Connecting EIB to Linux and Java

This article deals with a Linux low-level hardware driver for the RS-232 data interface of the European Installation Bus (EIB). The RS-232 data interface is based on the widely used bus coupling unit 1 (BCU1), which requires a complex hard- and software protocol (physical external interface type 16) for communication. After a discussion about Linux and the module device driver programming, we explain the concepts for communication between a PC and the well-known BCU1. The article also shows the design and implementation of the Linux device driver and a Java-based middleware built on top of it.