Real-Time Interface

Real-Time Interface (RTI)

Implementation software for running models on dSPACE hardware

Implementation of MATLAB^®/Simulink^®/ Stateflow^® models on dSPACE hardware
Automatic code generation
Graphical I/O configuration via comprehensive Simulink block libraries

Application Areas

No matter whether you are performing rapid control prototyping or hardware-in-the-loop simulation: Real-Time Interface (RTI) is the link between dSPACE hardware and the development software MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow from MathWorks^®.

Working with RTI

To connect your model to a dSPACE I/O board, just drag & drop the I/O module from the RTI block library and then connect it to the Simulink blocks. All settings, such as parameterization, are available by clicking the appropriate blocks. Simulink Coder™ (formerly Real-Time Workshop^®) generates the model code while RTI provides blocks that implement the I/O capabilities of dSPACE systems in your Simulink models, thus preparing the model for the real-time application. Your real-time model is compiled, downloaded, and started automatically on your real-time hardware, without you having to write a single line of code. RTI guides you during the configuration. RTI provides consistency checks, so potential errors can be identified and corrected before or during the build process.

Comprehensive Functionalities

RTI handles any kind of continuous-time, discrete-time, and multirate system. Depending on the I/O hardware, different channels of the same I/O board can be used with different sample rates, and even in different subsystems. RTI supports asynchronous events and lets you set task priorities and task overrun strategies for executing the interrupt-driven subsystems. It also supports time-triggered tasks and timetables, which allow you to implement tasks and groups of tasks with variable or predefined delay times in relation to an associated trigger event. This makes task handling in your model very flexible. In addition, RTI offers checks which help avoid double or improper use of channels.

Key Benefits

RTI lets you concentrate fully on the actual design process and carry out fast design iterations. It extends the C code generator Simulink Coder™ (formerly Real-Time Workshop^®) for the seamless, automatic implementation of your Simulink and Stateflow models on the real-time hardware. The implementation time is greatly reduced. RTI guides you through the hardware configuration and provides automatic consistency checks to avoid parameterization errors. For maximum flexibility, each RTI version supports several different MATLAB releases (see www.dspace.com/go/Compatibility). Models from most previous MATLAB and RTI releases are migrated automatically when newer versions of RTI are used.

Model Design

In this example, the closed control loop of the positioning system for a hard disk drive is shown in the block diagram. Both the controller and the model of the controlled system are designed in the MATLAB/Simulink development environment.

Graphical I/O Configuration

When you have finished testing your model in Simulink, it has to be prepared for implementation on the real-time hardware. The plant model is replaced by I/O blocks that form the interfaces to the real controlled system. To add an I/O model, simply drag a block from the RTI I/O library to the model and connect the block with the I/O of the controller.

Parameter Specification

I/O parameters are specified by double-clicking an I/O block and entering the data in graphical user interfaces. In this example, the input signals are the feedback value and the reference signal. The reference signal now comes from an external signal generator and is read in by an ADC block. The output signal from the controller is the control signal u_M, which is output by the hardware via a DAC block.

Implementation on dSPACE Hardware

Automatic implementation of the Simulink model on dSPACE hardware is the key to rapid design iterations. With RTI you will not see a single line of code during this process. A single click on Build starts the implementation, including code generation, compiling, and downloading. You can select an integration algorithm and a step size in the Solver page of the Configuration Parameters dialog. Build procedures can also be automated with the help of scripts. This is especially useful for large models.

Interaction with Experiment Software

When your application is running on the real-time hardware, the whole dSPACE experiment software is at your disposal. RTI ensures that you have control over each individual variable immediately after the implementation process.
ControlDesk provides an instrument panel that enables you to change parameters and monitor signals – without regenerating the code. ControlDesk also displays the time histories of any variable used by your application.

Supporting dSPACE Hardware

No matter whether you are using dSPACE systems with a DS1104 R&D Controller Board, MicroAutoBox II, or MicroLabBox: RTI allows for the convenient model and I/O configuration of your dSPACE system.

Blockset	Description	Further Information (See relevant product information)
Real-Time Interface for Multiprocessor Systems	For graphical setup of multicore structures	Real-Time Interface for Multiprocessor Systems (RTI-MP)
RTI Bypass Blockset	Part of the ECU Interface Base Package For configuring bypass applications	ECU Interface Base Package
CAN Blocksets	For combining dSPACE systems with CAN communication networks	RTI CAN Blockset RTI CAN MultiMessage Blockset
RTI LIN MultiMessage Blockset	For combining dSPACE systems with LIN communication networks	RTI LIN MultiMessage Blockset
dSPACE FlexRay Configuration Package	For configuring dSPACE systems in FlexRay communication networks	dSPACE FlexRay Configuration Package
FPGA Programming Blockset	Integrating FPGA models in dSPACE systems	FPGA Programming Blockset
Ethernet Blocksets	Connecting dSPACE hardware to other devices via Ethernet	Ethernet Blocksets
RTI Electric Motor Control Blockset	For combining dSPACE MicroLabBox with electric drive systems	RTI Electric Motor Control Blockset
RTI DS1552 I/O Extension Blockset	Part of the RTI package For making the additional I/O channels of the DS1552 Multi-I/O Module available to model-based control applications running on MicroAutoBox II	MicroAutoBox II
RTI RapidPro Control Unit Blockset	Extensive I/O functionalities for the MicroAutoBox II used in combination with the RapidPro Control Unit, e.g., for engine, chassis, and drives control	RTI RapidPro Control Unit Blockset
RTI USB Flight Recorder Blockset	Part of the RTI package For long-term data acquisition on MicroAutoBox II or MicroLabBox	–
RTI Watchdog Blockset	For implementing various safety mechanisms on MicroAutoBox II	MicroAutoBox II
RTI Synchronized Time Base Manager Blockset	For creating and accessing synchronized time base manager instances	–

Functionality	Description
I/O configuration	Comprehensive block library for specifying the hardware setup Configuration of dSPACE I/O simply by connecting the relevant blocks to the Simulink blocks I/O parameter specification, such as voltage ranges, resolutions, digital I/O, serial interface parameters, and PWM frequencies Automatic checks on parameter ranges and consistency I/O access anywhere in your model and at different sample rates Separate blocks for different functions of complex I/O modules Data typing and data-typed I/O Asynchronous execution of Simulink subsystems triggered by hardware or software interrupts S-functions and user-written code
Generating real-time code	Generation of C code by Simulink Coder™ (formerly Real-Time Workshop^®) C code optimization for real-time implementations Support of Simulink Coder (formerly Real-Time Workshop) code optimizations Generation of initialization functions and I/O function calls
Automatic task definition	Support of multirate systems and preemptive, priority-based multitasking Single timer and multiple timer task mode Asynchronous tasks External hardware interrupts Software interrupts Configurable priority and overrun handling for each task Turnaround time measurement for each task Optional synchronization of periodic timer tasks to external events Time-triggered tasks and timetables Non-real-time simulation modes
Invoking the compiler	Automatic compiler call that compiles and links the model
Loading and starting the application	Program download to the real-time hardware Simulation control Interactive control, monitoring, and data acquisition with ControlDesk Data acquisition with time stamps, for example, directly on MicroAutoBox II for long-term simulation

Optional Products

RTI-MP For graphical setup of multicore applications on the MicroLabBox RTI Electric Motor Control Blockset Convenient access to electric motor control I/O functionalities of MicroLabBox RTI CAN Blockset Connects dSPACE systems with CAN communication networks RTI CAN MultiMessage Blockset Connects dSPACE systems with CAN communication networks dSPACE FlexRay Configuration Package Configuration tool for FlexRay communication systems RTI Bypass Blockset Dialog-based configuration of bypassing applications and real-time ECU access RTI LIN MultiMessage Blockset Connects dSPACE systems with LIN communication networks FPGA Programming Blockset Simulink® blockset for using a FPGA model created with a dSPACE system using the Xilinx® Vitis™ Model Composer HDL Library. RapidPro Control Unit Intelligent I/O subsystem for dSPACE prototyping systems Ethernet Blocksets Overview of Ethernet implementation software DS1104 R&D Controller Board Cost-effective system for rapid control prototyping MicroAutoBox II Compact, stand-alone prototyping unit with real-time hardware, I/O, and signal conditioning MicroLabBox Hardware Compact prototyping unit for the laboratory

Documentation

User Documentation for RTI Main Page User Documentation for Real-Time Interface RTI (dSPACE Help)

Contact Information

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