Title: Microcontroller memory capability assessment and variant selection for reducing the cost of mechatronics

Authors: C. Quigley; R.P. Jones; R. McMurran; P. Faithfull

Addresses: Warwick Control, Unit 8, Ladbroke Park, Millers Road, Warwick CV34 5AN, UK ' University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK ' University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK ' Potenza Technology Ltd, Unit 33, Bilton Industrial Estate, Humber Avenue, Coventry CV3 1JL, UK

Abstract: The Local Interconnect Network is used to connect electronic control units and mechatronic devices together in modern vehicles resulting in the reduction of the amount of required wiring. The microcontroller is usually the most significant component of a mechatronic device. The aim of the research described in this paper is to first improve the understanding of how the memory capability of the microcontroller affects its cost, and second, to ascertain how the LIN stack properties affect the ROM/RAM requirement and whether these requirements can be estimated from the coarse information that is available at the start of an automotive project.

Keywords: LIN; local interconnect networks; CAN; controller area networks; mechatronics; cost estimation; ROM-RAM model; microcontrollers; memory capability assessment; variant selection; vehicle design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2012.050083

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2012 Vol.60 No.3/4, pp.248 - 263

Received: 05 Apr 2011
Accepted: 28 May 2011
Published online: 23 Apr 2013 *

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