Lamp

Display color that reflects signal value on lamp

• 

Libraries:
Simulink / Dashboard

Description

The Lamp block displays a color that indicates the value of the connected signal. To configure the Lamp block to provide the information you need during simulation, specify one or more states, which pair a signal value with a color for the Lamp block to display. You can use the Lamp block with other Dashboard blocks to build an interactive dashboard of controls and indicators for your model.

Lamp Icons

You can change the appearance of the Lamp block by selecting one of the built-in icons or uploading your own custom icon. The built-in icons include basic shapes, automotive indicator lamps, and wireless icons. You can change the icon for a Lamp block by using the Icon parameter or by using the block tab in the toolstrip. The Dashboard library also includes libraries that have a preconfigured version of the Lamp block for each icon. For complete details, see Icon.

If you want to customize the appearance of the Lamp block beyond the ability to select an icon, consider designing your own indicator lamp using the Lamp block in the Customizable Blocks library.

Connect Dashboard Blocks

Dashboard blocks do not use ports to connect to model elements. To connect a dashboard block, use connect mode. To enter connect mode on an unconnected block, pause on the block you want to connect and click the Connect button . To enter connect mode on a connected block, select the block, pause on the ellipsis that appears (…), and in the action menu that expands, click the Connect button.

To connect a display block to a signal in your model or change the connection of a display block, enter connect mode. Select the signal line to which you want to connect. From the list that appears, select the signal to which you want to connect. Then, pause on the dashboard block and click the Done Connecting button . To see the dashboard block display the value of the connected block, run the simulation.

For more information about connecting dashboard blocks, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Simulink Model.

You can also connect dashboard blocks to a Stateflow^® chart. For more information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Stateflow (Stateflow).

This animation shows how to connect the Lamp block to your model.

Examples

Use Lamp Block to Indicate Signal Value

You can use the Lamp block to indicate the value of a connected signal. For example, the model lampStep contains a Step block that changes value from 0 to 1 at time 3. The output signal StepSig from the Step block is connected to a Lamp block.

Simulate the model. When StepSig has a value of 0, the lamp is green. When StepSig has a value of 1, the lamp is blue.

Extended Examples

Model Fault-Tolerant Fuel Control System

Combine Stateflow® and Simulink® capabilities to model hybrid systems. This type of modeling is particularly useful for systems that have numerous possible operational modes based on discrete events. Traditional signal flow is handled in Simulink while changes in control configuration are implemented in Stateflow. The model described in this example represents a fuel control system for a gasoline engine. The system is robust in that it detects individual sensor failures, and the control system is dynamically reconfigured for uninterrupted operation.

• Open Model

Limitations

• Except for the Dashboard Scope block and the Display block, dashboard blocks can only connect to real scalar signals.

• You cannot use the Connection table in the Block Parameters dialog box to connect a dashboard block to a block that is commented out. When you connect a dashboard block to a commented block using connect mode, the dashboard block does not display the connected value until the you uncomment the block.

• Dashboard blocks cannot connect to model elements inside referenced models.

• When you simulate a model hierarchy, dashboard blocks inside referenced models do not update.

• Dashboard blocks do not support rapid accelerator simulation.

• During simulation, you cannot connect a dashboard block to Stateflow chart data or state activity.

• You cannot programmatically connect a dashboard block to Stateflow chart data or state activity.

• Some signals do not have data available during simulation due to block reduction or optimization for accelerator mode simulations. To view such a signal using a dashboard block, mark the signal for logging.

Parameters

Connection — Signal to connect and display

signal connection options

Dashboard blocks do not use ports to connect to model elements. To connect dashboard blocks to parameter values in your model, use connect mode, the Simulink^® Toolstrip, or the Connection table in the Block Parameters dialog box. For information about connect mode and how to connect using the toolstrip, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Simulink Model.

To connect a display block or change the connection of a display block using the Connection table:

1. Select the block.

2. To connect the block, in the Property Inspector, on the Parameters tab, click Connect. To change the connection of the block, click Change instead.

3. Select the signal line to which you want to connect.

4. In the table, select the signal to which you want to connect.

5. Click Apply.

You can also connect dashboard blocks to a Stateflow chart. For more information, see Connect Dashboard Blocks to Stateflow (Stateflow).

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: Binding

Type: Simulink.HMI.SignalSpecification

Default: []

States — Signal value and color pairs

scalar and RGB vector

States match a display color to the value of the connected signal. Each state consists of a State and a Color.

• State — Connected signal value that causes the Lamp block to display the specified color.

• Color — Lamp color when the connected signal value matches the corresponding State value. You can select from a palette of standard colors or specify a custom color with RGB values.

The [undefined] state specifies the color of the Lamp block when the connected signal value does not match any of the values specified in the States table. Click the + button to add another state.

Programmatic Use

To programmatically specify the State and Color parameter values for a Lamp block, use an array of structures that contain these fields:

• Value — Scalar double signal value that causes the Lamp block to display the specified color indication.

• Color — 1-by-3 [r g b] vector with values between 0 and 1 that specifies the color for the Lamp block to display.

lampState1.Value = 1;
lampState1.Color = [0 0 1];
lampState2.Value = 2;
lampState2.Color = [1 0 0];
lampStates = [lampState1 lampState2];

Block Parameter: StateColors

Type: structure array

Default: structure

The ColorDefault parameter specifies the color for the Lamp block when the value of the connected signal does not match any of the specified state values. Specify the ColorDefault parameter as a 1-by-3 [r g b] vector with values between 0 and 1.

Block Parameter: ColorDefault

Type: [r g b] vector

Default: [0.7529 0.7529 0.7529]

Icon — Lamp block appearance

SVG image

Use an icon to configure the appearance of the Lamp block in the model. You can choose from built-in shape, automotive, and wireless icons, or you can upload your own custom SVG file as an icon.

To view icon options, on the Icon tab, select an Icon Type. To use your own SVG file as the block icon, select Custom as the Icon Type and upload the SVG file. The state colors for the Lamp block can apply to these SVG elements:

• altGlyph

• circle

• ellipse

• path

• polygon

• rect

• text

• textPath

• tref

• tspan

Shape Icons

Icon	Basic Shapes Library Block Name	Programmatic Use Value
	Lamp	Default
	Circle	Circle
	Hexagon	Hexagon
	Pentagon	Pentagon
	Rectangle	Rectangle
	Square	Square
	Triangle	Triangle
	Check1	Check1
	Check2	Check2
	Check3	Check3
	Check4	Check4
	Ex1	Ex1
	Ex2	Ex2
	Ex3	Ex3
	Ex4	Ex4
	Face	Face
	Frown1	Frown1
	Frown2	Frown2
	Smile1	Smile1
	Smile2	Smile2
	Solid Face	SolidFace
	Solid Frown1	SolidFrown1
	Solid Frown2	SolidFrown2
	Solid Smile1	SolidSmile1
	Solid Smile2	SolidSmile2

Automotive Icons

Icon	Automotive Indicator Lamps Library Block Name	Programmatic Use Value
	Adaptive Cruise Control	AdaptiveCruiseControl
	Adaptive Cruise Control Failure	AdaptiveCruiseControlFailure
	Antilock Brake System	AntilockBrakeSystem
	Battery	Battery
	Check Engine	CheckEngine
	Check Engine2	CheckEngine2
	Cruise Control	CruiseControl
	Eco Mode	EcoMode
	Electronic Stability	ElectronicStability
	Engine	Engine
	Engine Coolant Temp	EngineCoolantTemp
	Engine Failure	EngineFailure
	Engine Heating	EngineHeating
	Engine Oil	EngineOil
	Exterior Bulb Failure	ExteriorBulbFailure
	Front Fog Light	FrontFogLight
	Fuel	Fuel
	Hazards	Hazards
	Headlamp Leveling	HeadlampLeveling
	High Beams	HighBeams
	Hill Descent Control	HillDescentControl
	Lighting Switch	LightingSwitch
	Low Beams	LowBeams
	Parking Assistance	ParkingAssistance
	Rear Fog Light	RearFogLight
	Side Lights	SideLights
	Stability Control	StabilityControl
	Stability Control Off	StabilityControlOff
	Tire Monitor	TireMonitor
	Traction Control	TractionControl
	Traction Control Off	TractionControlOff
	Traction Control Failure	TractionControlFailure
	Turn Signal Left	TurnSignalLeft
	Turn Signal Right	TurnSignalRight

Wireless Icons

Icon	Icon Name	Programmatic Use Value
	Network	Network
	Network No Signal	NetworkNoSignal
	Network Transmission	NetworkTransmission
	Network3G	Network3G
	Network4G	Network4G
	Network5G	Network5G

Tips

• You can change the icon for a Lamp block using the block tab in the toolstrip.

• The Dashboard library has libraries with a preconfigured Lamp block for each icon.

• If you want to customize the appearance of the Lamp block beyond the ability to select an icon, consider designing your own indicator lamp using the Lamp block in the Customizable Blocks library.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: Icon

Type: string | character vector

Default: 'Default'

Label — Block label position

Top (default) | Bottom | Hide

Position of the block label. When the block is connected to an element in the model, the label is the name of the connected element.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LabelPosition

Type: character vector

Values: 'Top' | 'Bottom' | 'Hide'

Default: 'Top'

Opacity — Block opacity

1 (default) | scalar

Block opacity, specified as a scalar value between 0 and 1.

Example: 0.5

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: Opacity

Type: scalar

Default: 1

Block Characteristics

Data Types	Boolean | double | enumerated | fixed point | half | integer | single
Direct Feedthrough	no
Multidimensional Signals	no
Variable-Size Signals	no
Zero-Crossing Detection	no

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation

Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Dashboard blocks are ignored for code generation.

Version History

Introduced in R2015a