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Loosely-Timed SystemC/TLM Simulation

This example highlights the use of the 'Timed' timing mode when you generate a SystemC™/TLM component from a Simulink® model using the tlmgenerator target for either Simulink® Coder™ or Embedded Coder®.

In Simulink® models, the movement of data between sources and sinks is controlled by signal sample rates and a centralized timing solver. In SystemC/TLM models, interactions between data sinks and sources are controlled by the SystemC simulation kernel and time advances through SC_THREADs cooperatively yielding control to another thread through wait calls.

For timed SystemC/TLM simulations the model adheres to the annotated delays for communication interfaces and processing. For loosely-timed simulations, the model does not allow threads to "run ahead" in time and so there is no idea of a "local time" that is different than some other thread's sense of time. Instead, initiators immediately synchronize to the returned delays from TLM transactions and generally perform non-zero timed waits in order to execute polling loops and synchronization-on-demand. Simulation time will advance in a loosely-timed model to reflect communication, processing, and polling delays in the system. The goal of the model, in addition to proper synchronization of data movement as with the untimed system, is to have a functionally correct simulation with a fast wall-clock execution times. This speed allows for near real-time software development on the SystemC/TLM architectural model.

For this example we use a Simulink model of a FIR filter as the basis of the SystemC/TLM generation.

Products required to run this demo:

  • SystemC 2.3.1 (includes the TLM library)

  • For code verification, make and a compatible GNU-compiler, gcc, in your path on Linux®, or Visual Studio® compiler in your path on Windows®

Note: The example includes a code generation build procedure. Simulink does not permit you to build programs in the MATLAB installation area. If necessary, change to a working directory that is not in the MATLAB installation area prior to starting any build.

1. Open the Preconfigured Model

To open the TLM loosely-timed testbench model, click the Open Model button.

The following model opens in Simulink.

2. Review the TLM Generator Target Configuration Options

In the Simulink Toolstrip, select Model Settings from the Modeling tab. In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, select the TLM Generator view and then tab TLM Testbench view and review the testbench settings as shown in the following image. Select the verbose testbench message checkbox to see the full log of initiator/target interaction in the SystemC/TLM simulation. Since this will be thousands of lines, if desired, deselect the option to get a terse log of the SystemC/TLM simulation.

3. Build the Model

In the model window, right-click on the DualFilter block and select C/C++ Code > Generate Code for this Subsystem in the context menu to start the TLM component and testbench generation. Or you can execute the following command in the MATLAB command window:

  >> slbuild('tlmgdemo_lttb/DualFilter')

The generation is completed when the following message appears in the MATLAB command window:

### Starting Simulink Coder build procedure for model: DualFilter
### Successful completion of Simulink Coder build procedure for model: DualFilter

Build Summary

Top model targets built:

Model       Action           Rebuild Reason                                    
===============================================================================
DualFilter  Code generated.  Code generation information file does not exist.  

1 of 1 models built (0 models already up to date)
Build duration: 0h 0m 18.662s

4. Open the Generated Files

Open the generated testbench source code in the MATLAB web browser by clicking on 'DualFilter_lttb_tlm_tb.cpp' in the generated report or in the MATLAB Editor:

5. Review the Generated Code

The specification of 'With timing' results in the testbench instructing the TLM component to run in timed mode by means of a special configuration interface, mw_backdoorcfg_IF. As the code indicates, the choice of timing mode is dynamic and can be changed during the course of simulation. Since this choice is purely a simulation construct, it is not programmed by means of a "front-door" TLM transaction.

Additionally, as the code indicates, the testbench must setup a local helper object with the correct timing mode in order to ensure that its initiator threads use the proper synchronization in the TLM transaction calls.

The implementation of the loosely-timed synchronization class, mw_syncfunctimed_tb, in the mw_support_tb.cpp file shows the details of the various synchronization calls used by the initiator threads and the TLM transactions. Unlike untimed simulations, the calls utilize waits of non-zero times, but, as with untimed simulations, no "local time" delays are allowed to accumulate.

6. Verify the Generated Code

In the Configuration Parameters dialog box, go in TLM Testbench configuration parameter dialog and push the Verify TLM Component button to run the generated testbench in the loosely-timed timing mode or in the MATLAB command window execute:

  >> verifyTlmgDemoModel('lttb')

This action will:

  • build the generated code

  • run Simulink to capture input stimulus and expected results

  • convert the Simulink data to TLM vectors

  • run the stand-alone SystemC/TLM testbench executable

  • convert the TLM results back to Simulink data

  • perform a data comparison

  • generate a Figure window for any signals that had data mis-compares