imc CANSAS-SENT: The “converter” for automobile testing

Since Babylonian times, translators have been well sought after to make sense out of foreign languages. This also applies to the transmission of measurement data within vehicle systems. As with the various “languages” from BUS systems communicating with the electronic control unit (ECU), a suitable module needed to be developed to allow “translation” of these signals to be read by measurement systems during testing. The compact imc CANSAS-SENT module now provides a straightforward gateway for converting digital SENT signals directly to CAN.

The new module makes SENT sensors directly accessible to any data acquisition, testing or automation system that supports the recording of CAN data. The advantage: SENT sensors can be seamlessly integrated into a system with different signals – together with analog signals and other vehicle busses. imc CANSAS-SENT is a simple tool that supports the testing processes of sensors, as well as the development and testing phases of control units in the vehicle.

SENT – the new digital interface
SENT stands for Single Edge Nibble Transmission. SENT is a relatively new digital interface for intelligent, active sensors with internal digitization and allows for a cost-effective and flexible replacement of conventional analog sensors. The aim of the SENT protocol was to increase durability/quality and to reduce the complexity when transferring data from the sensor to the control unit (ECU).

Passive monitoring
One particularly special feature of the imc CANSAS-SENT is “passive monitoring”. Wired parallel to the existing setup between a SENT sensor and a control device (e.g., ECU), the imc CANSAS-SENT module not only provides the gateway (conversion) to a CAN signal output, but it also won’t interfere with the existing communications of the test object. That is, it allows a reactionless (passive) monitoring of the signal. The transmission can quietly be listened to without disturbing or interfering with it.

Measurement combinations
As a member of the imc CANSAS family, the module is optimally designed to work with other data acquisition systems. In addition, the imc CANSAS software provides the user with convenient adjustment.