Map Embedded System Architecture to Simulink Modeling Environment

Map elements of your system architecture to elements of the Simulink^® modeling environment. Consider these aspects of the model design.

Modeling Algorithms	Given initial state and input, a set of tasks or instructions that efficiently produce the results that you want.
Modeling Interfaces	Mechanisms that enable algorithm components to communicate and exchange information across component boundaries.
Modeling Systems	Collection of algorithm components that achieve a higher-level, domain-specific goal or result. Components often share resources.
Modeling Target Platform Environments	Framework that handles scheduling of system algorithm resources and execution.

The following sections map questions to consider regarding an embedded system architecture to corresponding modeling capabilities and links to related information. Use the information as a guide for mapping your architecture details to the Simulink modeling environment. Designing a model architecture with your specific embedded system architecture in mind can help you avoid rework and future conversion and maintenance costs.

Modeling Algorithms

Architecture Considerations	Modeling Considerations	Related Information
What is the system domain?	Product prerequisites (based on domains of components)	Use Products and Blocks Supported for Code Generation Simulink Control Design Signal Processing Signal Generation, Manipulation, and Analysis (DSP System Toolbox)
Does the system involve physical domains, such as mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic domains?	Physical systems	Physical Modeling Basic Principles of Modeling Physical Networks (Simscape) Essential Physical Modeling Techniques (Simscape)
Are you deploying an application or component?	Modeling styles and code interfaces	Software Deployment Objectives and Deployment Types
What aspects of your algorithm can you represent with blocks provided by MathWorks^® products? What blocks do you need to create?	Block usage, creation, and customization	Use Products and Blocks Supported for Code Generation Code Generation for Custom Blocks Target Language Compiler
Do you want to import existing external MATLAB^®, C, or C++ code into a model for inclusion in your generated code?	External code import	External Code Import
Does the architecture include state machine components?	Event-driven system	Model Finite State Machines by Using Stateflow Charts (Stateflow)
Do you want to apply modeling guidelines that are relevant to code generation intent? Do models and generated code need to comply with industry standards?	Standards and modeling guidelines	Standards, Guidelines, and Block Usage
Is there a need to standardize code that the code generator produces from multiple models?	Custom code interface configurations	Define Service Interfaces, Storage Classes, Memory Sections, and Function Templates for Software Architecture Embedded Coder Dictionary

Modeling Interfaces

Architecture Considerations	Modeling Considerations	Related Information
Do you want the code generator to generate algorithm entry-point functions that execute periodically or aperiodically?	Rate-based or export-function modeling style	Periodic and Aperiodic Function Interfaces
What type of code interface are you going to use (data or service)?	Code interfaces	Choose Code Interface for Code Generation
For a data code interface: What data must you represent in the generated code? How do you need to represent input and output—data type, dimension, complexity? Do the algorithms use floating-point or fixed-point arithmetic? How will the data change?	Data representation	Data Representation in Generated Code Define Interfaces of Model Components Modeling Patterns for C Code Constructs Fixed-Point Designer
Where and how is data pulled into the system and pulled within the system? Will the deployed code use a target environment sender service? Will you represent input by using Inport or In Bus Element blocks? Will the deployed code read data from nonvolatile memory?	Input, service code interface	Comparison of Signal Loading Techniques Target Environment Services Code Interfaces and Code Interface Specification Service Interfaces Embedded Coder Dictionary Embedded Coder Dictionary Code Mappings editor
Where and how is data pushed within the system and out of the system? What external triggers are required? Will the deployed code use a target environment receiver service? Will you represent output by using Outport or Out Bus Element blocks? Will the deployed code write data to nonvolatile memory?	Output, service code interface	View Simulation Data in Simulation Data Inspector Organize Parameter Data into a Structure by Using Struct Storage Class Target Environment Services Code Interfaces and Code Interface Specification Service Interfaces Embedded Coder Dictionary Embedded Coder Dictionary Code Mappings editor
What callable entry-point functions do you need to define? What is the prototype for each entry-point function?	Functions and function calls	Create Export-Function Model Simulink Functions Overview Configure Generated C Function Interface for Model Entry-Point Functions Interactively Configure C++ Interface Generate Component Source Code for Export to External Code Base
For a data code interface, can you benefit from setting up default code generation configurations for categories of data and functions?	Data code interface	Configure Default C Code Generation for Categories of Data Elements and Functions Code Interfaces and Code Interface Specification Embedded Coder Dictionary Embedded Coder Dictionary Code Mappings editor
Do you need to export functions that are invoked by controlling logic that is outside the model?	Function export	Export-Function Models Overview Generate Component Source Code for Export to External Code Base
Will internal functions exchange data?	Service code interface	Target Environment Services Code Interfaces and Code Interface Specification Service Interfaces Embedded Coder Dictionary Embedded Coder Dictionary Code Mappings editor
Do you need to access target environment timer data?	Service code interface	Target Environment Services Code Interfaces and Code Interface Specification Service Interfaces Embedded Coder Dictionary Embedded Coder Dictionary Code Mappings editor
Does the system monitor signals or log data (for example, for calibration)?	C API and ASAP2 data exchange interfaces	Configure Parameters for C Code Generation Configure Signal Data for C Code Generation Target Environment Services Service Interfaces External Mode Simulations for Parameter Tuning, Signal Monitoring, and Code Execution Profiling Write External Code to Access Generated C API Code Export ASAP2 File for Data Measurement and Calibration
Do you need to replace code generated for functions or operators, for example, to optimize the code for specific hardware?	Code replacement	What Is Code Replacement? What Is Code Replacement Customization?
Do you need to control the placement of data or functions in memory?	Memory sections	Control Data and Function Placement in Memory by Inserting Pragmas
Is there a requirement for elaboration and future considerations?	Elaboration and future considerations	Define Interfaces of Model Components

Modeling Systems

Architecture Considerations	Modeling Considerations	Related Information
What is the scope of the system? Controller? External environment or plant? Test harness? How is the system partitioned into algorithm components (chunks of logic)? Which components can you represent in Simulink? Can you design components for reuse? What is the motivation for reuse (for example, division of labor or plug-n-play)?	Componentization	Define Interfaces of Model Components Component-Based Modeling Guidelines Compare Capabilities of Model Components Create Custom Library Export-Function Models Overview Author Blocks Using MATLAB Functions Generate Subsystem Code as Separate Function and Files Generate Code for Model Reference Hierarchy Code Generation of Stateflow Blocks
Do aspects of the system require unit testing? Is a team of people collaborating on the project? Do you need to protect intellectual property?	Model referencing	Model Reference Basics Compare Capabilities of Model Components Generate Code for Model Reference Hierarchy Generate Code from Atomic Subcharts
Are you modeling a client-server architecture?	Simulink Function and Caller blocks	Client-Server Architecture Simulink Functions Overview
Is relevant legacy or custom code available that you can include in a component model?	Code import	External Code Import
Can you apply a reference architecture or reference components?	Model and project templates	Create Template from Model Create a New Project Using Templates
Do you need to export functions that are invoked by controlling logic that is outside a model?	Export-function models	Export-Function Models Overview
Is there a need to package the source code for a component as a shared object library to simplify distribution or sharing?	Shared object libraries (dynamic link libraries)	Package Generated Code as Shared Libraries
Can you reuse functions?	Function reuse	Generate Reusable Code from Library Subsystems Shared Across Models Generate Reentrant Code from Top Models Generate Reentrant Code from Subsystems
Do components need to share access to global data? Within the system, do state changes occur? In each case, how does the result get communicated? Are there identifier (naming) issues to consider?	Shared data	Local and Global Data Stores Data Structures in the Generated Code Storage Classes for Parameters and Signals Used in Model Blocks How Generated Code Stores Internal Signal, State, and Parameter Data Data Stores in Generated Code Avoid Identifier Naming Collisions Define Service Interfaces, Storage Classes, Memory Sections, and Function Templates for Software Architecture Code Interface Configuration
Do you need to control placement of data or functions in memory?	Memory sections	Control Data and Function Placement in Memory by Inserting Pragmas
Are you required to apply the AUTOSAR standard? If yes, what aspects of the architecture involve AUTOSAR?	AUTOSAR	AUTOSAR Blockset
Does your system need to meet other standards or guidelines?	Standards and guidelines	Support for Standards and Guidelines

Modeling Target Platform Environments

Architecture Considerations	Modeling Considerations	Related Information
What level of control over target platform interfacing does your application require? How much of your system can you represent in a model?	Target platform interfacing	Execution of Code Generated from a Model Modeling Interfaces
Is the system decomposed into concurrent components to maximize parallelism? Which components?	Concurrency	Multicore Processor Targets
Are components in the system driven by clocks? What clock rates do system components use? Do components use a single rate or multiple rates? What are the priorities of system tasks and functions?	Clocks, clock, rates, and time-based scheduling	Define Interfaces of Model Components Service Interfaces Timer Service Interfaces Timer Representation and Computation Time-Based Scheduling
Are components in the system driven by events (interrupts)? What are the priorities of system tasks and functions?	Event-based scheduling	Timer Representation and Computation Event-Based Scheduling Model Finite State Machines by Using Stateflow Charts (Stateflow)
Does the system need to handle initialization, reset, or terminate events during system startup or shutdown?	Initialization, reset, termination	Using Initialize, Reinitialize, Reset, and Terminate Functions Startup, Reset, and Shutdown Function Interfaces
Is the system a single-tasking or multitasking system? Are components required to execute in real time? What are the execution order dependencies (sequencing) between components? What are the time constraints for task and function execution?	Task execution	Deployment Objectives and Deployment Types Execution of Code Generated from a Model Tasking Modes and Execution Order
If you know the processing platform, what is it? Will the system run on a single-core or multicore processor? Is the system a distributed system? Is the processing platform hybrid or heterogeneous? Does the architecture employ symmetric or asymmetric multiprocessing? If asymmetric, how is the platform software partitioned across CPUs?	Processing platforms	Deployment Objectives and Deployment Types Multicore Processor Targets
Do you want to generate and run a standalone executable that does not require an external real-time kernel or operating system? Is a real-time operation system (RTOS) required? If yes, what RTOS?	Kernel, operating system	Deployment Objectives and Deployment Types Deploy Applications to Target Hardware Deploy Generated Component Software to Application Target Platforms

For multicore scenarios, the code generator assumes that:

Target hardware includes two or more cores.
System initialization occurs on one core.
Services assign tasks to a core statically. Tasks do not switch between cores.
Tasks can communicate within and across cores during run time.

This figure illustrates these assumptions. The tasks in the figure represent instances of entry-point functions running in a multi-core target platform environment.

Code generator assumptions for multicore platform scenarios