Kvaser U100 USB Type-C Connector User Guide
- June 7, 2024
- KVASER
Table of Contents
Kvaser U100 USB Type-C Connector
Specifications
-
CAN to USB interface
-
Real-time transmission and reception of standard and extended
CAN messages -
High timestamp precision
-
Compatible with applications using Kvaser’s CANlib
-
Product Number: 73-30130-01173-1
-
Firmware Version: v3.24
-
Driver Version (Windows/Linux): v5.36 (kcany/mhydra)
Product Usage Instructions:
Hardware Installation:
Follow the steps provided in the manual to properly install the Kvaser U100
hardware.
USB Connection:
Connect the Kvaser U100 to your computer using the USB cable provided.
Kvaser U100 User’s Guide
Copyright 2020-2024 Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden https://www.kvaser.com
Printed Sunday 18th February, 2024
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 U100 User’s Guide
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About this manual
This manual is intended for Kvaser U100 users. This document contains a description of the hardware’s properties and general instructions for connecting the device to a computer.
Introduction
This section will describe the functions and features of the Kvaser U100.
Welcome to Kvaser U100
Kvaser U100 is a small, yet powerful, CAN to USB interface. It provides real-
time transmission and reception of standard and extended CAN messages on the
bus with a high timestamp precision, and is compatible with applications that
use Kvaser’s CANlib.
This guide applies to Kvaser U100 devices using at least firmware and driver
versions listed in Table 1. For minimum compatible firmware and driver
versions of Kvaser U100 see Table 6 on Page 13.
Major features of Kvaser U100
- USB CAN interface.
- Powered through the USB connector.
- Supports CAN FD, up to 8 Mbit/s (with correct physical layer implementation).
- Supports both 11-bit (CAN 2.0A) and 29-bit (CAN 2.0B active) identifiers.
- Lightweight robust housing made of glass fibre reinforced polyamide overmolded with TPE.
- Intuitive LED UI.
- Reinforced galvanic isolation. Tested according to EN 60335-1:2012 paragraph 13 with 5000 VAC rms applied for 60 seconds.
- Industrial grade temperature range, −40 ◦C to +85 ◦C.
- 20 000 msg/s, each timestamped with a resolution of 100 µs.
- Fully compatible with applications written for other Kvaser CAN hardware with Kvaser CANlib.
- Support for SocketCAN.
- Fully compatible with J1939, CANopen, NMEA 2000 R and DeviceNet.
- IP67 rated housing.
Kvaser U100 hardware
In this section you can read more about the CAN channels, power supply and LED indicators.
Hardware installation
The Kvaser U100 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 U100 to communicate with the host computer, a
compatible version of the Kvaser driver and firmware must be installed.
The driver is installed by running the file kvaser_drivers_setup.exe. For
instructions on how to update the firmware, see Section 3.8, Updating the
firmware, on Page 13. The latest version of the driver and firmware can be
downloaded from www.kvaser.com/download.
The firmware is downloaded and installed directly on the Kvaser U100 and the
driver is installed on the host computer. After the driver has been installed
on the host computer, the firmware may then be downloaded and installed on the
Kvaser U100.
USB connection
The USB connector for the Kvaser U100 is a standard USB type “A” connector
(see Figure 2).
Connect the device to your computer using any high quality USB 2.0 certified cable. The maximum total USB cable length is 5 m (∼ 16 ft).
As USB cables become longer they are more sensitive to EMI, because they make a longer antenna that can pick up more noise. These issues can be mitigated by using higher quality cables with better shielding. Thicker cables tend to be better than thin ones, and braided shielding tends to be more reliable than only foil. Furthermore, longer cables may introduce signal degradation and timing issues that, if necessary, can be mitigated using shorter cable segments combined with hubs that amplify the signal and handle delays on a per-cable basis.
CAN connection
The Kvaser U100 has one CAN channel.
The CAN connector for the Kvaser U100 is the 9-pin D-SUB connector (see Figure
3) which has the pinout described in Table 2 on Page 9.
| D-SUB pin | Function |
|---|---|
| 1 | Not connected |
| 2 | CAN_L |
| 3 | GND |
| 4 | Not connected |
| 5 | Shield |
| 6 | Not connected |
| 7 | CAN_H |
| 8 | Not connected |
| 9 | Not connected |
Table 2: Configuration of the 9-pin D-SUB connector.
CAN bus termination
Every CAN bus must be terminated with a 120 Ohm resistor at each end of the
bus. The Kvaser U100 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.
Power supply
The Kvaser U100 is powered through the USB connector. Make sure the USB power
source can supply enough current (500 mA). If using a USB hub, choose an
externally powered one to be safe.
LED Indicators
A Kvaser U100 device has two traffic LED bars where part of each LED bar is
also used as a status area. The TX LED Bar has a status area towards the USB
end of the bar, and the RX LED bar has a status area towards the CAN end of
the bar. This is shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5: The TX and RX LED bars on the Kvaser U100 include status areas.
Different colors are used for different types of information and different
blink patterns define the current state, see Table 3 and Table 4 on Page 11.
| Color | Information type |
|---|---|
| Yellow | Traffic |
| Green | Status |
| Red | Error |
| White | Alert |
| Blue | System |
| State | Definition |
| --- | --- |
| Off | The indicator is off and no light is emitted. |
| Slow Blink | The indicator is repeatedly turned on and off. The on and off |
phases are equal in time.
Fast Blink| The indicator is repeatedly turned on and off but with a higher
frequency than Slow Blink. The on and off times are still equal.
On| The indicator is constantly emitting light.
Dynamic| The indicator is moving and/or increasing/decreasing in size.
Table 4: Definitions of the indicator states.
Interface mode
The device is in interface mode when connected to a computer via USB. If the
status area is presenting a steady white light, the device is in interface
mode, working correctly and ready to be used. When connected to a computer for
the first time, the status area will Fast Blink with blue light until the
Kvaser Drivers are installed and the device has automatically received a USB
configuration. The status area will change from white to green when going bus
on. Table 5 summarises the information shown in interface mode.
| Description | Status area | LED bar |
|---|---|---|
| Power is on | On (White) | – |
| Waiting for USB configuration | Fast Blink (Blue) | – |
| CAN channel is bus on | On (Green) | – |
| CAN channel traffic | On (Yellow) | Dynamic (Yellow) |
| Error frame | – | Dynamic (Red) |
| CAN channel is error passive | Fast Blink (Red) | – |
| CAN overrun | On (Red) | – |
| Firmware update | Slow Blink (Blue) | – |
| Locate hardware | Slow Blink (White) | Slow Blink (White) |
Table 5: LED inidications in interface mode.
The Kvaser U100 has one TX LED Bar and one RX LED Bar. Each LED Bar has a
status area, the TX LED Bar has a status area towards the USB end of the bar,
and the RX LED bar has a status area towards the CAN end of the bar. This is
shown in Figure 5 on Page 10.
The TX LED bar lit area grows from the USB end of the LED bar towards the CAN
end of the bar as CAN TX traffic is increased. Likewise, the RX LED bar lit
area grows from the CAN end of the LED bar towards the USB end of the bar as
the message rate of the received traffic is increased, see Figure 6 on Page
12. In this example the unit is transmitting data, which shows a yellow TX
status area. No CAN traffic is received and thus the RX status area is green.
The combined area lit by the TX LED bar and the RX LED bar is proportional to
the current bus load, e.g. Figure 6 on Page 12 shows only transmitting CAN
messages Figure 6: The TX LED bar lights up from the USB side to the CAN side
of the unit, while the RX LED bar lights up from the CAN side to the USB side
of the unit.
at 50% bus load. Figure 7 on Page 12 shows two different bus load conditions.
The image on the left shows the unit transmitting and receiving data
corresponding to 50% bus load in each direction for a total of 100% bus load.
The image on the right shows the unit transmitting data corresponding to 100%
bus load.
Figure 7: The yellow-lit area of the LED bars is proportional to the bus load. Both images indicate a bus load of 100%.
Updating the firmware
For the Kvaser U100 to communicate with the host computer, compatible versions
of the Kvaser CANlib (including driver) and firmware must be installed.
The latest versions of firmware and drivers can be downloaded for free at
www.kvaser.com/download.
Connect the Kvaser U100 to your host computer with the USB cable and start the
update.exe application. A window opens showing the Firmware Update
Instructions; read and follow those carefully.
To check the current firmware version, open “Kvaser Device Guide” which can be
found in the Control Panel. Select “Kvaser U100” in the tree view to the left,
and click on the channel. The firmware revision information now appears in the
right half of the window.
The absolute minimum firmware and driver versions needed in order to use
Kvaser U100 are listed in Table 6.
Technical data
In Table 7 below you will find the technical specifications of Kvaser U100.
| CAN Channels | 1 |
|---|---|
| CAN Connector | 9-pin D-SUB |
| CAN Transceivers | ADM3055E (Compliant with ISO 11898-2) |
| CAN Controller | Built into the processor. |
| Galvanic isolation | Yes, reinforced. Tested according to EN 60335-1:2012 |
paragraph 13 with 5000 VAC rms applied for 60 seconds.
CAN Bit Rate| 10 kbit/s to 1 Mbit/s
CAN FD Bit Rate| Up to 8 Mbit/s (with correct physical layer implementation).
Time stamp resolution| 100 µs
Max message rate| 20 000 msg/s per channel
Error Frame Detection| Yes
Error Frame Generation| No
Silent mode| No
Kvaser MagiSync| No
Kvaser t programming| No
Kvaser CANtegrity| No
Host interface| USB 2.0, standard USB type “A” connector
Host OS| Windows (7 or later), Linux
Power consumption| Typical 250 mA
Dimensions| 38 x 128 x 26 mm for body
Cable length| USB 1.0 m, CAN 0.3 m
Weight| 170 g including connectors
Operating temperature| −40 ◦ C to +85 ◦ C
Storage temperature| −40 ◦ C to +85 ◦ C
Relative humidity| 0 % to 85 % (non-condensing)
IP Rating Housing| IP67
IP Rating CAN connector| IP40 Mated
IP Rating USB connector| IP40 Mated
Table 7: Technical Specifications\
Troubleshooting
Use “Kvaser Device Guide” in the Control Panel to verify that the computer can communicate with the Kvaser U100. If the firmware version shown is all zeros, there are communication problems. If the LED Bar or the status indication is not flashing or does not light up at all, check the power supply.
Safety Instructions
Intended Use
Kvaser interfaces are used to connect computer systems to CAN buses. The
Kvaser U100 is intended for connection to a computer via the USB port.
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:
- ARE PROPERLY TRAINED AND QUALIFIED WITH RESPECT TO THE USE OF THE DEVICE,
- UNDERSTAND THE WARNINGS ABOVE, AND
- 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 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-LEVEL SYSTEM, WHICH MAY BE DEFECTIVE.
Disposal and Recycling Information
When this product reaches its end of life, please dispose of it according to
your local environmental laws and guidelines.
For information about Kvaser’s recycling programs, visit:
https://www.kvaser.com/en/kvaser/recycling-policy.html
Legal Acknowledgements
EU Regulatory Compliance
FCC Regulatory Compliance
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance Information Statement
IDENTIFICATION OBJECT:
Product: Kvaser U100
Type: 73-30130-01173-1
APPLICABLE COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS:
CFR Title 47 Part 15 §15.107, §15.109
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
- This device may not cause harmful interference, and
- this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
RESPONSIBLE PARTY (IN USA) NAME: Kvaser Inc.
23881 Via Fabricante, Suite 503
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Internet contact: support@kvaser.com
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.
- Adobe, the Adobe logo, and Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or 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.
- For information about Kvaser related CAN patents, see www.kvaser.com/patent.
Document Revision History
Version history for document UG_98223_U100:
| Revision | Date | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2021-01-11 | Initial version |
| 1.1 | 2021-05-19 | New layout, added connector IP class, updated LED |
| indications. | ||
| 1.2 | 2021-09-09 | Dropped mention of Hi-Speed CAN. |
| 1.3 | 2022-01-24 | Added connector types to Technical Data section, |
| updated EU Declaration of Conformity. | ||
| 1.4 | 2022-04-01 | Minor textual changes, updated EU Declaration of |
| Conformity. | ||
| 1.5 | 2023-06-16 | Updated text about galvanic isolation. |
Kvaser AB, Mölndal, Sweden — www.kvaser.com
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