How the ASG Platform Differs from CAN, LIN, and Ethernet
- Alexander Lazutin
- Sep 28
- 4 min read
It's crucial to clarify immediately that these are fundamentally different things: CAN/LIN/Ethernet are communication protocols, while the ASG Platform is a digital distributed platform for controlling a moving object, where its data transmission protocol is just one element of the platform.
Communication Protocols (CAN, LIN, Ethernet)
These are a set of rules and standards that define how data is encoded, addressed, transmitted, and received over a physical medium (wire, fibre optic, etc.).
Key Characteristics:
Physical Layer: Defines voltage, current, cable type, and connectors (e.g., CAN uses a differential pair, LIN uses a single wire).
Data Link Layer: Defines the frame (message) format, bus access methods (e.g., CSMA/CA in CAN), and error checking (CRC).
Speed: CAN up to 1 Mbit/s, LIN up to 20 Kbit/s, Ethernet from 10 Mbit/s to 100 Gbit/s and higher.
Analogy: Traffic rules and types of transport. CAN is a high-speed freight highway with strict priority rules. LIN is a narrow country road for unhurried trips. Ethernet is a modern multi-lane highway with immense bandwidth.
The ASG Platform (Automotive Smart Grid)
This is a closed, real-time distributed digital control platform for moving objects (cars, planes, helicopters, etc.). It includes:
Physical Layer
A set of identical electronic modules (slaves), each serving up to 30 sensors and actuators. All electronic modules are combined into a single system via a "ring" communication channel, which can be a simple twisted pair (information channel) or via a power wire (using Power Line Communication - PLC technology, where information travels over two power wires at 12V, 24V, or 48V).
The platform's blocks are located "territorially" close to the groups of controlled objects they serve, such as lights, drives, valves, sensors, etc.
The total length of the ring line is up to 30m. The length of the branches is up to 1.5m. The signal transmission is based on a modification of OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing).
The total signal power is up to 350 mW. The number of subcarriers is from 2 to 6. The starting frequency is 4 MHz. The modulation type is differential phase shift keying. Each transmitted symbol contains a synchronisation element.
One channel symbol of the signal can carry N information bits (from 2 to 5). When this signal is formed, the stream of information bits is grouped into blocks of N bits. Each block corresponds to one channel symbol (signal coding).
The transmission frame is formed by the module exchange monitor according to the TTP (Time-Triggered Protocol) protocol and the channel descriptor used in a given interval of the synchronisation grid. Currently, up to 8 descriptors can be used.
The frame is received by all modules (Master and Slave) in the system, and they participate in its formation according to the arrangement of their domains specified in the descriptor. Frame synchronisation and control are handled by the Master module (with one of the Slave modules providing a backup).
The module exchange monitor (part of the OS) performs the following functions:
Forms the frame transmission domains according to the descriptor and the data from each module's system variable array.
Synchronises the operation of option programs using the frame marker, communicating the descriptor number used to form the frame.
Controls the correctness of the exchange and flags unreliable domains.
Software Layer
System and application software operate in real-time. The Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) in ASG enables:
Synchronisation of hundreds of simultaneously operating nodes within a single object.
The implementation of artificial intelligence at the level of high-speed technical reflexes in individual nodes, systems, and the entire Object, with a reaction time to an event of approximately 10 microseconds.
High adaptability of the Object to external environments.
The implementation of complex algorithms for Object control.
Connecting already installed digital systems to each other by docking them to ASG through standard communication channels (CAN, LIN, USART, etc.). For example, it can be used to create an electrical circuit protection system for the object. The ASG's reaction time to an event is ≈10 microseconds, which allows it to anticipate a "short circuit" in the network.
Eliminating conflicts between systems. In modern cars, there's a huge number of them, and statistics show that most failures are initiated by these conflicts. The ASG platform eliminates system conflicts at the OS level.
Processing information and controlling the vehicle using the principle of simultaneous, synchronous, and parallel processing across all modules of the system. Information is transmitted through the communication channel in an already processed form. All modules see this information and react to it according to pre-programmed algorithms.
We propose this ASG control platform as a new digital standard aimed at solving specific, pragmatic business tasks:
Reducing the cost of copper power harnesses by significantly decreasing their length and weight.
Increasing the functional capabilities of transport systems by implementing new high-speed options and functions.
Digital control of onboard power consumption with high efficiency, which is especially important for electric transport.
Creating effective control systems for autonomous vehicles.