Editing Local Interconnect Network (section)

== Overview ==
The LIN bus is an inexpensive serial communications protocol, which effectively supports remote application within a car's network. It is particularly intended for mechatronic nodes in distributed automotive applications, but is equally suited to industrial applications. It is intended to complement the existing CAN network leading to hierarchical networks within cars.

In the late 1990s the Local Interconnect Network (LIN) Consortium was founded by five European automakers, [[Mentor Graphics]] (Formerly Volcano Automotive Group) and [[Freescale]] (Formerly [[Motorola]], now [[NXP]]). The first fully implemented version of the new LIN specification was published in November 2002 as LIN version 1.3. In September 2003 version 2.0 was introduced to expand configuration capabilities and make provisions for significant additional diagnostics features and tool interfaces.

The protocol’s main features are listed below:

* Single master, up to 16 slaves (i.e. no bus arbitration). This is the value recommended by the LIN Consortium to achieve deterministic time response.<ref name="clemson_autobuses" />
** Slave Node Position Detection (SNPD) allows node address assignment after power-up<ref name="SPEC">[http://www.lin-subbus.de LIN Specification Package Rev. 2.2a] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080426092053/http://www.lin-subbus.de/ |date=2008-04-26 }}</ref>
* Single-wire communications up to 19.2&nbsp;kbit/s @ 40 [[meter]] bus length.<ref name="clemson_autobuses">{{cite web|title=Clemson Vehicular Electronics Laboratory: AUTOMOTIVE BUSES|url=http://www.cvel.clemson.edu/auto/auto_buses01.html|access-date=2009-01-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414034043/http://www.cvel.clemson.edu/auto/auto_buses01.html|archive-date=2012-04-14|url-status=dead}} 090114 cvel.clemson.edu</ref><ref name="interfacebus_com-Design_Connector_LIN_Bus">{{cite web|title=LIN Bus Description, Automotive Bus, Local Interconnect Network|url=http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_LIN_Bus.html}} 090114 interfacebus.com</ref> In the LIN specification 2.2,<ref name="SPEC" /> the speed up to 20 kbit/s.
* Guaranteed latency times.
* Variable length of data frame (2, 4 and 8 bytes).
* Configuration flexibility.
* Multicast reception with time synchronization, without crystals or [[ceramic resonator]]s.
* Data checksum and error detection.
* Detection of defective nodes.
* Low-cost silicon implementation based on standard [[Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter|UART]]/[[Serial communication|SCI]]<!-- Correct SCI acronym? --> hardware.
* Enabler for hierarchical networks.
* Operating voltage of 12 V.<ref name="clemson_autobuses" />

Data is transferred across the bus in fixed-form messages of selectable lengths. The master task transmits a header that consists of a break signal followed by synchronization and identifier fields. The slaves respond with a data frame that consists of 2, 4 or 8 data bytes plus 3 bytes of control information.<ref name="SPEC" />