Kvaser TimeSync for Kvaser PCIe interfaces

• Synchronize multiple Kvaser PCIe interfaces.
• Correlate CAN and LIN events in the correct order.
• Reduce manual log analysis during testing and troubleshooting.
• Synchronize data across distributed systems.

By default, each interface timestamps traffic using its own clock, and since these clocks drift independently, timestamps from different devices cannot be compared directly.

Kvaser TimeSync addresses this problem by aligning each onboard clock with a host-referenced clock source. This makes timestamps consistent and comparable across devices that use the same reference.

On Windows, Kvaser TimeSync runs as a background service and starts automatically with the system.

On Linux, Kvaser PCIe clocks can be synchronized using standard LinuxPTP software.

This gives engineers a consistent time base without having to manually align timestamps after data capture.

In a HIL test system, CAN and LIN interfaces can share the same reference clock. Kvaser TimeSync aligns Kvaser PCIe clocks to this reference.

Captured CAN and LIN data can then be merged and correlated for analysis and troubleshooting.

This helps engineers determine event order, analyze propagation delays, and understand relationships between interfaces.

Multiple systems can also use a common external time reference, such as PTP or GNSS/PPS. This preserves timing relationships between data captured across distributed test systems.

On Linux with SocketCAN, absolute UTC timestamps can be correlated with other UTC-timestamped data, such as Ethernet frames, across systems.

CANlib and LINlib use relative timestamps, which limits direct correlation with absolute timestamps from other sources.