Kvaser BlackBird User manual

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide
Copyright 2007-2011 Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden
http://www.kvaser.com
Last updated Thursday, 28 April 2011
We believe that the information contained herein was accurate in all respects at the time of printing. Kvaser AB cannot, however, assume
any responsibility for errors or omissions in this text. Also note that the information in this document is subject to change without notice and
should not be construed as a commitment by Kvaser AB.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 2(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
(This page is intentionally left blank.)

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 3(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
1 Table of Contents
Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide...............................................................................................1
1Table of Contents..............................................................................................................3
2About this manual .............................................................................................................4
3Introduction........................................................................................................................5
3.1 Welcome to Kvaser BlackBird......................................................................................5
3.2 Major features ..............................................................................................................6
3.3 Real time CAN-USB interface......................................................................................6
3.4 Additional software and documentation.......................................................................6
4Kvaser BlackBird hardware..............................................................................................7
4.1 Hardware installation....................................................................................................7
4.2 USB connector.............................................................................................................7
4.3 CAN channels ..............................................................................................................7
4.4 Power supply................................................................................................................7
4.5 LED indicators..............................................................................................................7
4.6 Use as a USB CAN interface.......................................................................................8
4.7 Use as a Wireless CAN Interface.................................................................................8
4.8 Troubleshooting ...........................................................................................................8
5Appendices ........................................................................................................................9
5.1 Technical data..............................................................................................................9
5.2 CAN connectors........................................................................................................ 10
5.3 Updating the firmware............................................................................................... 12
5.4 CAN bus termination................................................................................................. 13
6Legal acknowledgements.............................................................................................. 14
6.1 Usage warning .......................................................................................................... 14
6.2 EMC compliance statement...................................................................................... 15
6.3 WEEE compliance statement.................................................................................... 15
6.4 RoHS compliance statement..................................................................................... 16
6.5 Patents, copyrights and trademarks ......................................................................... 16
7Document revision history............................................................................................ 17

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 4(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
2 About this manual
This manual is intended for Kvaser BlackBird users. This document contains a description of
the hardware’s properties and general instructions for connecting the device to a computer.
The Kvaser BlackBird setup software is started from the Kvaser Hardware program in the
control panel. The Kvaser Hardware program’s online help also contains a detailed
description of the Kvaser BlackBird setup software.
For information about how to set up a WLAN connection to the Kvaser BlackBird, see the
Kvaser BlackBird Getting Started Guide.
Throughout this document, we use the name Kvaser BlackBird to mean any one of the
different Kvaser BlackBird products listed in Table 1, unless otherwise noted.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 5(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
3 Introduction
This section will describe the functions and features of the Kvaser BlackBird.
3.1 Welcome to Kvaser BlackBird
Figure 1. Kvaser BlackBird.
The Kvaser BlackBird is a small, yet advanced, wireless CAN interface. Configured via the
USB interface, the Kvaser BlackBird can be used as a wireless CAN interface or as a USB
CAN interface.
This guide applies to Kvaser BlackBird devices listed in Table 1.
Table 1: Kvaser BlackBird Devices and EAN Numbers.
Device
Product Number
Kvaser BlackBird SemiPro HS
733-0130-00441-2
Kvaser BlackBird SemiPro HS/HS
733-0130-00453-5
Kvaser BlackBird SemiPro 3xHS
733-0130-00446-7

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 6(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
3.2 Major features
Wireless CAN interface
Supports 802.11b/g
Infrastructure and Ad-hoc mode
Supports WPA2/WPA/WEP128/WEP64 encryption
Can be either public or private.
USB CAN interface
Quick and easy plug-and-play installation.
Supports both 11-bit (CAN 2.0A) and 29-bit (CAN 2.0B active) identifiers.
Large on-board RAM buffer for CAN messages
Supports silent (listen-only) mode for analysis tools and data logging.
100% compatible with applications written for other Kvaser CAN hardware with
Kvaser CANLib.
1-3 high-speed CAN connections (compliant with ISO 11898-2), 5 kbit/s up to 1
Mbit/s.
Fully compatible with J1939, CANopen, NMEA 2000® and DeviceNet.
One USB 2.0 HiSpeed connection with data rates up to 480 Mbit/s. The device can
also be used in USB 1.1 slots (data rates up to 12 Mbit/s).
Power is taken from the CAN bus or the USB bus. The device automatically switches
between the CAN (primary) and the USB (secondary) power supply, reducing the
power drain on a laptop’s battery.
Rugged aluminum housing with the approximate dimensions
oKvaser BlackBird HS - 30 x 190 x 20 mm
oKvaser BlackBird HS/HS and 3xHS - 30 x 220 x 20 mm
3.3 Real time CAN-USB interface
Uses USB 2.0 HiSpeed while being compatible with USB 1.x and USB 3.0.
Supports extreme data throughput and prevents bottlenecks with quick reaction times
and precise time stamping.
Kvaser MagiSync- automatic time synchronization between all Kvaser products
that use the Kvaser MagiSyncfeature (only when connected via USB).
Supports silent mode for analysis tools –listen to the bus without interfering.
Simultaneous operation of multiple devices.
Power supplied through the CAN bus interface or the USB interface.
3.4 Additional software and documentation
Kvaser CANLIB SDK, which includes everything you need to develop software for the
Kvaser CAN hardware. Includes full documentation and many sample programs,
written in C, C++, C#, Delphi, and Visual Basic. All Kvaser CAN interface hardware
shares a common software API. Programs written for one device type will run without
modification on other device types!
On-line documentation in Windows® HTML Help and Adobe Acrobat format.
The latest versions of documentation, software and drivers can be downloaded for
free at www.kvaser.com or purchased separately on CD.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 7(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
4 Kvaser BlackBird hardware
In this section you can read more about the CAN channels, power supply and led indicators.
4.1 Hardware installation
The Kvaser BlackBird may be inserted in any free USB socket on the host computer. You do
not need to switch the power off before inserting or removing the device. For the Kvaser
BlackBird to communicate with the host computer, compatible versions of the Kvaser driver
and firmware must be installed. The firmware is downloaded and installed directly on the
Kvaser BlackBird. The driver is installed on the host computer.
For additional information on how to upgrade the firmware, read section 5.3 of this document.
The Kvaser BlackBird delivery package contains:
Kvaser BlackBird.
Software and Driver media containing drivers for Windows; Kvaser BlackBird Setup
Tool; Kvaser CANKing, an easy to use CAN bus monitor; Drivers for RP1210A,
LabView, and DIAdem; and Kvaser CANlib Software Development Kit.
Kvaser Quick Start Instruction.
4.2 USB connector
The Kvaser BlackBird has a standard USB type ―A‖ connector.
4.3 CAN channels
The standard Kvaser BlackBird has 1-3 independent CAN channels. The Kvaser BlackBird
HS has a 9-pin DSUB (see Figure 2). The Kvaser BlackBird HS/HS and Kvaser BlackBird
3xHS have a 15-pin DSUB (see Figure 3).
4.4 Power supply
The Kvaser BlackBird can be powered from the CAN side and from the USB side. To operate
the Kvaser BlackBird as wireless CAN interface, you must supply power on the CAN side. To
use the device as a USB CAN interface or to configure the device, power on the USB side is
sufficient.
When you supply power on the CAN side, provide power on the channel 1 connector. See
Figure 2 for the Kvaser BlackBird HS. See Figure 3 for the Kvaser BlackBird HS/HS and
3xHS. It is safe, but pointless, to supply power on channel 2 or 3.
4.5 LED indicators
The LED indicators have somewhat different meaning depending on how your Kvaser
BlackBird is being used –as a CAN interface or a wireless interface. Table 2 describes the
general purpose of each LED. The following sections describe how the LEDs behave in each
case.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 8(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
Table 2: LED Indicators Overview.
LED
General meaning
PWR (Green)
Power and general status.
WLAN (Blue)
WLAN status.
ERR (Red)
Indicates temporary or permanent errors.
INFO (Orange)
General Information.
CAN 1 (Yellow)
Status for CAN channel 1.
CAN 2 (Yellow)
Status for CAN channel 2.
CAN 3 (Yellow)
Status for CAN channel 3.
4.6 Use as a USB CAN interface
To use the Kvaser BlackBird as a USB CAN interface; connect the unit to a free USB port on
your PC or USB hub.
When used as a USB CAN interface, the PWR LED will be illuminated and the
CAN LEDs will emit short flashes when CAN messages are transmitted and
received.
4.7 Use as a Wireless CAN Interface
To use the Kvaser BlackBird as a Wireless CAN interface, supply power on the CAN channel
1 connector and ensure that the unit is up and running on the wireless network.
When used as a Wireless CAN interface, the PWR LED will be illuminated and the
CAN LEDs will emit short flashes when CAN messages are transmitted and
received. When the WLAN LED is constantly illuminated, the BlackBird is
connected as a CAN interface and the wireless communication is stable. When the
WLAN LED is flashing, the BlackBird is not connected as a CAN interface, or the
wireless communication is having issues with configuration, range, or interference.
4.8 Troubleshooting
Use ―Kvaser Hardware‖ in the Control Panel to verify that the computer
really can talk to the Kvaser BlackBird. If the firmware version shown is
all zeroes, there are communication problems.
If the LEDs are not flashing or illuminated at all, check the power supply.
For further troubleshooting, see the trouble shooting section in the Kvaser
BlackBird Getting Started Guide.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 9(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
5 Appendices
In this section you will find technical information about the Kvaser BlackBird and its
connectors.
5.1 Technical data
In Table 3 below you will find the Kvaser BlackBird’s technical specifications.
Table 3: Kvaser BlackBird Technical Specifications.
CAN Channels
1, 2 or 3 (CAN 2.0A and 2.0B active).
CAN Transceivers
SN 65251 (Compliant with ISO 11898-2)
CAN Controller
Built into the M32C, 3rd channel using MCP2515
CAN Bit Rate
5 kbit/s to 1 Mbit/s
Time stamp resolution
25 μs
Error Frame Detection
Yes
Error Frame Generation
Yes
PC interface
USB 2.0. Supports HiSpeed (HS) at 480 Mbit/s.
Compatible with USB 1.1 at 12 Mbit/s and with USB 3.0 at 480 Mbit/s.
Wireless communication
WLAN 802.11b/g (infrastructure and ad hoc-mode)
Wireless security
WPA2 / WPA / WEP128 / WEP64
External power
Allowed operating voltage 7 –36 V DC.
Maximum input voltage 48 V DC.
Power consumption
Typical values are:
400mA if powered from the USB (~5V).
1.4 W for single channel powered from the CAN bus.
1.8 W for dual channel powered from the CAN bus.
2.2 W for three channel powered from the CAN bus.
Hardware configuration
Done by software (Plug & Play).
Software requirements
Windows XP or later.
(For other operating systems, see Kvaser web or contact Kvaser
support.)
Weight
150 g including cables and connectors.
Operating temperature
-30 ºC ... +85 ºC
Storage temperature
-30 ºC ... +85 ºC
Relative Humidity
0% ... 85% (non-condensing.)

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 10(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
5.2 CAN connectors
The Kvaser BlackBird has 1-3 high-speed CAN channels. The Kvaser BlackBird HS has a 9-
pin D-SUB connector (see Figure 2) with the pinning described below (see Table 4). The
Kvaser BlackBird HS/HS and 3xHS has a 15-pin DSUB (see Figure 3) with the pinning
described in Table 5.
Figure 2: 9-pin DSUB.
Table 4: Configuration of the 9-pin DSUB.
D-SUB pin number
Function
1
Not connected
2
CAN_L
3
GND
4
Not connected
5
Shield
6
Not connected.
7
CAN_H
8
Not connected.
9
Power supply to the device

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 11(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
Figure 3: 15-pin DSUB.
Table 5: Configuration of the 15-pin DSUB.
D-SUB pin number
Function
1
Power supply to the device (channel 1)
2
CAN_L channel 1
3
Not connected
4
CAN_L channel 2
5
Not connected.
6
CAN_L channel 3 (only connected on 3-channel devices)
7
Not Connected
8
Shield channel 3 (only connected on 3-channel devices)
9
GND channel 1
10
CAN_H channel 1
11
GND channel 2
12
CAN_H channel 2
13
GND channel 3 (only connected on 3-channel devices)
14
CAN_H channel 3 (only connected on 3-channel devices)
15
Shield channel 2
Shell
Shield channel 1
Note: Always connect each ground pin on the D-SUB to the ground of the
corresponding CAN bus.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 12(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
5.3 Updating the firmware
Connect the Kvaser BlackBird to your PC with the USB cable. Start the update.exe
application. A window opens where you should see the device listed if correctly connected to
your PC (see Figure 4). Select the device to program and click the Next button.
Figure 4: Firmware Update, Select Device.
Click on the Start Upgrade button to start programming (see Figure 5). The programming
takes approximately 30 seconds. The progress is displayed on the screen.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 13(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
Figure 5: Firmware Update, Start Upgrade.
No error messages should appear. If you see error messages, try to disconnect
and reconnect the device, and then perform the operation again.
To verify that the firmware is updated,
Open ―Kvaser Hardware‖ in the Control Panel. Select ―Kvaser BlackBird‖ in the tree
view to the left, and click on either channel. The firmware revision information
appears in the right half of the window.
5.4 CAN bus termination
Every CAN bus must be terminated with a 120 Ohm resistor at each end of the bus. The
Kvaser BlackBird does not contain any CAN bus termination, because their inclusion could
cause severe disturbance in a system which is already correctly terminated.
For laboratory or testing use, the exact value of the termination resistors is not always critical.
Sometimes a single terminator is sufficient. For production, proper termination is essential. If
you see error frames on the bus, you should check the termination.
To save yourself a lot of trouble, always terminate the CAN bus properly.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 14(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
6 Legal acknowledgements
6.1 Usage warning
WARNING FOR ALL USERS
WARNING! - YOUR USE OF THIS DEVICE MUST BE DONE WITH CAUTION
AND A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF THE RISKS!
THIS WARNING IS PRESENTED TO INFORM YOU THAT THE OPERATION OF
THIS DEVICE MAY BE DANGEROUS. YOUR ACTIONS CAN INFLUENCE THE
BEHAVIOR OF A CAN-BASED DISTRIBUTED EMBEDDED SYSTEM, AND
DEPENDING ON THE APPLICATION, THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR
IMPROPER ACTIONS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS OPERATIONAL
MALFUNCTION, LOSS OF INFORMATION, DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT, AND
PHYSICAL INJURY TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS. A POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS OPERATING CONDITION IS PRESENT WHEN THE FOLLOWING
TWO CONDITIONS ARE CONCURRENTLY TRUE: THE PRODUCT IS
PHYSICALLY INTERCONNECTED TO A REAL DISTRIBUTED EMBEDDED
SYSTEM; AND THE FUNCTIONS AND OPERATIONS OF THE REAL
DISTRIBUTED EMBEDDED SYSTEM ARE CONTROLLABLE OR INFLUENCED
BY THE USE OF THE CAN NETWORK. A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS
OPERATING CONDITION MAY RESULT FROM THE ACTIVITY OR NON-
ACTIVITY OF SOME DISTRIBUTED EMBEDDED SYSTEM FUNCTIONS AND
OPERATIONS, WHICH MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM OR
DEATH OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT, DEVICES, OR THE
SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT.
WITH THIS DEVICE, YOU MAY POTENTIALLY:
CAUSE A CHANGE IN THE OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM, MODULE,
DEVICE, CIRCUIT, OR OUTPUT.
TURN ON OR ACTIVATE A MODULE, DEVICE, CIRCUIT, OUTPUT, OR
FUNCTION.
TURN OFF OR DEACTIVATE A MODULE, DEVICE, CIRCUIT, OUTPUT,
OR FUNCTION.
INHIBIT, TURN OFF, OR DEACTIVATE NORMAL OPERATION.
MODIFY THE BEHAVIOR OF A DISTRIBUTED PRODUCT.
ACTIVATE AN UNINTENDED OPERATION.
PLACE THE SYSTEM, MODULE, DEVICE, CIRCUIT, OR OUTPUT INTO
AN UNINTENDED MODE.
ONLY THOSE PERSONS WHO:
(A) ARE PROPERLY TRAINED AND QUALIFIED WITH RESPECT TO THE USE
OF THE DEVICE,
(B) UNDERSTAND THE WARNINGS ABOVE, AND
(C) UNDERSTAND HOW THIS DEVICE INTERACTS WITH AND IMPACTS THE
FUNCTION AND SAFETY OF OTHER PRODUCTS IN A DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM
AND THE APPLICATION FOR WHICH THIS DEVICE WILL BE APPLIED, MAY
USE THE DEVICE.
PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU CAN INTEGRATE THIS PRODUCT AS A
SUBSYSTEM INTO HIGHER-LEVEL SYSTEMS. IN CASE YOU DO SO, KVASER

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 15(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
AB HEREBY DECLARES THAT KVASER AB'S WARRANTY SHALL BE LIMITED
TO THE CORRECTION OF DEFECTS, AND KVASER AB HEREBY EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY OVER AND ABOVE THE REFUNDING OF THE
PRICE PAID FOR THIS DEVICE, SINCE KVASER AB DOES NOT HAVE ANY
INFLUENCE ON THE IMPLEMENTATIONS OF THE HIGHER-LEVER SYSTEM,
WHICH MAY BE DEFECTIVE.
THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS A RECHARGEABLE LI-ION BATTERY. MUST BE
DISPOSED OF PROPERLY. MAY EXPLODE IF DAMAGED OR DISPOSED OF
IN FIRE. DO NOT SHORTCUT.
6.2 EMC compliance statement
EMC Tests
The equipment has been tested for compliance with the EN 50 081-2:1993 (emission) and the
EN 61000-6-2:1999 (immunity) standards.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a
commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential
area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct
the interference at his/her own expense.
FCC Compliance
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
This device contains
FCC ID: PVH090901
IC: 5325A-090901
When using the Kvaser Blackbird device, you will be exposed to some of the transmitted RF
energy. This exposure is well below the prescribed limits in all national and international RF
safety standards and regulations. For security reasons: This modular transmitter MUST have
a separation distance of at least 20 cm between the antenna and the body of the user or
nearby persons.
6.3 WEEE compliance statement
This product is sold in compliance with the directive 2002/96/EC of the European
Parliament on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE.)

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 16(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
6.4 RoHS compliance statement
This product is manufactured in accordance with directive 2002/95/EC on the Restriction of
the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS.)
6.5 Patents, copyrights and trademarks
All trademarks are the property of their respective owner.
Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other
countries.
MagiSyncis a trademark of Kvaser AB.
DeviceNetis a Trademark of Open DeviceNet Vendor Association, Inc.
NMEA 2000® is the registered trademark of the National Marine Electronics Association, Inc.
The products described in this document are protected by U.S. patent 5,696,911 and
7,100,042.

Kvaser BlackBird User's Guide 17(17)
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden —www.kvaser.com
7 Document revision history
Revision
Date
Changes
1
2008-04
Original revision
2
2008-04
Corrected a typo
3
2008-04-25
Corrected language. Changed:
Operating voltage is 6 –40 V DC (max voltage 48 V
DC)
Power consumption is 2.2W
Removed Windows 98 and Windows ME from list of
supported OSes
4
2009-09-25
Editorial changes.
5
2011-01-17
Updated values supply voltages and power consumption.
Extended D-SUB pin description.
Corrected values of physical dimensions.
Added WLAN information to specifications.
New text regarding operating systems supported.
Editorial changes.