CAN Monitor

Team: Dallin McDougal

Sponsor: Aspire

Project

The purpose of this project is to provide a convenient way for users to interface with WiTricity’s wireless power transfer system for golf carts. The three main parts of this project were the CAN interface, the user interface, and the Bluetooth interface.

  • CAN (Controller Area Network) is a standard communication protocol typically used in automotive applications. WiTricity’s wireless power receiver communicates with the golf cart via CAN.
  • Use the CAN interface to request real-time charging data to display for user.
  • Create a webpage accessible from user’s phone to display real-time charging data from CAN interface and allow user to begin firmware updates.
  • Provide firmware updates for the wireless power system over Bluetooth.

System

System flow diagram

Methods

  • Planned and wrote system specification document.
  • Assembled circuit on breadboard with ESP32 development board, CAN transceiver, 9V battery, and voltage regulator.
  • Programmed ESP32 development board using ESP-IDF and FreeRTOS in C.
  • Created CAN interface using CANOpenNode as an SDO client.
  • Used ESP32’s built in Wi-Fi to connect to user device and implemented a web server.
  • Designed webpages to display charging data and begin updates.
  • Tested completed system with wireless power system

Conclusion

  • The CAN interface successfully request data from the wireless power receiver.
  • The user interface is responsive and allows the user to read charging data from the wireless power receiver and send profile updates.
  • Future progress would include fully developing the Bluetooth interface to provide firmware updates.
  • From this project I learned about the CAN and CANOpen protocols, networking, and embedded development.