LIN COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an LIN communication apparatus which enables a decrease in the number of externally mounted circuit elements for operating mode switching. SOLUTION: The LIN communication apparatus includes: an LIN driver circuit 110 for making serial communication with an external device in compliance with a LIN communication protocol via an LIN bus; and a microcomputer 120 for controlling communication operation through the LIN driver circuit 110, the microcomputer 120 having a wakeup mode wherein the LIN communication apparatus is waked up and a sleep mode wherein the LIN communication apparatus stops its operation depending on a signal given to a second WAKE port. The LIN communication apparatus is provided with a signal detection circuit 140 for giving an external trigger signal to a first WAKE port of the LIN driver circuit 110, which is constituted to provide an operating signal for instructing wakeup from a prescribed port to a second WAKE port of the microcomputer 120 depending on the trigger signal inputted from the signal detection circuit 140 to the first WAKE port. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI