Overview
ISO 17987-1:2025 - Road vehicles - Local Interconnect Network (LIN) - Part 1: General information and use case definition - provides the high-level scope, terminology and use-case framework for the ISO 17987 series. It describes the structure and partitioning of the series, defines LIN common terminology (for example commander, responder, frame, protected identifier, sync byte, checksum) and establishes the use-case clusters that drive protocol, software and hardware requirements for LIN-based automotive subsystems.
Keywords: ISO 17987-1:2025, Local Interconnect Network, LIN protocol, schedule table, commander, responder.
Key topics and technical requirements
- LIN fundamentals and objectives: LIN is a low-cost UART-based network for automotive control applications supporting signal-based communication, deterministic schedule-table-based frame transfer, and diagnostic transport.
- Terminology and conventions: Standardizes terms used across the series (e.g., break field, byte field, PDU, PID, NAD) and aligns with OSI service conventions.
- Use-case clusters: Defines five main clusters that the series addresses:
- Commander task (UC1): scheduling and header generation according to the schedule table (e.g., UC 1.1 Generate LIN frame header).
- Responder task (UC2): break/sync detection, LIN frame processing, responder configuration, error status reporting and diagnostic responder capabilities.
- LIN communication protocol (UC3): synchronization, checksum rules, responder bit-rate detection and protocol-driven behaviors.
- LIN physical layer (UC4): electrical performance, handling of supply voltage ranges and loss of supply.
- LIN network management (UC5): cluster-level management including sleep/wake control and status management.
- Frame structure: Defines frame components - header plus PDU (payload) and checksum - and related field semantics.
- Inclusive terminology update: Replaces legacy master/slave terms with commander/responder across the series.
Applications and who uses it
ISO 17987-1:2025 is essential for:
- OEM system architects and vehicle communication designers specifying LIN networks for door modules, HVAC, body electronics and other low-speed ECUs.
- ECU firmware developers implementing commander/responder tasks, schedule tables, and diagnostic transport.
- Hardware vendors and silicon vendors implementing LIN physical-layer components and transceivers.
- Test labs and integrators validating LIN conformance, network management and error handling.
- Tool providers producing LIN description files (LDF), APIs and node configuration tools.
Practical benefits include reduced integration risk, standardized diagnostic handling, deterministic low-speed communication (1–20 kbit/s) and clear interoperability requirements between LIN ECUs.
Related standards
The ISO 17987 series complements ISO 17987-1 with technical parts:
- ISO 17987-2: transport protocol and network layer requirements
- ISO 17987-3: logical protocol requirements
- ISO 17987-4: active hardware components (physical interconnect)
- ISO/TR 17987-5: LIN API and node configuration/identification
- ISO 17987-6 / -7: conformance tests for protocol and physical layer
Use ISO 17987-1:2025 as the entry point for consistent LIN implementation and integration across automotive projects.