Target devices can be dynamically configured to communicate via either CAN bus (following CANopen-like protocol with 11-bit ID fields) or I2C slave addressing, providing unprecedented flexibility for multi-protocol testing. This dual-protocol capability eliminates the need for separate testing setups and reduces development complexity compared to single-protocol solutions, whilst the board's 125 kbps CAN default speed with auto-baud detection ensures compatibility with diverse system requirements. The integrated design offers significant advantages over expensive modular solutions requiring multiple protocol analysers.

What target devices are included on the CAN/I2C Activity Board Pro?

The board features eight sophisticated target devices: a DAC081C085 single-channel 8-bit digital-to-analogue converter, LIS33DE 3-axis linear accelerometer, APDS-9300 ambient light sensor, dual PCA9554AD 8-pin port expanders with configurable I/O, TPA511GLFS 2-axis joystick with output pins, AT90CAN32 8-bit ADC microcontroller, NHD-0208AZ-RN-YBW 2x8 character LCD display, and DS75 digital temperature sensor with thermostat functionality. These professionally-selected components from leading semiconductor manufacturers like NXP, STMicroelectronics, and Maxim provide comprehensive test coverage for common embedded applications. Each device operates as either CAN nodes or I2C slaves, enabling versatile protocol testing scenarios that would require multiple separate components with alternative solutions.

Which Total Phase interfaces are compatible with the CAN/I2C Activity Board Pro?

The CAN/I2C Activity Board Pro seamlessly integrates with three key Total Phase interfaces: the Komodo CAN Solo interface, Komodo CAN Duo interface, and the Aardvark I2C/SPI Host Adapter. The Komodo interfaces provide dual-channel CAN capabilities up to 1 Mbps with galvanic isolation and real-time monitoring, whilst the Aardvark adapter delivers I2C speeds up to 800 kHz and SPI speeds up to 8 MHz with master/slave emulation. This compatibility enables comprehensive protocol testing across multiple bus types simultaneously, offering flexibility that expensive integrated solutions often lack whilst maintaining cross-platform support for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

What is the Total Phase CAN/I2C Activity Board Pro and who should use it?

The Total Phase CAN/I2C Activity Board Pro (TP360210) is a professional embedded systems development tool designed specifically for engineers working with CAN and I2C protocols. This comprehensive activity board provides known-good target devices including digital-to-analogue converters, accelerometers, temperature sensors, LCD displays, and port expanders to accelerate embedded system debugging and development. Electronic design engineers, automotive developers, embedded systems engineers, and production testing teams worldwide rely on this board for rapid prototyping, device validation, and training applications. The board is exclusively available through authorised distributors like Debug Store, ensuring genuine Total Phase quality and warranty support.