A customer recently asked me a seemingly simple question:
“Can I use your JCOM1939 Monitor software with my existing IXXAT CAN-to-USB interface?”
Although the question was specifically about SAE J1939, the underlying issue has nothing to do with J1939. It is a problem that has existed in the CAN Bus industry for decades.
The short answer was “No.”
That answer often surprises engineers who are new to CAN Bus. After all, CAN is an international standard. If every interface sends and receives the same CAN messages, why can’t any CAN software communicate with any CAN hardware?
The reality is that, despite decades of CAN Bus development, there is still no universally adopted standard that defines how PC software communicates with CAN hardware.
The Missing Standard
The CAN protocol itself is standardized. USB is standardized. Even operating systems provide standardized driver models.
What is not standardized is the Application Programming Interface (API) between a CAN interface and the application software.
Every manufacturer has developed its own software libraries, drivers, configuration tools, and communication methods. As a result, software written for one manufacturer’s interface typically cannot communicate with another manufacturer’s hardware without significant development effort.
There have been several attempts over the years to define common interfaces, but industry adoption has been limited. From a business perspective, this is hardly surprising. Hardware manufacturers generally prefer customers to use their own software ecosystem, while software vendors often optimize their applications for their own hardware.
The result is an ecosystem where interoperability remains the exception rather than the rule.
My Experience with IXXAT
My customer’s question was particularly interesting because I know IXXAT very well. Earlier in my career, I worked there and became very familiar with both their hardware and software architecture.
There is no question that IXXAT builds excellent products. Their CAN interfaces are robust, well engineered, and supported by an extensive software ecosystem.
But they are also designed for maximum flexibility.
That flexibility comes with complexity.
Engineers working on sophisticated automation systems often appreciate the enormous range of configuration options. However, many developers simply want to connect to a J1939 network, start receiving messages, and begin developing their application.
Those are two very different design philosophies.
A Lesson That Shaped My Own Products
Working with IXXAT taught me an important lesson—not because they were doing anything wrong, but because I observed how customers actually used CAN tools.
Many engineers don’t want to spend days learning a software framework before they can monitor their first CAN message.
They want to solve their actual engineering problem.
That observation became one of the guiding principles behind Copperhill Technologies.
Our philosophy has always been simple:
KISS — Keep It Simple, Stupid.
Whenever we design a new product, we ask a simple question:
“How quickly can an engineer become productive?”
That question influences every hardware and software decision we make.
Our Approach
Our JCOM1939 interfaces were never intended to win industrial design awards.
They don’t have machined aluminum housings.
They don’t expose hundreds of advanced configuration parameters.
Instead, we focused on three goals:
- Reliability
- Ease of use
- Fast time to productivity
Our hardware is designed to work reliably in real-world engineering environments while remaining affordable.
Our JCOM1939 Monitor software is one example of this philosophy. Although it is designed specifically for SAE J1939 networks, the same principle applies: engineers should be able to install the hardware, start the software, and begin working within minutes—not hours.
That differs from some commercial ecosystems where J1939 functionality is offered as an additional licensed module on top of the basic CAN software.
Our objective has never been to maximize software revenue.
Instead, we view the software as part of the complete user experience. If easier software helps engineers complete their projects more quickly, then it also makes our hardware more valuable.
Everybody benefits.
Choosing the Right Tool
Does this mean every engineer should replace their existing CAN tools?
Certainly not.
If your organization has already standardized on a particular platform, and your engineers are comfortable with it, there is little reason to change.
High-end CAN development platforms offer capabilities that go far beyond what many embedded developers require.
However, if your goal is simply to develop and debug SAE J1939 applications without climbing a steep learning curve, simplicity can be a significant competitive advantage.
Sometimes the fastest way to finish a project is not by purchasing the most sophisticated tool.
It is by purchasing the tool that lets you get to work immediately.
Engineering Is About Solving Problems
Over the years, I have learned that engineers are rarely evaluated on how sophisticated their development tools are.
They are evaluated on whether the project ships on time.
Development tools should remove obstacles—not become one.
That philosophy continues to guide every product we develop at Copperhill Technologies.
Our goal is straightforward:
Provide reliable hardware, intuitive software, and let engineers spend their time solving engineering problems instead of learning another software framework.
SAE J1939 Starter Kit and Network Simulator
Our JCOM.J1939 Starter Kit and Network Simulator is designed to allow the experienced engineer and the beginner to experiment with SAE J1939 data communication without the need to connect to a real-world J1939 network, i.e., a diesel engine. It may sound obvious, but you need at least two nodes to establish a network. That fact applies especially to CAN/J1939, where the CAN controller shuts down after transmitting data without receiving a response. Therefore, our jCOM.J1939 Starter Kit and Network Simulator consists of two J1939 nodes, namely our jCOM.J1939.USB, an SAE J1939 ECU Simulator Board with USB Port.
The jCOM.J1939.USB gateway board is a high-performance, low-latency vehicle network adapter for SAE J1939 applications. The board supports the full SAE J1939 protocol according to J1939/81 Network Management (Address Claiming) and J1939/21 Transport Protocol (TP). More Information…
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