1 PLIN-API Documentation - PEAK-System

2.1 PLIN Basics PLIN API Documentation
2 Introduction
Welcome to the documentation to PLIN-API.
PLIN stands for PEAK LIN Applications and it is a system for the development and use of LIN busses. It is a helpful and
extensive product, directed to developers and end-users. The PLIN-API is the Programming Interface to the PLIN system
which allow the real-time connection of Windows applications to the LIN busses physically connected to the PC.
In this Chapter
Topics Description
PLIN Basics ( see page 2) This section contains an introduction to PLIN.
PLIN-Client and API Basics ( see
page 3)
Information and process flow with a PLIN client.
License Regulations ( see page 3) License regulations to this software.
Contact information ( see page 4) Contact information - PEAK-System Technik GmbH.
2.1 PLIN Basics
The communication between the PC and an external LIN hardware through a LIN bus is done using a Windows Services
called "PLIN Manager" (PLinMng.exe). It forms the basis for the interaction between the LIN software and the LIN-PC
hardware. The service manages all resources and data flowing between software and hardware.
The interface to the user, like in the PCAN system , are so-called PLIN Clients. With their help, the LIN bus will accessed
and its internal resources managed. The PLIN system allows the connection of multiple clients to a hardware.
Unlike the PCAN system, the PLIN system does not support the use of nets. A client connects directly with a hardware.
Within the PCAN system, the nets are a kind of extension of the CAN bus in the PC. Since a part of the protocol stack of LIN
must be processed in the hardware (in real-time), for a LIN communication is always a hardware needed. Furthermore, the
development of a purely virtual LIN bus, using simulation within a PC, is not possible. If there are clients connected to a
hardware (eg. PCAN-USB Pro), the communication will be interrupted if that hardware is plugged off.
The following rules are used to dealing with PLIN clients and hardware:
• A PLIN client can be connected to several hardware.
• A hardware supplies several PLIN clients.
• When a client sends, another client will gets the message/response only after the message has physically appeared on
the bus.
• LIN frames can be received from all connected clients, when those frames passed the client acceptance filter.
• Each client has a receive queue, in which messages are waiting to be processed.
• A physical LIN bus corresponds to a hardware. If an adapter contains multiple LIN bus connectors (eg. PCAN-USB pro
with 2x-LIN and 2x-CAN), for each LIN-Bus will be a hardware (hardware handle) available.
See Also
Getting Started ( see page 5)
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