USBlini - USB to LIN Interface

USBlini connects a LIN bus via USB to a host system. It provides easy access to LIN bus devices and can act as both master and slave. It features a logic analyzer function to sample the logic levels on the LIN RX line.

Open source Python library (Windows, MacOS, Linux)
Master mode (generate frames) and slave mode (response to master requests)
Logic analyzer function: sample logic levels on LIN-RX with 100ksps
Integrated 1kOhm master pullup
Flexible baudrate configuration via software 1200 – 20000 Baud (e.g. 9600, 10400, 19200)
Firmware sources available; bootloader for firmware updates

USB-LIN-Adapter board

USBlini EB Datasheet

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1 Software
2 Firmware
- 2.1 Source code and HEX file
- 2.2 Firmware update via bootloader
3 Hardware
- 3.1 Schematic - USBlini's circuit diagram
- 3.2 Partlist - Build your own USBlini!
4 Troubleshooting
5 Gallery
6 Links

Software

A Python library is available for easy and rapid development on different operating systems.

Python library "pyUSBlini" (Windows, MacOS, Linux)

pyUSBlini is a Python library for the USBlini adapter which allows easy, platform-independent access to LIN devices.

pyUSBlini source code on GitHub

Step-by-step tutorials:

Installation

The easiest way to install the library is using pip:

pip install git+https://github.com/EmbedME/pyUSBlini

Drivers

The library uses libusb. On Linux and MacOS X no kernel driver is needed. Please use following tool for Windows to install the "WinUSB" driver:

Zadig - USB driver installation made easy

Depending on the application, under Windows a libusb-1.0.dll is required. These can be found for various architectures on the libusb project homepage under "Download -> Windows Binaries". Please place the DLL in the application folder (e.g. in the "Scripts" folder for Anaconda Python).

Example

Request data for ID 0x10 via master write:

from usblini import USBlini
usblini = USBlini()
usblini.open()
data = usblini.master_write(0x10, USBlini.CHECKSUM_MODE_LIN2, [])
print(data) # print out response
usblini.close()

Simple graphic interface "USBliniGUI" (Windows, MacOS, Linux)

Based on the python library there is a simple graphic application: USBliniGUI.

USBliniGUI source code on GitHub

How-to use USBlini with Python on Windows 10 and run USBliniGUI.py.

Logic analyzing with PulseView (Windows, MacOS, Linux)

With the logic recording function, the logic level on the LIN RX line can be captured and then analyzed with PulseView.

PulseView

Note: USBlini communication is not yet integrated in sigrok/Pulseview (interested? Please contact me!). The logic levels can be recorded e.g. with USBliniGUI, then opened and analyzed in PulseView.

Firmware

Source code and HEX file

The firmware of USBlini is available as precompiled HEX file and as C (XC8 compiler) source code.

Precompiled HEX and source code archive:

USBlini_firmware_v1.01.zip (2022-11-08) Increased receive timeout (intrabyte: 16 tbit, response: 50 tbit)

USBlini_firmware_v1.00.zip (2021-12-28) First public version

Firmware update via bootloader

Start the bootloader via software (e.g. start_bootloader.py). Use a bootloader application (

MPHidFlash) to load the new firmware into USBlini:

mphidflash -w USBlini_firmware_v1.01.hex -r

Hardware

Schematic - USBlini's circuit diagram

Partlist - Build your own USBlini!

Here you find a list of all parts needed to build your own USBlini board.

Partnumber	Value
C1	4,7u
C2, C3, C4	220n / 50V
C5	1u / 50V
C6	220p / 100V
D1	BAT54S
IC1	PIC16F1454
IC2	MCP2003B
LED1	red LED
R1, R2, R3	1k
X1	USB-B
X2	2pol 2.54mm

Troubleshooting

Linux: "LIBUSB_ERROR_ACCESS" as non-root

Add udev rule to give permissions to all users.

sudo bash -c $'echo \'SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTRS{product}=="USBlini", MODE="0666"\' > /etc/udev/rules.d/50-USBlini.rules'
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules

Gallery

Please tell me about your USBlini project!

		Retrieve status from LIN slave 8W1919616 (Audi A4 audio control panel). Example Python script: 8W1919616.py by Thomas Fischl (06/2022)
		Set voltage of alternator (controlled by TLE8880) and monitor temperature and battery voltage. Python script: TLE8880.py by Lucas K. (12/2022)
		Digital BMWay uses USBlini as a development tool for the BMW Ambient Light+ retrofit kit. by Digital BMWay (02/2023)