Press

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ATI Press Releases

February 13, 2018

VISION 5.1 Has Arrived

With a focus on customer needs, Accurate Technologies Inc. (ATI) has developed version 5.1 of its VISION™ Calibration and Data Acquisition Software, which offers several new features and improvements. Amongst these is CAN FD (CAN with Flexible Data-Rate) support. CAN FD offers increased throughput due to the increased message lengths and faster bit rates. CAN FD provides a platform to acquire more data and to speed up download and flashing operations. In addition, VISION is now able to stream data directly to an ASAM MDF 4.1 file when recording data. A key benefit of this enhancement is that users will be able to record for longer periods of time and capture more data at higher data rates than before. Another exciting new feature is the VISION Model Based Calibration toolkit (VISION MBC). MBC brings VISION's advanced Calibration and Data Acquisition features to advanced control system designers working on Model in the Loop(MIL) simulations. MBC can quickly instrument a Simulink MIL system and makes it easy to control and calibrate in VISION.

Model Based Calibration (MBC)

VISION 5.1 now provides a MBC option that integrates functionality into Mathworks Matlab®/Simulink® for “Model in the Loop” simulations. The MBC tool is an add-on to VISION that provides a cost effective way for testing functionality used within embedded systems. Similar in operation to OnTarget software, MBC enables testing, development and verification tasks to be made without requiring an ECU or external hardware. Control algorithms can be developed through pure PC based simulation.

Even though MBC is not installed by default or licensed with VISION, it provides powerful capabilities for algorithm development through simulation and is considered to be the highlight of VISION 5.1 release. Upon completing VISION 5.1 download users will have the option to continue and download MBC which will require an additional independent license.

Support for ATI CAN Network Interfaces

VISION software now supports ATI CAN interface hardware for communication with target devices (i.e. ECUs). A simple, low cost solution for CAN bus interfacing that does not require any additional tool kits.

VISION Supporting XCP Address Extensions

Support for XCP address extensions expands the available XCP devices supported by VISION.

VISION Dashboard Usability Improvements

Boasting new features plus numerous implemented customer requests, VISION dashboard offers an even more user-friendly interface.

LED control is now available for displaying a maximum of three different colors which illuminate to represent when the associated data value is below a preset threshold, between thresholds or above a threshold.
DataList enhancements allow additional customization of the data view enabling easier data location without scrolling through the entire list.
Dashboard speeds have been improved by reducing latency time for data items to update. As a result data displayed on remote Dashboard is more accurately presented.
Abort and Cancel buttons have been added for the rare situations where the recording of data in VISION doesn’t meet the desired expectations at the start.
Recorder Panel buttons are now auto scaled proportionally to the control size.
DataList allows modification of decimal point setting for all data items allowing Dashboard control theme to override the default decimal precision value as desired by the user.

MDF Streaming

The ability to stream directly to an MDF 4.1 has been added to VISION. Users now have the ability to record more channels for longer periods of time without using VISIONS RAM. An added benefit is that in the event of an unexpected VISION exit, data integrity is ensured because it is already written to disk.

Important: The common “View Data” button in the Recorder screen controls are designed to open MDF recorder files for viewing in the new Data Analyzer tool. If MDF Streaming (Beta) recording method is used to capture data in VISION, VISION Tools Suite is required to open MDF files.

StripChart Recording Screen Buffer Configuration

Users will now be able to modify the strip chart time window duration to show only a fraction of the expected pre-trigger data capture in the plot window by default. A manual zoom-in will no longer be required to obtain a good view of the latest data captured.

VISION Tool Suite

Previously known as “VISION Studio”, the next generation of ATI calibration, measurement, and development software has been renamed to “VISION Tool Suite”.

Along with the software name change there have been several alterations to the toolset that is now available in the Suite.

VISION Tool Suite is comprised of numerous software plugins:

Data Analyzer (.REC and .MF4 files)

Support for custom layouts (.layout) that can be applied to different recording files is now possible

A2L Explorer for ASAM MCD-2 (ASAP2) files (.a2l files)
ATI VID Configuration Editor (.hcf files)
Automated Test Sequence (.ats files)

Important: All of the files above can be created or edited in VISION Tool Suite except MF4 (MDF) Files. The Data Analyzer only views files therefore, the viewer only opens when you open a MDF (.mf4) or REC (.rec) file [File >Open].

Analyze layout file (.layout) – Data Analyzer

The new Data Analyzer provides a platform for viewing MDF4 recorder files that are created by VISION (Tool Suite). Measure Data Format files (MF4 or MDF4) may contain a great number of measurement data items and typically include a notable number of related attribute data values. All of this information stored in the new recorder file format (MDF4) can result in sizeable files which are viewable in the Data Analyzer tool.

In addition, the Data Analyzer is designed to provide capabilities that extend some of the features already available in the legacy VISION recorder file viewer. Enhanced versions of these features such as Recorder file overlay, Calculated Channels, etc. have been added into the new Data Analyzer with expanded capabilities.

Ability to retain Data Viewer customizations

Definition of the data item’s traces, their attributes (colors, min/max ranges, etc.) and many other settings may now be stored into a Layout (.layout) file. The retention of these settings enables the view into the data analysis to be saved for later review by the original creator or others to which the file is shared.

Automatic conversion of Recorder (.REC) files to MF4 format upon Opening

The Data Analyzer tool enables recorder .REC files captured by VISION to be reviewing within it through an automatic conversion tool. When a .REC file is selected in the Data Analysis Open File dialog, an MDF4 version of the file will be created in the same directory as the source .Rec file.

With this feature, comparisons between data files recorded with both the older VISION software and VISION Tool Suite is possible.

Customer Feedback Generated Features

VISION 5.1 features or improvements specifically requested by customers:

VISION API allows user to change base calibration value.
Add Ability to change the Record State of multiple items in Recorders and Stripcharts.
Store the version recorded and last version saved in file header information of recorded data.
Feature request to paste copied value into selected cells in a table.
Left justify String Data Item values in DataLists.
Add an option to prompt for confirmation when deleting parameters from DataLists.
Ability to hide the Text Control toolbar and border to save screen space.
The Calibration Data Filter dialog should be sizable.
Add a new Shared axis type to VISION for ASAP2 COM_AXIS.
Add functionality for batch-import of DCM and CDFX files.
Add an Event Search to the Recorder Catalog.
VISION: Make the Remove Recorder File Trace dialog resizable.
Add support for more than three character file extensions in the Default Paths selection in the VISION options.
Remove 'Use CAN IDs from definition file' from OBDII Device.

For a complete list of VISION 5.1 features, to upgrade, or to download a free trial copy go to www.accuratetechnologies.com/support or contact your local ATI representative.

More Information

Below are links to products related to the above article.

VISION Software

ECU Rapid Prototyping