FPGA Programming Blockset

Integrating FPGA models in dSPACE systems

The FPGA Programming Blockset is a Simulink® blockset for using a FPGA model created with a dSPACE system using the Xilinx® Vitis™ Model Composer HDL Library, the former Xilinx System Generator Blockset.

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  • Easy connection of FPGA models to processor models (Simulink®, ConfigurationDesk)
  • Model-based I/O configuration
  • Offline simulation in Simulink

Application Areas

The FPGA Programming Blockset is a Simulink blockset for using a FPGA model created with a dSPACE system using the Xilinx® Vitis™ Model Composer HDL Library, the former Xilinx System Generator Blockset. It provides blocks for implementing the interface between the FPGA mounted on a dSPACE board and its I/O, and the interface between the dSPACE FPGA board and its computation node (CN).

The blockset can be used with the following dSPACE FPGA platforms, which provide user-programmable FPGAs:

  • DS2655 FPGA Base Board and its I/O modules
  • DS6601/DS6602 FPGA Base Boards and their I/O modules
  • MicroAutoBox II 1401/1511/1514 and 1401/1513/1514 extended with I/O modules
  • MicroAutoBox III 1403/1511/1514 and 1403/1513/1514 extended with I/O modules
  • MicroLabBox

Typical application scenarios for rapid control prototyping (RCP) and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation are:

  • Projects in the automotives, industrial automation, medical engineering, and aerospace industries
  • Signal preprocessing, adapting new interfaces, very fast control loops, designing and testing new concepts for electrified powertrains
     

Key Benefits

The dSPACE FPGA platforms provide various cutting-edge Xilinx® FPGAs which can be programmed graphically with Xilinx Vitis™ Model Composer HDL Library in Simulink®.

The FPGA Programming Blockset lets you integrate the resulting FPGA design into a real-time application that runs on dSPACE hardware.

The blockset also gives you a convenient way to connect the I/O board’s I/O driver components and to model the connection to a processor-based computation node (SCALEXIO processing hardware, MicroLabBox, or MicroAutoBox). The data exchange supports fixed-point data types as well as floating-point data types.

To grant maximum freedom in developing FPGA applications, it is also possible to handcode the entire design using the handcode interface in VHSIC hardware description language (VHDL or Verilog). Alternatively, you can integrate handwritten IP cores into your Simulink FPGA model, or you can also use MathWorks® HDL CoderTM to model parts of the FPGA design.

With the FPGA blockset, you can synthesize, build, and program an FPGA or processor directly from Simulink for optimal convenience. During run time, you can access variables to trace or modify them, without having to modify the model. An FPGA scope even allows for an in-depth analysis of your design.

Optional Hardware Boards and Variants
SCALEXIO
  • DS2655 FPGA Base Board
  • DS6601 FPGA Base Board
  • DS6602 FPGA Base Board
  • I/O modules:
    DS2655M1
    DS2655M2
    DS6651
MicroAutoBox
  • MicroAutoBox II with FPGA:
    1401/1511/1514
    1401/1513/1514
    I/O Modules for MicroAutoBox II
  • MicroAutoBox III with FPGA:
    1403/1511/1514
    1403/1513/1514
    I/O Modules for MicroAutoBox III
MicroLabBox
  • Front or Top Panel version

Functionality Description
General
  • Integrating an FPGA model on a dSPACE FPGA platform
  • I/O configuration
  • Automatic generation of a processor model template on the basis of an FPGA application
FPGA interface
  • Programming the FPGA with the Xilinx® Vitis™ Model Composer HDL Library, the former Xilinx System Generator Blockset
  • Integrating an FPGA model created with the Xilinx Vitis Model Composer HDL Library, the former Xilinx System Generator Blockset
  • Offline simulation in Simulink®
Handcode interface
  • Programming the FPGA in VHDL or Verilog
I/O access
  • Connecting the FPGA model with analog and digital input and output signals with the FPGA Blockset
Processor-FPGA communication
  • Connecting the FPGA model with the processor model running on the computation node (SCALEXIO processing hardware, MicroLabBox or MicroAutoBox)
  • Access types for system bus communication with the dSPACE FPGA platforms: register, register groups, buffer, and Simulink buses
Inter-FPGA communication between SCALEXIO FPGA base boards
  • Via I/O Module Slots offers lowest latencies
  • Via MGT Module provide highest bandwidth
  • Via IOCNET offers highest flexibility
Asynchronous tasks
  • Implementing interrupt-driven tasks in the processor model triggered from the FPGA model
Variable access
  • Tracing of register values, e.g., dSPACE in ControlDesk directly without model changes
  • Changing constant values during run time of the FPGA application without modeling
Remote FPGA build
  • Support of separate PCs for performing the FPGA build so that the PC used for modeling is not blocked
  • The build process can be observed using an extra tool
Support of MathWorks® HDL CoderTM
  • Modeling parts of the FPGA model with Simulink blocks
  • Use existing Simulink models directly as part of your FPGA application
  • Support of offline simulation and FPGA builds

Real-Time Interface (RTI) Implementation of MATLAB®/Simulink®/Stateflow® models on dSPACE hardware ConfigurationDesk Configuration and implementation software for dSPACE real-time hardware MicroLabBox Hardware Compact prototyping unit for the laboratory MicroAutoBox Hardware Compact, stand-alone prototyping unit with real-time hardware, I/O, and signal conditioning DS6601 FPGA Base Board High-performance FPGA board with the Xilinx® FPGA technology for advanced electromobility applications DS6602 FPGA Base Board High-performance FPGA board with the latest Xilinx® FPGA technology for advanced electromobility applications FPGA I/O Modules SCALEXIO FPGA I/O modules for expanding the I/O channels of the SCALEXIO FPGA base boards DS2655 FPGA Base Board SCALEXIO I/O board with user-programmable FPGA DS6651 Multi-I/O Module SCALEXIO FPGA I/O expansion for developing and testing highly dynamic control applications SCALEXIO Processing Unit Product lines for high core performance and high parallel performance DS6001 Processor Board High-performance processor board for SCALEXIO systems XSG Utils Library Ready-to-use function blocks for speeding up the implementation of FGPA models XSG AC Motor Control Library FPGA-based control design for MicroAutoBox, MicroLabBox, and SCALEXIO XSG Advanced Engine Control Library FPGA solution for cylinder pressure indication and in-cycle control of combustion engines XSG Electric Component Library Plant models of electric drives featuring FPGA-based simulations

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