RoboteQ CANBus Series Assembly instructions

1
CANBus
CANOpen
RawCAN
MiniCAN
RoboCAN
User & Reference Manual
V2.0, July 8, 2019
visit www.roboteq.com to download the latest revision of this manual
©Copyright 2016-2019 Roboteq, Inc

Brushless Motor Connections and Operation
2CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
Revision History
Date Version Changes
July 8, 2019 2.0 Extracted from main User Manual
The information contained in this manual is believed to be accurate and reliable. How-
ever, it may contain errors that were not noticed at the time of publication. Users are
expected to perform their own product validation and not rely solely on data contained
in this manual.

CANBus Networking Manual 3
Revision History......................................................................................... 2
Introduction................................................................................................ 5
Refer to the Datasheet for Hardware-Specific Issues................................ 5
User Manual Structure and Use................................................................. 5
SECTION 1 CAN Networking on Roboteq Controllers................................................................7
Supported CAN Modes.............................................................................. 7
Connecting to CAN bus ............................................................................. 8
Introduction to CAN Hardware signaling.................................................... 9
CAN Bus Pinout ......................................................................................... 9
CAN and USB Limitations........................................................................ 10
Basic Setup and Troubleshooting ............................................................. 10
Cable polarity, integrity and termination resistor ......................................11
Check CANbus activity using a voltmeter.................................................11
Check CANbus activity using a CAN sniffer..............................................11
Mode Selection and Configuration ...........................................................11
Common Configurations.......................................................................... 12
MiniCAN Configurations .......................................................................... 12
RawCAN Configurations .......................................................................... 12
Using RawCAN Mode.............................................................................. 12
Checking Received Frames...................................................................... 12
Reading Raw Received Frames ............................................................... 13
Transmitting Raw Frames......................................................................... 13
Using MiniCAN Mode.............................................................................. 14
Transmitting Data ..................................................................................... 14
Receiving Data......................................................................................... 14
MiniCAN Usage Example ........................................................................ 15
SECTION 2 RoboCAN Networking.............................................................................. 17
Network Operation .................................................................................. 18
RoboCAN via Serial & USB ...................................................................... 18
Runtime Commands................................................................................ 18
Broadcast Command ............................................................................... 18
Realtime Queries ..................................................................................... 19
Remote Queries restrictions.................................................................... 19
Configurations Read/Writes ..................................................................... 20
Remote Configurations Read restrictions ................................................ 20
Remote Maintenance Commands........................................................... 20
Self Addressed Commands and Queries................................................. 21
RoboCAN via MicroBasic Scripting .......................................................... 21
Sending Commands and Configuration ................................................... 21
Reading Operating values Configurations................................................ 22
Continuous Scan...................................................................................... 23
Checking the presence of a Node............................................................ 25
Self Addressed Commands and Queries................................................. 25
Broadcast Command ............................................................................... 25
Remote MicroBasic Script Download ...................................................... 25
SECTION 3 CANopen Interface...................................................................................................27
Use and benefits of CANopen ................................................................. 27
CAN Connection ...................................................................................... 27
CAN Bus Configuration............................................................................ 28
Node ID.................................................................................................... 28

4CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
Bit Rate .................................................................................................... 28
Heartbeat ................................................................................................. 28
Autostart .................................................................................................. 28
Commands Accessible via CANopen....................................................... 29
CANopen Message Types........................................................................ 29
Service Data Object (SDO) Read/Write Messages.................................. 29
Transmit Process Data Object (TPDO) Messages ................................... 29
Receive Process Data Object (RPDO) Messages.................................... 30
PDO Mapping .......................................................................................... 31
PDO Transmission Type ............................................................................ 32
Object Dictionary ..................................................................................... 33
Communication Profile............................................................................. 33
Runtime Commands................................................................................ 34
Runtime Queries...................................................................................... 34
DS402 Profile........................................................................................... 37
SDO Construction Details ........................................................................ 39
SDO Example 1: Set Encoder Counter 2 (C) of node 1 value 10 ............. 39
SDO Example 2: Activate emergency shutdown (EX) for node 12 .......... 40
SDO Example 3: Read Battery Volts (V) of node 1. .................................. 40
SECTION 4 DS402 Implementation on Roboteq Motor Controllers........................................43
Abbreviations ........................................................................................... 43
Introduction.............................................................................................. 43
What is DS402......................................................................................... 43
Implementation........................................................................................ 44
Index Range & Channel Selection............................................................ 44
Modes of Operation................................................................................. 44
Supported SDOs...................................................................................... 45
PDS FSA .................................................................................................. 45
SDO Description ...................................................................................... 47
0x6040 - Control Word ............................................................................. 47
0x6041 - Status Word .............................................................................. 49
0x6042 - VL Target Velocity....................................................................... 51
0x6043 - VL Velocity Demand .................................................................. 51
0x6044 - VL Velocity Actual Value ............................................................. 51
0x6046 - VL Velocity Min Max Amount .................................................... 52
0x6048 - VL Velocity Acceleration ............................................................ 52
0x6049 - VL Velocity Deceleration............................................................ 53
0x6060 - Modes of Operation.................................................................. 53
0x6061 - Modes of Operation Display ..................................................... 53
0x6064 - Position Actual Value (PP) .......................................................... 53
0x606C - Velocity Actual Value (PV) .......................................................... 54
0x6071 - Target Torque (TQ) ..................................................................... 54
0x6077 - Torque Actual Value (TQ)............................................................ 54
0x607A - Target Position (PP) ................................................................... 54
0x6081 - Profile Velocity (PP) ................................................................... 55
0x6083 - Profile Acceleration (PP)............................................................ 55
0x6084 - Profile Deceleration (PP) ........................................................... 55
0x6087 - Torque Slope (TQ)...................................................................... 55
0x60FF - Target Velocity (PV) .................................................................... 56
3.21 0x6502 - Supported Drive Modes.................................................... 56
3.22 0x67FE - Version Number ................................................................ 56
References............................................................................................... 56

User Manual Structure and Use
CANBus Networking Manual 5
Introduction
Refer to the Datasheet for Hardware-Specific Issues
This manual is the companion to your controller’s datasheet. All information that is specific
to a particular controller model is found in the datasheet. These include:
• Number and types of I/O
• Connectors pin-out
• Wiring diagrams
• Maximum voltage and operating voltage
• Thermal and environmental specifications
• Mechanical drawings and characteristics
• Available storage for scripting
• Battery or/and Motor Amps sensing
• Storage size of user variables to Flash or Battery-backed RAM
User Manual Structure and Use
The user manual discusses issues that are common to all controllers inside a given prod-
uct family. Except for a few exceptions, the information contained in the manual does not
repeat the data that is provided in the datasheets.
The manual is divided in 3 sections organized as follows:
SECTION 1 CAN Networking on Roboteq Controllers
This section describes the RawCAN and MiniCAN operating modes available on CAN-en-
abled Roboteq controllers.
SECTION 2 RoboCAN Networking
This section describes the RoboCAN protocol: a simple and efficient meshed network
scheme for Roboteq devices

Introduction
6CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
SECTION 3 CANopen Interface
This section describes the configuration of the CANopen communication protocol and the
commands accepted by the controller operating in the CANopen mode.
SECTION 4 DS402 Implementation on Roboteq Motor Controllers
This section will describe the implementation of CiA DS402 standard on Roboteq motor
controllers.

CANBus Networking Manual 7
Supported CAN Modes
SECTION 1 CAN Networking
on Roboteq
Controllers
Some controller models are equipped with a standard CAN interface allowing up to 127
controllers to work together on a single twisted pair network at speeds up to 1Mbit/s.
Supported CAN Modes
Four CAN operating modes are available on Roboteq controllers:
1 - RawCAN
2 - MiniCAN
3 - CANopen
4 - RoboCAN
RawCAN is a low-level operating mode giving total read and write access to CAN frames.
It is recommended for use in low data rate systems that do not obey to any specific stan-
dard. CAN frames are typically built and decoded using the MicroBasic scripting language.
MiniCAN is greatly simplified subset of CANopen, allowing, within limits, the integration
of the controller into an existing CANopen network. This mode requires MicroBasic script-
ing to prepare and use the CAN data.
CANopen is the full Standard from CAN in Automation (CIA), based on the DS402 specifica-
tion. It is the mode to use if full compliance with the CANopen standard is a primary requisite.
RoboCAN is a Roboteq proprietary meshed networking scheme allowing multiple Robo-
teq devices to operate together as a single system. This protocol is extremely simple and
lean, yet practically limitless in its abilities. It is the preferred protocol to use by users who
just wish to make multiple controllers work together with the minimal effort.
This section describes the RawCAN and MiniCAN modes.
Detailed descriptions of CANopen and RoboCAN can be found in specific sections of
this manual.

CAN Networking on Roboteq Controllers
8CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
Connecting to CAN bus
A CAN bus network is made of a stretch of two wires. A device can be put on a CANbus
network by simply connecting it’s CAN-High and CAN-Low lines to those of other devices
on the network.
CANH
CANL
120Ω
Microcomputer
Joysticks, Batteries
HMI’s and other CAN Accessories
Magnetic Guide Sensor
Motor Controllers
PLC
CAN
Adapter
120Ω
Figure 1-1: CAN Network topology
Resistors should be 120 ohm and located at each end of the cable. However, on a short
network communication will take place with a single resistor of 100 to 200 ohm located
anywhere on the network. Communication will not work if no resistor is present, or if its
value is too high.
No ground connection is necessary in between nodes. However, the ground potential of
each node must be within a few volts of each other. If all devices on the network are pow-
ered from the same power source, this can be expected to be the case.
CANbus will be operational upon enabling the desired CAN protocol and speed using the
PC utility.
Important Warning
A ground difference up to around 10V is acceptable. A difference of 30V or higher
can cause damage to one or more nodes. CANbus isolators must be used if a similar
ground level cannot be guaranteed between nodes.

CANBus Networking Manual 9
Introduction to CAN Hardware signaling
Introduction to CAN Hardware signaling
CANbus uses differential signals, which is where CAN derives its robust noise immunity
and fault tolerance. The two signal lines of the bus, CANH and CANL, are biased to around
2.5 V. A logical “1” (also known as the dominant state) on the bus takes CANH around 1
V higher to around 3.5 V, and takes CANL around 1 V lower to 1.5 V, creating a typical 2V
differential signal as shown in Figure 1-2.
0
2.5V
1.5V
3.5V
0V
00 0000 00000000011111111 11
Figure 1-2: CANbus signaling
Differential signaling reduces noise coupling and allows for high signaling rates over twist-
ed-pair cable. The High-Speed CANbus specifications (ISO 11898 Standard) are given for
a maximum signaling rate of 1 Mbps with a bus length of 40 m with a maximum of 30
nodes. It also recommends a maximum unterminated stub length of 0.3 m.
CAN Bus Pinout
Depending on the controller model, the CAN signals are located on the 9-pin, 15-pin or
25-pin DSub connector. Refer to datasheet for details.
1
15
69
13
14 25
FIGURE 1-3. DB9.Connector pin locations
The pins on the DB9 connector are mapped as described in the table below.
TABLE 1-1. CAN Signals on DB9 connector
Pin Number Signal Description
2 CAN_L CAN bus low
7 CAN_H CAN bus high

CAN Networking on Roboteq Controllers
10 CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
18
915
FIGURE 1-4. DB15 Connector pin locations
The pins on the DB15 connector are mapped as described in the table below.
TABLE 1-2. CAN Signals on DB15 connector
Pin Number Signal Description
6 CAN_L CAN bus low
7 CAN_H CAN bus high
1
15
69
13
14 25
FIGURE 1-5. DB25 pin locations
The pins on the DB25 connector are mapped as described in the table below.
TABLE 1-3. CAN Signals od DB25 connector
Pin Number Signal Description
8 CAN_L CAN bus low
20 CAN_H CAN bus high
CAN and USB Limitations
On some controller models CAN and USB cannot operate at the same time. On control-
lers equipped with a USB connector, if simultaneous connection is not allowed, the con-
troller will enable CAN if USB is not connected.
The controller will automatically enable USB and disable CAN as soon as the USB is con-
nected to the PC. The CAN connection will then remain disabled until the controller is
restarted with the USB unplugged.
See the controller model datasheet to verify whether simultaneous CAN and USB is sup-
ported.
Basic Setup andTroubleshooting
CANbus is very easy to setup: Simply connect the CANH and CANL to a pair of wires with
at least one resistor somewhere along the cable. Enable the desired CAN protocol and
speed using the PC utility.

CANBus Networking Manual 11
Basic Setup andTroubleshooting
If communication cannot be established, it can be difficult to determine the source of the
problem. Here are a few ways to diagnose:
Cable polarity, integrity and termination resistor
Verify that the controller’s CANH and CANL are connected to the CANH and CANL wire.
Check cable continuity to every node. Verify the presence of a least one resistor and that
its value is 120ohm (a value of 60 to 200 ohm would be acceptable)
Check CANbus activity using a voltmeter
The presence of CAN data traffic can be checked using a simple voltmeter and measuring
the voltage between GND and CANH, and between GND and CANL. When CAN is dis-
abled, both lines should have approximately the same voltage around 2.5V. When CAN is
enabled with RoboCAN or MiniCAN protocol selected, the controller will send a continu-
ous stream of data frames. This will cause the CANH voltage to rise above, and the CANL
voltage to drop below, the 2.5V midpoint. If the idle and active voltages do not match the
above, try again on the controller alone disconnected from the network but with a 100 to
200 ohm resistor across its CANH and CANL pins.
The CANOpen and RawCAN protocol should not be used for this test as these do not gen-
erate data traffic on their own and will not cause measurable voltage changes.
Check CANbus activity using a CAN sniffer
When working on a CAN system, it is highly recommended to make the acquisition of a
USB to CAN adapter such as the PCAN-USB from Peak Systems. Connect the adapter to
the CANH and CANL and run the sniffer software with the correct bit rate selected. The
figure below shows the expected received data when a Roboteq device is on the network
with MiniCAN protocol enabled.
Figure 1-6. USB to CAN adapter and MiniCAN frame capture
Mode Selection and Configuration
Mode selection is done using the CAN menu in the RoborunPlus PC utility.

CAN Networking on Roboteq Controllers
12 CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
Common Configurations
CAN Mode: Used to select one of the 4 operating modes. Off disables all CAN receive
and transmit capabilities.
Node ID: CAN Node ID used for transmission from the controller. Value may be be-
tween 1 and 126 included.
Bit Rate: Selectable bit rate. Available speeds are 1000, 800, 500, 250, and 125 kbit/s.
Default is 125kbit and is the recommended speed for RawCAN and Mini-
CAN modes.
Heartbeat: Period at which a Heartbeat frame is sent by the controller. The frame is
CANopen compatible 0x700 + NodeID, with one data byte of value 0x05
(Status: Operational). The Heartbeat is sent in any of the selected modes. It
can be disabled by entering a value of 0.
MiniCAN Configurations
ListenNodeID: Filters to accept only packets sent by a specific node.
SendRate: Period at which data frames are sent by the controller. Frames are struc-
tured as standard CANopen Transmit Process Data Objects (TPDOs). Trans-
mission can be disabled by entering a value of 0.
RawCAN Configurations
In the RawCAN mode, incoming frames may be filtered or not by changing the Listen-
NodeID parameter that is shared with the MiniCAN mode. A value of 0 will capture all
incoming frames and it will be up to the user to use the ones wanted. Any other value will
cause the controller to capture only frames from that sender.
Using RawCAN Mode
In the RawCAN Mode, received unprocessed data packets can be read by the user. Like-
wise, the user can build a packet with any content and send it on the CAN network. A
FIFO buffer will capture up to 16 frames.
CAN packets are essentially composed by a header and a data payload. The header is an
11 bit number that identifies the sender’s address (bits 0 to 6) and a packet type (bits 7 to
10). Data payload can be 0 to 8 bytes long.
Checking Received Frames
Received frames are first loaded in the 16-frame FIFO buffer. Before a frame can be read,
it is necessary to check if any frames are present in the buffer using the ?CF query. The
query can be sent from the serial/USB port, or from a MicroBasic script using the getval-
ue(_CF) function. The query will return the number of frames that are currently pending,
and copy the oldest frame into the read buffer, from which it can then be accessed. Send-
ing ?CF again, copies the next frame into the read buffer.
The query usage is as follows:
Syntax: ?CF
Reply: CF=number of frames pending

CANBus Networking Manual 13
Using RawCAN Mode
Reading Raw Received Frames
After a frame has been moved to the read buffer, the header, bytecount and data can be
read with the ?CAN query. The query can be sent from the serial/USB port, or from a Mi-
croBasic script using the getvalue(_CAN, n) function. The query usage is as follows:
When the query is sent from serial or USB, without arguments, the controller replies by
outputting all elements of the frame separated by colons.
Syntax: ?CAN [ee]
Reply: CAN=header:bytecount:data0:data1: .... :data7
Where: ee = frame element
1= header
2= bytecount
3 to 10 = data0 to data7
Examples: Q: ?CAN
R: CAN=5:4:11:12:13:14:0:0:0:0
Q: ?CAN 3
R: CAN=11
Notes: Read the header to detect that a new frame has arrived. If header is dif-
ferent than 0, then a new frame has arrived and you may read the data.
After reading the header, its value will be 0 if read again, unless a new
frame has arrived.
New CAN frames will not be received by the controller until a ?CAN
query is sent to read the header or any other element.
Once the header is read, proceed to read the other elements of the
received frame without delay to avoid data to be overwritten by a new
arriving frame.
Transmitting Raw Frames
RawCAN Frames can easily be assembled and transmitted using the CAN Send Com-
mand !CS. This command can be used to enter the header, bytecount, and data, one
element at a time. The frame is sent immediately after the bytecount is entered, and so it
should be entered last.
Syntax: !CS ee nn
Where: ee = frame element
1= header
2= bytecount
3 to 10 = data0 to data7
nn = value
Examples: !CS 1 5 Enter 5 in header
!CS 3 2 Enter 2 in Data 0
!CS 4 3 Enter 3 in Data 1
!CS 2 2 Enter 2 in bytecount. Send CAN data frame

CAN Networking on Roboteq Controllers
14 CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
Using MiniCAN Mode
MiniCAN is greatly simplified subset of CANopen. It only supports Heartbeat, and fixed
map Received Process Data Objects (RPDOs) and Transmit Process Data Objects (TP-
DOs). It does not support Service Data Objects (SDOs), Network Management (NMT),
SYNC or other objects.
Transmitting Data
In MiniCAN mode, data to be transmitted is placed in one of the controller’s available In-
teger or Boolean User Variables. Variables can be written by the user from the serial/USB
using !VAR for Integer Variables, or !B for Boolean Variables. They can also be written from
MicroBasic scripts using the setcommand(_VAR, n) and setcommand(_B, n) functions.
The value of these variables is then sent at a periodic rate inside four standard CANopen
TPDO frames (TPDO1 to TPDO4). Each of the four TPDOs is sent in turn at the time peri-
od defined in the SendRate configuration parameter.
Header:
TPDO1: 0x180 + NodeID
TPDO2: 0x280 + NodeID
TPDO3: 0x380 + NodeID
TPDO4: 0x480 + NodeID
Data:
Byte1 Byte2 Byte3 Byte4 Byte5 Byte6 Byte7 Byte8
TPDO1 VAR1 VAR2
TPDO2 VAR3 VAR4
TPDO3 VAR5 VAR6 VAR7 VAR8
TPDO4 BVar
1-8
BVar
9-16
BVar
17-24
BVar
25-32
Byte and Bit Ordering:
Integer Variables are loaded into a frame with the Least Significant Byte first. Example
0x12345678 will appear in a frame as 0x78 0x56 0x34 0x12.
Boolean Variables are loaded in a frame as shown in the table above, with the lowest
Boolean Variable occupying the least significant bit of each byte. Example Boolean Var 1
will appear in byte as 0x01.
Receiving Data
In MiniCAN mode, incoming frames headers are compared to the Listen Node ID number.
If matched, and if the other 4 bits of the header identify the frame as a CANopen standard
RPDO1 to RPDO4, then the data is parsed and stored in Integer or Boolean Variables ac-
cording to the map below. The received data can then be read from the serial/USB using
the ?VAR or ?B queries, or they can be read from a MicroBasic script using the getval-
ue(_VAR, n) or getvalue(_B, n) functions.

CANBus Networking Manual 15
Using MiniCAN Mode
Header:
RPDO1: 0x200 + NodeID
RPDO2: 0x300 + NodeID
RPDO3: 0x400 + NodeID
RPDO4: 0x500 + NodeID
Data:
Byte1 Byte2 Byte3 Byte4 Byte5 Byte6 Byte7 Byte8
RPDO1 VAR9 VAR10
RPDO2 VAR11 VAR12
RPDO3 VAR13 VAR14 VAR15 VAR16
RPDO4 BVar
33-40
BVar
41-48
BVar
49-56
BVar
57-64
Byte and Bit Ordering:
Integer Variables are loaded from frame with the Least Significant Byte first. Example, a
frame with data as 0x78 0x56 0x34 0x12 will load in an Integer Variable as 0x12345678.
Boolean Variables are loaded from a frame as shown in the table above, with the lowest
Boolean Variable occupying the least significant bit of each byte. Example a received byte
of 0x01 will set Boolean Var 33 and clear Vars 34 to 40.
MiniCAN Usage Example
MiniCAN can only be used with the addition of MicroBasic scripts that will give a mean-
ing to the general variables in which the CAN data are stored. The following simple script
uses VAR1 that is transported in RPDO1 as the incoming motor command and puts the
Motor Amp VAR9 so that it is sent in TPDO1.
top:
speed = getvalue(_VAR, 9)
setcommand(_G, 1, speed)
motor_amp = getvalue(_A, 1)
setcommand(_VAR, 1, motor_amp)
wait(10)
goto top:
Note: This script does not check for loss of communication on the CAN bus. It is provided
for information only.

CAN Networking on Roboteq Controllers
16 CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019

CANBus Networking Manual 17
RoboCAN Networking
SECTION 2 RoboCAN Networking
RoboCAN is a Roboteq proprietary meshed networking scheme allowing multiple Roboteq
products to operate together as a single system. This protocol is extremely simple and
lean, yet practically limitless in its abilities. It is the preferred protocol to use by a user who
just wishes to make multiple controllers work together with minimal effort.
In RoboCAN, every controller can send commands to, and can read operational data from,
any other node on the network. One or more controller can act as a USB to CAN or Serial
to CAN gateway, allowing several controllers to be thus managed from a single PC or mi-
crocomputer.
Using a small set of dedicated Microbasic function, scripts can be written to exchange
data between controllers in order to create automation systems without the need for a
PLC or external computer.
In addition, RoboCAN includes support for processing raw can data as defined in the
RawCAN specification (See page 154), in order to incorporate simple CAN compatible 3rd
party devices in the network.
CAN
USB or
RS232
Microcomputer
3rd Party CAN Accessory
Magnetic Guide Sensor
CAN
Adapter

RoboCAN Networking
18 CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
Network Operation
RoboCAN requires only that a controller has a unique node number (other than 0)
assigned and that the RoboCAN mode is selected and enabled. All nodes must be
configured to operate at the same bit rate. Each enabled node will emit a special
heartbeat at a set and unchangeable rate of 128ms so that each node can create and
maintain a map of all nodes alive in the network.
RoboCAN via Serial & USB
Important notice: On many controller models, CAN and USB cannot be operated at the
same time. Please see product datasheet to verify if this is the case on the model used.
In case USB is not available, this section only applies to RS232 connections.
RoboCAN commands and queries can be sent from a USB or serial port using a modi-
fied syntax of the normal serial protocol: By simply adding the @ character followed by
the node as a 2 digit hex address, a command or query is sent to the desired node. This
scheme works with every Command (! Character), Query (?), Configuration setting (^),
Configuration read (~), and most Maintenance commands (%)
Runtime Commands
Below is a Command example:
!G 1 500
This is the normal command for giving a 50% power level command to motor 1 of the
controller that is attached to the computer.
@04!G 1 500
This will send the same 50% command to motor 1 of the controller at node address 4.
The reply to a local command is normally a + or - sign when a command is acknowledged
or rejected in normal serial mode.
When a command is sent to a remote node, the reply is also a + or – sign. However, in
addition, the reply can be a * sign to indicate that the destination node does not exist or is
not alive. Note that the + sign only indicates that the command syntax is valid and that the
destination node is alive.
Broadcast Command
Node address 00 is used to broadcast a command simultaneously to all the nodes in the
network. For example
@00!G 1 500
Will apply 50% power to all motor 1 at all nodes, including the local node

CANBus Networking Manual 19
RoboCAN via Serial & USB
Realtime Queries
Queries are handled the same way but the reply to a query includes the responding
node’s address. Below is a Query example:
?V 2
This is the normal query for reading the battery voltage of the local controller. The control-
ler will reply V=123
@04?V 2
This will send the same query to node address 4
The reply of the remote node is @04 V=123
Replies to remote nodes queries are identical to these to a local controller with the excep-
tion of an added latency. Since the reply must be retrieved from the remote node depend-
ing on the selected bit rate, the reply may come up to 10ms after the query was sent.
Remote Queries restrictions
Remote queries can only return a single value whereas local queries can be used to read
an array of values. For example
?AI
Is a local query that will return the values of all analog capture channels in a single string
as
AI=123:234:345:567
@04?AI
Is a remote query and it will return only the first analog capture channel as
@04 AI=123
Remote queries are not being added in the Query history.
Broadcast remote queries are not supported. For example @00?V 1 will not be executed.
Queries that return strings, such as ?FID or ?TRN are not supported. They will return the
value 0
See the Command Reference section in the manual for the complete list and description
of available queries

RoboCAN Networking
20 CANBus Networking Manual V2.0 July 8, 2019
Configurations Read/Writes
Configuration settings, like Amp Limit or Operating Modes can be read and changed on a
remote node via the CAN bus. For example
@04^ALIM 1 250 will set the current limit of channel 1 of node 4 at 25.0A
@04~OVL will read the Overvoltage limit of node 4.
Note that changing a configuration via CAN only makes that change temporary until the
remote controller is powered down. The %EESAV maintenance command must be send
to the remote node to make the configuration change permanent.
A configuration write can be broadcast to all nodes simultaneously by using the node Id
00. For example
@00^OVL 250
Will set the overvoltage limit of all nodes at 25.0 Volts
Configuration reads cannot be broadcast.
See the Commands Reference section for the complete list and description of available
configurations
Remote Configurations Read restrictions
Remote Configuration Reads can only return a single value whereas local Configuration
Reads can be used to read an array of parameters. For example
~AMOD
Will return the operating mode of all analog capture channels in a single string as
AI=01:01:00:01:02
@04~AMOD
Will return only the mode first analog capture channel as
@04 AI=01
Configuration reads cannot be broadcast.
Remote Maintenance Commands
Maintenance Commands are not supported in RoboCAN.