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Code Verification and Validation with PIL

This example uses:

Open Script

This example shows you how to use Embedded Coder® Support Package for Infineon AURIX™ TC4x Microcontrollers for code verification and validation using PIL.

Using this example, you can perform validation of processor-in-the-loop (PIL) in three different modeling scenarios:

  • Subsystem

  • Referenced model

  • Top model

In this example you will learn how to configure a Simulink® model to run PIL. In a PIL simulation, the generated code runs on the TC4x TriBoards. The results of the PIL simulation are transferred to Simulink to verify the numerical equivalence of the simulation and the code generation results. The PIL verification process is a crucial part of the development cycle to ensure that the behavior of the deployment code matches the design.

This example introduces the Simulink code generation and verification workflow by showing you how to configure a Simulink model to run PIL simulations on the Infineon AURIX TC4x TriBoards.

Prerequisites

We recommend completing Getting Started with Embedded Coder Support Package for Infineon AURIX TC4x Microcontrollers.

Required Hardware

  • Infineon AURIX TC4x - TriBoards

  • Micro-USB cable

Choosing a Communication Interface for PIL Simulation

Choose a communication interface by following the steps below:

1. Open the model. The model is configured for Infineon AURIX TC4x - TriBoards hardware.

2. To run the model on other Infineon AURIX processors, press Ctrl+E to open the Configuration Parameters dialog box and select the required hardware board by navigating to Hardware Implementation > Hardware board.

3. Navigate to Configuration Parameters > Hardware Implementation > Target Hardware Resources > Connectivity > Port, select the COM port of host computer for PIL simulations.

To find the COM port number of the USB Serial Port showing in your host computer, browse to Device Manager > Ports (COM & LPT) to find the COM port.

Verifying the Generated Code for a Subsystem Using a PIL Block

This example shows how to use a PIL block for subsystem code verification. With this approach:

  • You can verify the code generated for a subsystem

  • You must provide a test harness model to supply a test vector or stimulus inputs

  • You must swap your original subsystem with a generated PIL block; you should be careful to avoid saving your model in this state as you would lose your original subsystem

1. Open the tc4x_pil_block model. This model is configured for the Infineon AURIX TC4x - TriBoards target.

The objective here is to create a PIL block out of the Controller subsystem that you will run on the Infineon AURIX TC4x - TriBoards.

2. Choose the COM port.

3. Enable PIL.

a. Open the Modeling tab and press CTRL+E to open Configuration Parameters dialog box.

b. Go to Code Generation > Verification > Create block, and select PIL.

Alternatively you can enable PIL from MATLAB® command window through the following command set_param('tc4x_pil_block','CreateSILPILBlock','PIL')

4. Create a PIL block for the Controller subsystem.

a. Right click on Controller block in PIL, and go to C/C++ Code and select Build this subsystem.

5. Run PIL simulation.

a. Copy and place the PIL Controller block in the PIL block.

b. Click the Run icon (or press Ctrl+T) to simulate the model.

6. The generated code is loaded on to your hardware for the specified stop time.

7. You can switch between the original and PIL block subsystems by double clicking on the Manual Switch block. Double click on the Numerical Differences block to see the difference between the simulated Controller subsystem and the PIL block running on the Infineon AURIX TC4x - TriBoards.

Verifying Referenced Model Code Using PIL

This example shows how to verify the generated code for a referenced model by running a PIL simulation. With this approach:

  • You can verify code generated for referenced models

  • You must provide a test harness model to provide a test vector or stimulus inputs

  • You can easily switch a Model block between normal and PIL simulation mode

1. Open the tc4x_pil_model_block model.

The model contains two Model blocks that both point at the same referenced model. Note, that the Hardware board change has to be made in the reference model also by double clicking on CounterTypeA or CounterTypeB to open the referenced model and following the steps above. You will configure one of the Model blocks to run in PIL simulation mode and the other in normal mode.

2. Choose the COM port.

3. Configure and run CounterA Model block in PIL simulation mode.

a. Right click on CounterA block and select Block Parameters (ModelReference)

b. Select Simulation mode > Processor-in-the-loop(PIL) and click OK.

4. When the model starts running, Scope1 displays the PIL simulation output running on the Infineon AURIX TC4x - TriBoards while Scope2 shows the normal mode simulation output.

Verifying Top Model Code Using PIL

This example shows how to verify the generated code for a model by running a PIL simulation. With this approach:

  • You can verify code generated for a top model

  • You must configure the model to load test vectors or stimulus inputs from the MATLAB workspace

  • You can easily switch the entire model between normal and PIL simulation mode

1. Open the tc4x_pil_top_model model.

2. Choose the COM port.

3. Run the top model PIL simulation.

a. Open the Apps tab and select SIL/PIL Manager.

b. On the SIL/PIL tab, select SIL/PIL Mode > Processor-in-the-loop(PIL) option and click Run Verification.

4. When the PIL simulation is completed, a logsOut variable is created in the base workspace. The logsOut data contains PIL simulation results. You can access the logged data for signals count_a and count_b using the following commands:

  • count_a = get(logsOut,'count_a');

  • count_a.Values.Data

  • count_b = get(logsOut,'count_b');

  • count_b.Values.Data