Block

Open

Mask

Signals Tab

Open

Binary Layout Tab

Simulation Tab

Description

This block allows the user to describe the signals passing through the port it is connected to. These signal descriptions are to be used during the bitstream generation process to create the Firmware Description File.

The Module Port block comes in different flavors each adapted for specific purposes. The block's Interface Type can either be Parallel or Serial, the block's IO Type can either be Input or Output and the block's Interface Format can either be Passthrough or Pack/Unpack.

In the library, some pre-configured blocks are available and described as such:

<Interface Type> <IO Type> <Interface Format>

Interface Type: (Not editable inside the mask)

Parallel: The Parallel Interface Type's IOs will be in the standard Xilinx bus format. Use this type when pairing with other regular Xilinx blocks.

Serial: The Serial Interface Type's IOs will be in the OPAL-RT Framebased Light Weight Serial (FLWS) bus format. Use this type when pairing with OPAL-RT FLWS compatible blocks.

IO Type: (Not editable inside the mask)

Input: Use this type when connecting to an input port.

Output: Use this type when connecting to an output port.

Interface Format: (Editable inside the mask)

Passthrough: The Passthrough Interface Format keeps the input or output interfaces of the block flat. The block does not pack or unpack the described signals.

Pack/Unpack: The Pack/Unpack Interface Format explodes the input or output interfaces of the block. The block packs or unpacks the described signals.

Parameters

General Section

The General Section refers to general parameters. The Data Type parameter is available in all block flavors while the Word Size and Max number of words parameters are only available in Serial Interface Type blocks.

Interface Format: Specifies the Interface Format. Can be Passthrough or Pack/Unpack.

Word Size: (Serial Interface Type only) This parameter is the size for words in the FLWS bus.

Max number of words: (Serial Interface Type only) This parameter is the maximum number of words in the FLWS bus.

Signals Tab

The Signals Tab describes all signals in the bus.

List View: This view allows the addition and removal of signals to the bus' description. The order of the signals in the list represents the order of the signals on the block when Pack/Unpack Interface Format is selected. Signals can be reordered in the list by drag and drop.

Add Button (+): Button to add a signal at the end of the list.

Remove Button (-): Button to remove the selected signal from the list.

Details View: This view describes the selected signal's properties.

Name: Name of the signal in the list.

Type: Describes the data type of the signal. The dropdown offers different data types and the Number of bits and Binary Point offer additional configuration.

Formatting: Describes the formatting, Gain and Offset, that is applied to the signal by the driver.

Binary Layout Tab

-- For advanced users, keep default if data frame is not formatted --

The Binary Layout Tab describes the data frame formatting of the bus. It allows optimization of the format of a frame to have compacted information in each word.

Table View: The table view contains the list of signals defined in the Signals Tab with linked parameters Name and Type and new parameters Index and Bit Offset. The Index and Bit Offset parameters are used to define the signal's position in the data frame.

Index: (Serial Interface Type only) This parameter defines the signal's word index inside the frame. Many signals can be on the same word index given they do not exceed the Word Size defined in the General Section

Bit Offset: (Serial Interface Type only) This parameter defines the signal's position bit offset inside the word at the given Index. Many signals can be on the same word given they do not overlap inside the word.

Validate Table Button: This button runs a validation routine to validate if the values in the table are coherent. For example, validating that two signals on the same Index cannot exceeded the Word Size is one of the many validations made. The routine also orders the signal list based on increasing Index then Bit Offset.

Simulation Tab

The Simulation Tab allows the offline simulation of signals. Each signal can individually be set to be simulated or not with options for Simulation Mode.

Simulation Signal: Defines whether the signal is to be simulated.

Simulation Mode: Defines the type of simulation used. Can be Simulation Port, which adds a Simulink signal compatible port to the block, or Constant, which sets the value of the signal internally to the specified value.

Inputs

This blocks has either Serial or Parallel, Packed or Unpacked inputs depending on the selected Interface Type. Refer to Descriptions section for more information.

For FLWS Serial in Packing mode, some extra inputs are provided.

Outputs

This blocks has either Serial or Parallel, Packed or Unpacked outputs depending on the selected Interface Type. Refer to Descriptions section for more information.

Characteristics and Limitations

As with all fields tagged with the small blue italic “e” in RT-XSG Module blocks, the field Value supports Matlab expressions. You can write a numerical value directly like 15, use expressions such as 15*2 or use Matlab variable like “MyValue”. If “MyValue” is evaluable with eval() in the Matlab model workspace, the Value field will take that value during the IOCONF generation process.