In-Vehicle DA, Control Goes Wireless

By DE Editors

National Instruments (Austin, TX) recently reported that a number ofthird-parties have developed customized modules for automotive,aerospace, and military in-vehicle applications that leverage thecompany’s CompactRIO control and acquisition platform. The custommodules for CompactRIO from such companies as AviaOKInternational, Drivven, and Science and Engineering ApplicationsDatentechnik GmbH (S.E.A.) are said to provide such functionality aswireless communications, position monitoring for mobile applications,and direct connectivity to in-vehicle sensors for ECU (electroniccontrol unit) design and rapid prototyping.

NI describes CompactRIO as a high-performance control and acquisitionsystem that combines an open embedded architecture with small size,ruggedness, and hot-swappable I/O modules. CompactRIO is powered byLabVIEW FPGA technology, which enables engineers to reconfigure theplatform for a variety of design, acquisition, and control applicationsas well as develop their own custom modules for specialized I/O andcommunication needs.

S.E.A., a provider of industrial automation and measurement solutions,has released the second generation of its GPS monitoring, GSM, and GPRSwireless communication network modules for CompactRIO. These modulescan monitor the exact position of CompactRIO systems through built-inGPS functionality, transmit data wirelessly to and from CompactRIOsystems, and synchronize these systems with 100 ns resolution. TheS.E.A. modules facilitate the control and monitoring of inaccessibleand mobile CompactRIO systems remotely by GSM and GPRS telephonenetworks. Additionally, these modules provide radio-controlled clockand IRIG-B output functionality, allowing a CompactRIO system to obtaina precise timestamp based on a satellite clock.

Automotive control and data acquisition provider Drivven has developeda variety of CompactRIO modules for rapid prototyping of engine controlsystems. Drivven modules enable engineers to connect CompactRIO or PXIsystems directly to a variety of automotive sensors and actuators suchas crank position sensors, oxygen sensors, thermistors, pressuretransducers, port fuel injectors, common rail diesel injectors,ignition coils, electronic throttles and more. Drivven’s custom modulesare supplied with ready-to-run LabVIEW software.

The ARINC-429 and MIL-1553 modules from AviaOK International enable youto use CompactRIO as an embedded system for avionic, aerospace, andmilitary acquisition and control applications. For commercial andtransport aircraft, the ARINC-429 is a point-to-point, unidirectionaldata bus that interfaces to aircraft subsystems and sensors. TheMIL-1553 is a high-performance, multiplexed data bus that integratessubsystems for which data integrity and reliability are crucial.

For more details about CompactRIO, click here. Click here for more details about CompactRIO partners.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.