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LIN (Local Interconnected Network) is a serial communications protocol that supports the control of mechatronic nodes in distributed automotive applications. This paper discusses LIN network modeling and simulation based on a token-based and event driven simulation platform. The complete LIN network features are modeled in the behavior level. The simulation is time-accurate and it provides system information, such as CPU load, bus utilization and message latency time. It can also simulate the scenarios such as network sleep and wakeup, switch event and error message. This LIN network simulation model can be integrated with CAN network simulation model for a complete vehicle network simulation.

A methodology of modeling and simulating a whole vehicle CAN network will be presented in this article. Concentrating on the distributed characteristics of the in-vehicle communication network, this methodology not only provides all detailed information on traditional communication parameters such as communication bus bandwidth, message latency time, bus arbitration behavior and so on, but also provides detailed information for each node in the communication network. The detailed information on each node includes the behaviors of hardware (in terms of delay time), CPU performance (in terms of band width and throughput), and software tasks (in terms of execution time and deployed operation system). All these dynamic linked behaviors of each node and behaviors of network give engineers a deeper understanding of their network communication strategy and system impact of chosen hardware and software implementations.

Over the past three decades the automotive electronics industry has progressed from transistorized voltage regulators in the 1960's to vehicles today with more than 30 electronic modules containing complex integrated circuits such as microprocessors, DSPs and smart analog ICs. These sophisticated ECUs (Electronic Control Units) have been primarily driven by the need to meet Government regulations on emissions and fuel economy and partially by market pressures for differentiation. The result has been a proliferation of independent, self supporting electronic modules with complex wiring interconnects, and, in many cases, redundant features. This “add a function, add a module” approach coupled with traditional design methodologies has created new challenges for the automotive industry in the areas of costs, diagnostics and more recently design cycle time.