2. Introduction

Thank you for purchasing Intrepid Control Systems’ RAD-Comet. You will find it a valuable tool for In-Vehicle Network development that not only contains the most prominent networks of CAN FD and Single Pair Ethernet, but also the latest Automotive Ethernet technology of 10BASE-T1S.

_images/RAD-Comet.png

2.1. Package Contents

Upon receipt, please remove, unwrap and inspect all its contents. If anything is missing or damaged, please contact Customer Support for prompt assistance.

2.1.1. Hardware

Your package includes the following:

  • The RAD-Comet device.

  • 1x standard 8-wire Ethernet cable (CAT6)

  • A reference card with a hyperlink to Drivers and Software

  • 1x standard USB Type A to Type C SuperSpeed cable

If purchased, the following accessories may also be present.

2.1.2. Software

Unless physical media was specifically requested, your box should contain a reference card with instructions on where to download the device drivers and any other purchased software. If your media or reference card cannot be located, please contact Customer Support.

3. Device Overview

The RAD-Comet contains a number of different network interfaces and features to allow it to support a wide variety of use cases for In-Vehicle Networking development and testing.

3.1. RAD-Comet Variants

With the demand for 10BASE-T1S devices far outpacing the availability of the latest silicon, the first version of RAD-Comet was barely in production when the design of RAD-Comet2 began.

3.1.1. RAD-Comet

Below is a block diagram of the original RAD-Comet design.

_images/Comet-BlockDiagram.png

Rad-Comet (Initial Version)

3.1.2. RAD-Comet2

The RAD-Comet2 has the following upgrades and can be seen in the diagram that follows.

  • 10BASE-T1S Changes

    • Additional 10BASE-T1S port

    • The connector was changed from a mini50 to an IX connector due to space constraints

  • 100BASE-T1 Changes

    • Upgraded to 100/1000BASE-T1 on an H-MTD connector

    • MACsec support

    • TC10 support

  • The addition of a LIN Channel

This table also lists the differences in network connections of each device.

_images/Comet3.png

RAD-Comet2

3.2. Product Features

  • Automotive Voltage Range Operation (5.5V-40V)

  • Temperature Range: -40°C to +85°C

  • Low Power Consumption

  • Automatic or static master/slave PHY configuration (T/T1 networks)

  • LED indicators for Link Status and Network Activity

  • Standalone mode including scripting, receive messages, transmit messages, expressions, and Gateways

  • Battery-backed real time clock (RTC)

  • 10 ns message time stamping precision

  • Field-upgradeable flash firmware

  • Compact design: 5.35” x 3.46” x 1.46” (13.6 x 8.8 x 3.7cm)

  • Rugged aluminum enclosure with rubber bumpers for durability

  • Light weight: less than 1 lb. (.45 kg)

  • 1 Year Limited Warranty

3.3. Network Interfaces

RAD-Comet

RAD-Comet2

10BASE-T1S (LAN8671)

1

2

100/1000BASE-T1

–

1

100BASE-T1 (88Q1010)

1

–

10/100/1000BASE-T

1

1

CAN-FD

2

2

LIN

–

1

3.4. Operational Overview and Use Cases

The following section will outline some of the more common use cases, however it should not be interpreted as a complete list of the device’s full capabilities.

3.4.1. Media Conversion

The RAD-Comet can be used as a media converter between 10BASE-T1S and any of the other Ethernet physical layers available on the device.

10BASE-T1S ⇔ 10/100/1000BASE-T

_images/Media-ConvT1S-T.png

10BASE-T1S ⇔ 100BASE-T1

_images/Media-ConvT1S-T1-100M.png

100/1000BASE-T ⇔ 100BASE-T1 Media Conversion

_images/Media-Conv100M.png

3.4.2. Stand-Alone Gateway

Elaborate gateways can be implemented between any of the networks available on the RAD-Comet.

CAN/Ethernet Gateway

Payloads can be extracted from frames arriving on one network, placed into a different PDU structure with a different header and sent to another network.

_images/CAN-EthGateway.png

Examples of this utility include (but not limited to):

  • Networking devices from different architectures for a proof-of-concept

  • Networking devices during the transition from one vehicle architecture to the next

  • Streaming select (or all) network traffic for logging and analysis

Ethernet/Ethernet Gateway

Frames can arrive on one Ethernet network and sent out to another network directly, or after changing anything in the header or payload.

_images/EthGateway-ModHeader.png _images/EthGateway-ModPayload.png

This functionality can be used to realize many novel functions useful in vehicle testing.

For Example:

  • Changing frame destination

  • MAC Spoofing

  • Layer 3/4 Address Translation

  • Payload scaling

  • Payload manipulation (Boundary testing, fault injection, penetration testing, etc.)

3.4.3. Simulation and Scripting

Using Vehicle Spy you can define transmit messages on any network with custom data and send them manually or on a schedule of your choosing. You can also write intelligent scripts that implement arbitrary logic and compile them into embedded scripts which can run within the device itself. This functionality allows you to create specialized test scenarios, and to simulate ECUs and gateways.

3.4.4. PHY Register access

In any mode, each PHY can be accessed by the embedded processor over MDIO in order to read and write configurations registers. More information can be found in PHY Dashboard

3.5. Hardware Requirements

3.5.1. Device Power

The RAD-Comet can be powered in multiple ways.

DC supply:

The RAD-Comet requires DC voltage source within the range of 5.5V-40V and a power rating of at least 10 watts. The device can be powered using the barrel jack or DB-9 connector.

See DB-9 Connector for specific pin assignments.

Certified USB 3.0 Port: (RAD-Comet only)

USB Power

RAD-Comet2 cannot be powered via USB 3.

Powering the RAD-Comet with a USB port that is not certified to USB 3.0 may not supply the current required for reliable operation. If you are unsure of your USB port’s power capabilities, use one of the other 2 options to provide power to the device.

Using older USB Ports

If using an underpowered USB port or hub, always connect the DC Supply prior to connecting the device to this hub or port. Failing to do this will not damage the device, but it has been observed that the device may not boot and function properly.

3.5.2. Computer Interface

Connection to a computer is needed both for configuration of the tool as well as to communicate with the device if you intend to use Vehicle Spy or Intrepid’s available API.

As a hardware device, there are no specific requirements on the computer aside from the proper interface and the proper device driver installed. There are 2 ways to connect the RAD-Comet to a host computer.

1000BASE-T

No specific drivers are required to connect the RAD-Comet to a host computer using a standard 100/1000BASE-T Ethernet Adapter.

IT Policies

With IT security a growing concern, many IT departments block certain types of Ethernet traffic and communication. In some cases, this has been found to interfere with Intrepid devices connected to a host computer using Ethernet. If you find you are having trouble please contact our Customer Support.

USB 3.0 (Type C Connector)

This port can be used to connect RAD-Comet to a host PC using a driver that is installed as part of the Vehicle Spy installation or by installing Intrepid’s API Kit.