CAN Bus Load Calculation

Approximation of the Bus Load

A short example for the calculation of the bus load to check if an application is possible.

Example:

  • 1 CAN message: 8 byte of data + CAN ID… = 108 bits
  • CAN baud rate: 1000000
  • Send cycle: 1 ms
  • Bus load: 70% → = 700000 bit/s

700000 bit/s / (108 bit * 1000 msg/s ) = ~6.5 messages

To not exceed a busload of 70%, 6 messages with 1 kHz and 1 MBaud can be transferred!!

→ using 500 kBaud: max. 3 messages are possible (@ 1 kHz, bus load ~70 %)

 

Example 2:

  • 20 channels with 4 Byte each should be transmitted
  • CAN baud rate: 1000000
  • 1 CAN message: 8 byte of data + CAN ID… = 108 bits 
  • 2 Channels per message, results in 10 Messages and 1080 Bit per cycle
  • Send cycle: to be determined
  • Bus load: 70% → = 700000 bit/s

700000 bit/s / 1080 bit = ~650 Transfers of all 20 channels per second

To not exceed a busload of 70%, 650x 20 channels can be transfered per second at 1 MBaud 

→ using 500 kBaud: max. 325 messages are possible (bus load ~70 %)