The LIN transceiver and its implementation are the focus of this application note; however, it is important to have a high-level understanding of the entire LIN network to understand the place of the transceiver in an application. As LIN became defined, it was not only specified for the actual 1’s and 0’s data delivery, but for a higher-level network implementation: The LIN workflow. The LIN workflow supports an easy-to-use, dependable implementation scheme for those working with the protocol. The configuration of the entire network cluster is defined and standardized, which is where the LIN Description File (LDF) comes in.

The LDF is what differentiates the LIN clusters from each other, defining the specific use and properties for that cluster (node amount, amount and the description of message frames, message rate, and so forth). This allows the generation of software files by developers to establish which task each node in the cluster performs. The LDF can be used to automatically generate the software involved in communication, as well as supply information for measurement and test tools involved in the LIN cluster analysis.

The LDF is written using syntax defined by the LIN Configuration Language Specification. This syntax is used in combination with the System Defining Tool to create the LDF, and thus define the whole network. Along with these tools, there is the LIN Node Capability Language. This allows the developer to define and describe the implementation of Off-the-Shelf Nodes, which are easily-implementable, general-purpose LIN nodes designed for typical applications that can be bought in large quantities.