Content → Hardware → CANBUS

• CAN-GC Overview
• CAN-GC1 | CAN-GC1e | CAN-GCLN | CAN-GC2 | CAN-GC3 | CAN-GC4 | CAN-GC5 | CAN-GC6 | CAN-GC7 | CAN-GC8
  • Firmware

Latest developments have proved that use of RC522 with 13,56 MHZ NFC is much cheaper to use.
Also, there very thin and cheap Tags available for this.
The used RC522 sensor boards a passive type so the need of an extra simple interface is required.
See for a more detailed descrioption at GCA41.

• 8 channel RFID reader input using the same type as MERG ID12/ID20.

OR

• 8 channel RFID reader with GCA41 and RC522 13,56 Mhz RFID unit.
• Connector for various 8 channnel current and Hall-sensor detectors. (GCA93 / GCA94 / GCA173).

• The displacement between RFID readers, ID-12LA, should be at least 30cm to be able to function.
• The distance between reader and transponder is for small types critical; Create a test environment to test it to find out the best placement.
• See for more information: Bi-Directional Communication.

• See GCA41 for more details.
• In addition to installing the RC522 sensor right under the track, there is a small pcboard coil available from GCA.
• See N-scale coil.

Merg did a fine job in combining 8 RFID sensors attached to one board and from there read all sensors and send a completed number over the serial port to a PC.
This board is stepping a bit further by doing the same thing and in addition has CAN on board so the separate RS232 port is no longer needed.
The received numbers are simply send via the CAN BUS.

Allthought Rocrail can handle also the MERG RFID concentrator, connected to a serial or USB port, this CAN-GC4 is a bit more easy to connect.
To power all connectable 8 RFID sensors, the board needs a power supply of approx 0.25Amp at 5V.
For a linear regulator 5Volt , this is way too much for continuous functioning.
The CAN-GC4 steps down the 12 Volt as available in the CAN network by means of switching power supply.
It saves energy and also avoid hot parts on the board.

Refer to: Connection interfaces

• Firmware
• Sources

Used in combination with the Check RFIDs option for generating only events for IDs set in this list.
Starting with revision 3458 the RFIDs must be set in dot-decimal notation.
"5555" would be "0.0.0.21.179". The easiest way is to copy the dotted RFIDs from the Rocrail server trace.

See Configuration byte.

Used for SoD; Use with care → Old information is reported!

The incoming RFID must be in the list of allowed RFIDs for generating a CAN BUS event.

An event with OPC_ASOF is send after 2 seconds to release the related sensor.

No RFID event is generated if this option is active!

For use in combination with check RFIDs to trigger an output on the CAN-GC2.

¹) In Rocrail this is the sensor address.

The RFID(Identifier) is formatted as dot-decimal notation with 5 parts:

Rocrail server trace with activated monitor level:

20120328.181017.123 r9999c cbreader CAN BUS    0889 RFID short event 107 id=4.23.30.250.15

See also: Loco code

This sensor Used by MERG has a type indication of "5 RFID". (3472+
Links :

• http://id-innovations.com/httpdocs/ID-3LA,ID-12LA,ID-20LA.pdf
• http://id-innovations.com/
• http://www.merg.org.uk/kits.php
• http://www.soselectronic.de/?str=319&producer=ID%20INNOVATIONS

Non of the recommended IDxx readers and tags can be ordered from GCA.

This unit has extended possibilities, compared with the IDxx types.
The most imporatant one is a better protection to distorsion from the running motor in the loc.
For description of GCA41 and RC552 RFID sensors please refer to GCA41
GCA41 (included pre-programmed Arduino Nano) and RC522 + tags are available from GCA.