A Gateway-Based Approach for Integrating Digital Compass Data into Controller Area Network (CAN) in Precision Farming Systems

Abstract

The integration of high precision orientation sensors into resilient communication infrastructures is a key requirement for next-generation autonomous systems. Digital compass sensors typically generate data in the NMEA format, whereas distributed control architectures in mobile robotics predominantly utilize the CAN 2.0B protocol. This study presents the design and implementation of a microcontroller-based hardware-software gateway that enables seamless interoperability between these heterogeneous communication standards within autonomous agricultural platforms. The proposed system operates as a protocol translation layer, acquiring orientation data (heading, pitch, and roll) from a digital compass via serial communication and converting it into CAN-compliant messages. The incoming NMEA sentences are parsed, validated, and filtered before being encapsulated into extended CAN frames. To address the payload limitations of Classical CAN and discrepancies in transmission rates, a multi-frame segmentation strategy and a synchronization mechanism based on handshaking are implemented. Additionally, buffering techniques are employed to ensure temporal consistency and prevent data loss during high-frequency data exchange. Experimental evaluations demonstrated that the proposed gateway achieved reliable real-time communication performance, with an average end to end communication latency of 19.6 ms, a 99.98% message reconstruction success rate, and 0.02% packet loss during continuous CAN Bus data transmission tests. The proposed integration framework effectively bridges the gap between legacy serial sensor protocols and modern CAN Bus-based distributed systems. Consequently, this work offers a scalable and practical solution for protocol interoperability in precision agriculture and contributes to the development of robust sensor integration strategies for autonomous field robotics.