3. Introduction and Overview

3.1. Introduction

Intrepid’s VividCAN is a versatile CAN tool with a customizable, full-color capacitive touchscreen. With the VividCAN you can create your own field service tool or driver’s aid, or create a customized display tailored to engineers, managers or hobbyists.

Using Vehicle Spy you can create a custom display interface for the VividCAN. The Log Data Function Block allows for a list of strings to be displayed containing CAN message signal data. Graphical Panels can be ported from your Vehicle Spy setup right to the VividCAN screen! Choose from a subset of controls: Text, LED, Bar graph, Gauge, Start/Stop Buttons, Tx Buttons, and more. The controls and layout will be recreated on the smaller screen of the VividCAN. Now you can bring your VSpy setup with you in the car, with the low-cost, fast-booting VividCAN!

3.2. Package Contents

The VividCAN includes both hardware and software:

3.2.1. Hardware

The package contains the following:

  • The VividCAN interface device.
  • 3ft USB 2.0 A Male to Micro 5pin Male Cable - 1m (3’)
  • Quick Start Card to help you get going quickly with your device.

3.2.2. Software

The VividCAN package includes a link to the software/drivers.

  • A version of Vspy is provided that can be used to develop and send scripts to the VividCAN.
  • A license file
  • Drivers for the VividCAN.
  • An API install kit containing the neoVI Explorer utility for configuring the device.
_images/VividCAN.png

Figure 1: VividCAN in packaged form.

If anything is missing or damaged, please contact Intrepid Control Systems for assistance.

The contact for your locale can be found at https://www.intrepidcs.com/worldwide or refer to Section 8 within this document.

3.3. Operational Overview

The touchscreen can be customized by creating a Vehicle Spy Graphical Panel and downloading it into the VividCAN. The Graphical Panels and their controls are visible on the VividCAN screen. You can also display live CAN signal values. Additional functions – such as diagnostics, message decoding, and message transmitting – can also be included. The VividCAN supports at least eight graphical panels.

The VividCAN can be used as a bench tool with proper scripting, allowing you to transmit and receive CAN messaging on the selectable CAN network. A CAN selectable switch allows the VividCAN to be configured as a HS CAN, LSFT CAN or SW CAN device. Our customizable scripting engine, CoreMini, can run standalone on the VividCAN, allowing for advanced operations when you take the VividCAN in the car with you. The two main methods of displaying customized information on the touchscreen are:

  • CoreMini Function Block action for displaying data
  • Graphical Panels: Set up in Vehicle Spy

The VividCAN has a large internal flash memory that stores device settings and applies them at boot time. Parameters such as LCD brightness, color theme and the last viewed page are saved automatically. The next time the VividCAN boots up, it will pick up right where you were when you last used the device.

Fast Boot. Because the VividCAN runs without an operating system, the device starts up in firmware and even loads a CoreMini in less than one second. No more waiting for an expensive tool to start up while your CAN network already has messages being sent! The VividCAN has a large internal flash memory that stores device settings and applies them at boot time. Parameters such as LCD brightness, color theme and the last viewed page are saved automatically. The next time the VividCAN boots up, it will pick up right where you were when you last used the device.

3.4. Summary of Key Features

This section includes a summary of the device’s most important design, construction, operational and performance features:

3.4.1. Construction, Controls and Cabling

  • Color display: 480x272, 16-bit color
  • Capacitive touchscreen with 5-point multi-touch
  • Instant feedback and interactivity
  • Up to 16 Graphical Panels, each with up to 64 controls (subject to change and limited to overall 64 kB CoreMini size)
  • HS CAN, LSFT CAN, or SW CAN, selectable via CAN switch
  • CAN termination toggle, set in software
  • DB-9 to OBD-II connector
  • Micro-USB for PC connection to Vehicle Spy
  • RAM mount compatible for in-car mounting
  • Battery-backed real-time clock (RTC)
  • Audible feedback from a 5V buzzer

3.4.2. Performance

  • Low power consumption: 175 - 225 mA during general use, dependent on LCD screen brightness setting
  • Power supply: 5-40V operation
  • Temperature range: -40°C to +70°C
  • Field-upgradeable flash firmware
  • Microsoft-certified USB drivers
  • Very quick startup (under 500 ms) with auto wakeup and startup features
  • One-year limited warranty
  • Fully programmable scripting using CoreMini and Vehicle Spy Professional or Enterprise versions.

3.4.3. Network Interfaces and Features

  • One CAN Channel - CAN 2.0 (does not support CANFD)
    • 1x HSCAN - TJA1043 transceiver, speeds up to 1 Mbps
    • 1x LSFTCAN - TJA1055 transceiver, speeds up to 125 Kbps
    • 1x SWCAN - MC33897 transceiver, low or high speed modes (33 Kbps or 83.33 Kbps)
    • CAN switch multiplexer - software-controlled selection of one CAN network

3.4.4. PC Interface Support

  • USB operating system support: Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10/ Linux (Linux coming soon)

3.4.5. Advanced Features

  • Connect to Vehicle Spy over USB for tool design (Scripting, Graphical Panel and CoreMini downloading)
  • Run CoreMini standalone on the device
  • Show data using a CoreMini Function Block on screen in real time
  • Port VSpy’s Graphical Panels to your VividCAN
  • 4 on-screen switches for input to CoreMini
  • 1 audio-buzzer as PWM Output 1

3.5. Hardware and Software Requirements

3.5.1. Hardware:

It is recommended to have a CAN network, either in-vehicle, test bench, or other environment.

A PC with a USB 2.0 port (Type A or USB-C connector). We recommend using a native USB port to ensure that enough power is provided.

3.5.2. Software:

The setup program for Vehicle Spy will install the necessary drivers for the VividCAN setup. All of this software can be downloaded from the Intrepid Control Systems web site at http://www.intrepidcs.com.

Please refer to the Vehicle Spy documentation for its more specific PC hardware and operating system requirements and recommendations. Note, however, that Vehicle Spy will run on most modern Windows-based PCs. Additional hardware may be required for some uses of the device:

  • Additional cables may be needed, depending on the nature of the network to which the VividCAN is being connected..