KAWASAKI, JAPAN-- March 17, 2023 -- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation (“Toshiba”) will this month start to provide test samples of “TB9032FNG,” an automotive driver/receiver IC for the physical layer interface defined in the Clock Extension Peripheral Interface (CXPI) [1] , the standard for automotive communications protocols.

The electrification of automobiles is increasing the number of electronic components in automotive systems, adding to their complexity, and also to vehicle weight, as more wiring harnesses are required. The solution to this issue lies in changing the current system, where a human machine interface (HMI) [2] connects switches and sensors in a one-to-one manner, for a system that uses multiplex transmission in-vehicle communications to reduce wiring harnesses.

HMI integrates an area network (CAN) [3] and a local interconnect network (LIN) [4]; the former is costly, the latter lacks responsiveness. CXPI, the in-vehicle communications protocols developed in Japan, and now adopted as an international standard, includes in-vehicle subnetworks that cost less than CAN and that are more responsive than LIN.

TB9032FNG combines Motor Driver IC and CXPI communications, and provides as a network interface for in-vehicle body applications, or as an interface for zone electronic control units (ECUs) [5]. It can control functions such as door locking and side mirror control.

The new product can be switched between commander node and responder node via an external terminal. In addition, it features current consumption (Sleep) (IBAT_SLP) of 5μA (typ.)[6], with low current consumption on standby. It is also equipped with fault detection functions that include overheat detection and low voltage detection, and is house in a P-SOP8-0405-1.27-002 package.

With an operating temperature range of -40 to 125°C, the product has been designed to conform to AEC-Q100 (Grade1), a qualification standard for automotive electronic components.

Toshiba plans to use the CXPI physical layer technical assets it has cultivated to develop an interface IC that also integrates the CXPI controller and the protocol-control hardware.

Notes:
[1] CXPI (Clock Extension Peripheral Interface): A communications standard, developed in Japan, for in-vehicle sub-networks derived from LIN.
[2] HMI (Human Machine Interface): A mechanism enabling interactions between humans and machines
[3] CAN (Controller Area Network): A serial communications standard, primarily used for automotive communications networks
[4] LIN (Local Interconnect Network): A communications standard for lower-cost, lower-speed on-board subnetworks than provided by CAN
[5] ECU (Electronic Control Unit): Electronic control units, which are primarily installed in motor vehicles
[6] Measuring conditions: VVIO=4.5 to 5.5V, VBAT=7 to 18V, Ta=- 40 to 125°C, NSLP=L, TXD=H, BUS=VBAT