Patent ID: 7210049

Claim:
A controller area network, comprising: a CAN bus operable to facilitate CAN communications; a plurality of communication controllers in electrical communication with said CAN bus, wherein each communication controller is operable in an active state to participate in CAN communications among said plurality of communication controllers via said CAN bus, and wherein each communication controller is inoperable in an inactive state to participate in CAN communications among said plurality of communication controllers via said CAN bus; and a CAN wake-up controller in electrical communication with said CAN bus and at least one of said communication controllers, wherein said CAN wake-up controller is operable to switch said at least one of said communication controllers to the active state in response to an application of a non-interfering communication biasing signal to said CAN bus, and wherein said CAN wake-up controller is operable to switch said at least one of said communication controllers to the inactive state in response to a termination of the application of the non-interfering communication biasing signal to said CAN bus.