Creating and Configuring an ECU Network Cluster

Create an ECU network cluster to connect your virtual ECUs and ECUs.

Before you begin, add and configure one or more virtual ECUs.
  1. On the Mapping Diagram on the Palette, click Software » ECU Network Cluster and drop the node on the diagram.
    VeriStand opens a dialog box.
  2. In the dialog box, select an existing ECU network cluster or create a new one by specifying a name in File name.
  3. Click Open.
  4. Navigate to the Item tab in the Configuration pane and verify or configure the settings.
  5. In the Behavior section, set the Initial state of the virtual ECU to Running or Paused.
    Note To change the values of ECU network cluster parameters before the first time step, set the Initial state to Paused.
  6. Set the Decimation of the ECU network cluster rate.
  7. Select the Model processor to Automatic or Manual.
  8. In the ECU network cluster configuration section, specify the Cluster name. You can find the name of the cluster in the following source code files for the virtual ECU.
    Table 1. Source code files that contain the name of the cluster for the Virtual ECU
    Protocol type File name Parameter
    CAN Can_PBcfg.c CanController.SilverCanSvbConfig.SilverCanSvbConfigNetworkName
    LIN Lin_PBcfg.c LinController.SilverLinSvbConfig.SilverLinSvbConfigNetworkName
    Ethernet Eth_PBcfg.c EthController.SilverEthSvbConfig.SilverEthSvbConfigNetworkName
  9. Set the Time step. The time step determines how frequently VeriStand transmits information between the virtual network and real network. Use a step size that is at least as fast as the fastest virtual ECU Functional Mockup Unit (FMU).
  10. Select the Protocol you want to use.
    1. If you are using CAN protocol, specify the I/O mode and Baud rate.
    2. If you are using LIN protocol, specify the Baud rate.
  11. Set the XNET interface. The XNET interface is the connector on NI XNET hardware that connects the virtual network to the real network.
    Tip Use MAX to view your available NI-XNET hardware, including all devices and interfaces.
  12. Select the Vendor that you used to build the virtual ECUs in the network cluster.
  13. In the Virtual ECUs field, list the names of the virtual ECUs which are part of the ECU network cluster as a comma-separated list.
  14. If you are using CAN protocol, select the Transceiver type from the following options.
    OptionDescription
    Auto  
    High-Speed Enables the High-Speed transceiver. This transceiver supports baud rates of 40.00 kBaud to 1.00 MBaud. When using a High-Speed transceiver, you can also communicate with a CAN FD bus. Refer to NI-XNET Hardware Overview to determine which CAN FD baud rates are supported.
    Low-Speed/Fault-Tolerant Enables the Low-Speed/Fault-Tolerant transceiver. This transceiver supports baud rates of 40.00 kBaud to 125.00 kBaud.
    Single Wire Enables the Single Wire transceiver. This transceiver supports baud rates of 33.33 kBaud and 83.33 kBaud.
    External Allows you to use an external transceiver to connect to your CAN bus. Refer to the XNET Session Interface:CAN:External Transceiver Config property for more information.
    Disconnect Allows you to disconnect the CAN controller chip from the connector. You can use this value when you physically change the external transceiver.
  15. If you are using CAN protocol, select the CAN FD ISO Mode from the following options. This setting is valid only when the I/O mode is set to CAN-FD-BRS.
    OptionDescription
    ISO Indicates you are using the ISO CAN FD 11898-1:2015 protocol.
    Non-ISO Indicates you are using the CAN FD 1.0 protocol.
    Legacy ISO Indicates you need to communicate with a legacy application. This mode behaves like the Non-ISO mode but can communicate with ISO CAN FD devices.
    Note Use this mode only for compatibility with existing applications.
    Note Two ports using different standards cannot communicate with each other.
  16. Save the system definition file.
After setting up the ECU network cluster, deploy the system definition file to the real-time target.