IC FOR COUPLING A MICROCONTROLLING DEVICE TO A TWO-WIRE BUS

摘要

The invention relates to a process for determining potential shifts between electronic modules in a wire bus network or for determining the level of agreement of their respective communication operating levels in network connection. The bus medium comprises at least one wire which is galvanically connected to the electronic modules. According to the invention, an offset voltage is added in at least one bus subscriber (test subscriber) on the transmission side to (at least) one (of the two) dominant normal source levels and a test message is sent by the test subscriber in that state onto the bus network. The source level is thus modified in a predetermined way. Depending on whether the (at least) one (of the two) dominant source levels is lowered or raised by the adjustable offset voltage, the subscriber affected by the (reference) potential error gains or loses his reception capability. This is evaluated. The device comprises co-operative potential control means connected or capable of connection to the transceiver function of a bus subscriber and together with those control means forms at least one controllable voltage source at least in relation to parts of the transmitter/receiver system, said voltage source allowing modification of a dominant source level during transmission and/or at least one discriminant signal level in reception.