Patent ID: 7472216

Claim:
A device suitable for incorporation as a module in a CAN system having a bus connection, the device comprising: an oscillator that generates a number of different frequencies in response to directions from the microcomputer; a transceiver; and a Controller Area Network (CAN) Controller coupled to the oscillator, wherein the oscillator is coupled to the bus connection via the transceiver, wherein the CAN Controller is a first CAN Controller, and wherein the device further comprises: a second CAN Controller connected to the bus connection and arranged to supply the bus connection with at least one level relating to zero or one by first directions received from a particular microcomputer and a particular oscillator, wherein the first CAN Controller is operably arranged to utilize previously-known information about the function or construction of the CAN system and to indicate a relationship between a first bit configuration that essentially corresponds to the outgoing level from the second CAN Controller and one of a plurality of second bit configurations initiated by the first CAN Controller using the number of different frequencies and the previously known information, and wherein the second CAN Controller comprises means for providing an indication of a predetermined degree of disparity between the first bit configuration and one of the plurality of second bit configurations.