systemcomposer.interface.SignalInterface

Class that represents signal interface

Description

The SignalInterface class represents the structure of the signal interface at a given port.

Creation

Create an interface.

interface = addInterface(dictionary,'newInterface')

Properties

Dictionary — Parent dictionary of interface

interface dictionary object

Parent dictionary of interface, specified as a systemcomposer.interface.Dictionary object.

Name — Interface name

character vector

Interface name, specified as a character vector.

Example: 'NewInterface'

Data Types: char

Elements — Elements in interface

array of interface element objects

Elements in interface, specified as an array of systemcomposer.interface.SignalElement objects.

UUID — Universal unique identifier

character vector

Universal unique identifier for signal interface, specified as a character vector.

Example: '91d5de2c-b14c-4c76-a5d6-5dd0037c52df'

Data Types: char

ExternalUID — Unique external identifier

character vector

Unique external identifier, specified as a character vector. The external ID is preserved over the lifespan of the signal interface and through all operations that preserve the UUID.

Data Types: char

Model — Parent System Composer™ model

model object

Parent model of signal interface, specified as a systemcomposer.arch.Model object.

Object Functions

addElement	Add signal interface element
getElement	Get object for signal interface element
removeElement	Remove signal interface element
applyStereotype	Apply stereotype to architecture model element
getStereotypes	Get stereotypes applied on element of architecture model
removeStereotype	Remove stereotype from model element
getProperty	Get property value corresponding to stereotype applied to element
getEvaluatedPropertyValue	Get evaluated value of property from component
setProperty	Set property value corresponding to stereotype applied to element
destroy	Remove model element

Examples

Build an Architecture Model from Command Line

This example shows how to build an architecture model using the System Composer™ API.

Prepare Workspace

Clear all profiles from the workspace.

systemcomposer.profile.Profile.closeAll;

Build a Model

To build a model, add a data dictionary with interfaces and interface elements, then add components, ports, and connections. After the model is built, you can create custom views to focus on a specific concern. You can also query the model to collect different model elements according to criteria you specify.

Add Components, Ports, and Connections

Create the model and extract its architecture.

model = systemcomposer.createModel('mobileRobotAPI');
arch = model.Architecture;

Create data dictionary and add an interface. Link the interface to the model.

dictionary = systemcomposer.createDictionary('SensorInterfaces.sldd');
interface = addInterface(dictionary,'GPSInterface');
interface.addElement('Mass');
linkDictionary(model,'SensorInterfaces.sldd');

Add components, ports, and connections. Set the interface to ports, which you will connect later.

components = addComponent(arch,{'Sensor','Planning','Motion'});
sensorPorts = addPort(components(1).Architecture,{'MotionData','SensorData'},{'in','out'});
sensorPorts(2).setInterface(interface);

planningPorts = addPort(components(2).Architecture,{'Command','SensorData1','MotionCommand'},{'in','in','out'});
planningPorts(2).setInterface(interface);

motionPorts = addPort(components(3).Architecture,{'MotionCommand','MotionData'},{'in','out'});

Connect components with an interface rule. This rule connects ports on components that share the same interface.

c_sensorData = connect(arch,components(1),components(2),'Rule','interfaces');
c_motionData = connect(arch,components(3),components(1));
c_motionCommand = connect(arch,components(2),components(3));

Save Data Dictionary

Save the changes to the data dictionary.

dictionary.save(); 

Add and Connect an Architecture Port

Add an architecture port on the architecture.

archPort = addPort(arch,'Command','in');

The connect command requires a component port as argument. Obtain the component port and connect:

compPort = getPort(components(2),'Command');
c_Command = connect(archPort,compPort);

Save the model.

save(model)

Open the model

open_system(gcs);

Arrange the layout by pressıng Ctrl+Shift+A or using the following command:

Simulink.BlockDiagram.arrangeSystem('mobileRobotAPI'); 

Create and Apply Profile and Stereotypes

Profiles are xml files that can be applied to any model. You can add stereotypes with properties to profiles and then populate the properties with specific values. Along with System Composer’s built-in analysis capabilities, stereotypes can guide optimizations of your system for performance, cost, and reliability.

Create a Profile and Add Stereotypes

Create a profile.

profile = systemcomposer.createProfile('GeneralProfile');

Create a stereotype that applies to all element types:

elemSType = addStereotype(profile,'projectElement');

Create stereotypes for different types of components. These types are dictated by design needs and are up to your discretion:

pCompSType = addStereotype(profile,'physicalComponent','AppliesTo','Component');
sCompSType = addStereotype(profile,'softwareComponent','AppliesTo','Component');

Create a stereotype for connections:

sConnSType = addStereotype(profile,'standardConn','AppliesTo','Connector');

Add Properties

Add properties to stereotypes. You can use properties to capture metadata for model elements and analyze non-functional requirements. These properties are added to all elements to which the stereotype is applied, in any model that imports the profile.

addProperty(elemSType,'ID','Type','uint8');
addProperty(elemSType,'Description','Type','string');
addProperty(pCompSType,'Cost','Type','double','Units','USD');
addProperty(pCompSType,'Weight','Type','double','Units','g');
addProperty(sCompSType,'develCost','Type','double','Units','USD');
addProperty(sCompSType,'develTime','Type','double','Units','hour');
addProperty(sConnSType,'unitCost','Type','double','Units','USD');
addProperty(sConnSType,'unitWeight','Type','double','Units','g');
addProperty(sConnSType,'length','Type','double','Units','m');

Save the Profile

save(profile);

Apply Profile to Model

Apply the profile to the model:

applyProfile(model,'GeneralProfile');

Apply stereotypes to components. Some components are physical components, and others are software components.

applyStereotype(components(2),'GeneralProfile.softwareComponent')
applyStereotype(components(1),'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent')
applyStereotype(components(3),'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent')

Apply the connector stereotype to all connections:

batchApplyStereotype(arch,'Connector','GeneralProfile.standardConn');

Apply the general element stereotype to all connectors and ports:

batchApplyStereotype(arch,'Component','GeneralProfile.projectElement');
batchApplyStereotype(arch,'Connector','GeneralProfile.projectElement');

Set properties for each component:

setProperty(components(1),'GeneralProfile.projectElement.ID','001');
setProperty(components(1),'GeneralProfile.projectElement.Description','''Central unit for all sensors''');
setProperty(components(1),'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Cost','200');
setProperty(components(1),'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Weight','450');
setProperty(components(2),'GeneralProfile.projectElement.ID','002');
setProperty(components(2),'GeneralProfile.projectElement.Description','''Planning computer''');
setProperty(components(2),'GeneralProfile.softwareComponent.develCost','20000');
setProperty(components(2),'GeneralProfile.softwareComponent.develTime','300');
setProperty(components(3),'GeneralProfile.projectElement.ID','003');
setProperty(components(3),'GeneralProfile.projectElement.Description','''Motor and motor controller''');
setProperty(components(3),'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Cost','4500');
setProperty(components(3),'GeneralProfile.physicalComponent.Weight','2500');

Set the properties of connections to be identical:

connections = [c_sensorData c_motionData c_motionCommand  c_Command];
for k = 1:length(connections)
    setProperty(connections(k),'GeneralProfile.standardConn.unitCost','0.2');
    setProperty(connections(k),'GeneralProfile.standardConn.unitWeight','100');
    setProperty(connections(k),'GeneralProfile.standardConn.length','0.3');
end

Add Hierarchy

Add two components named Controller and Scope inside the Motion component. Define the ports. Connect them to the architecture and to each other, applying a connector stereotype. Hierarchy in an architecture diagram creates an additional level of detail that specifies how components behave internally.

motionArch = components(3).Architecture;
motion = motionArch.addComponent({'Controller','Scope'});

controllerPorts = addPort(motion(1).Architecture,{'controlIn','controlOut'},{'in','out'});
controllerCompPortIn = motion(1).getPort('controlIn');
controllerCompPortOut = motion(1).getPort('controlOut');

scopePorts = addPort(motion(2).Architecture,{'scopeIn','scopeOut'},{'in','out'});
scopeCompPortIn = motion(2).getPort('scopeIn');
scopeCompPortOut = motion(2).getPort('scopeOut');

c_planningController = connect(motionPorts(1),controllerCompPortIn);
c_planningScope = connect(scopeCompPortOut,motionPorts(2));
c_planningConnect = connect(controllerCompPortOut,scopeCompPortIn,'GeneralProfile.standardConn');

Save the model.

save(model)

Arrange the layout by pressıng Ctrl+Shift+A or using the following command:

Simulink.BlockDiagram.arrangeSystem('mobileRobotAPI/Motion');

Create a Model Reference

Model references are useful to organize large models hierarchically and allow you to define architectures or behaviors once and reuse it. When a component references another model, any existing ports on the component are removed and ports that exist on the referenced model will appear on the component.

Create a new System Composer model. Convert the Sensor component into a reference component to reference the new model. To add additional ports on the Sensor component, you must update the referenced model mobileSensor.

newModel = systemcomposer.createModel('mobileSensor');
newArch = newModel.Architecture;
newComponents = addComponent(newArch,'ElectricSensor');
save(newModel);

linkToModel(components(1),'mobileSensor');

Apply a stereotype to the linked reference model's architecture and component.

referenceModel = get_param('mobileSensor','SystemComposerModel');
referenceModel.applyProfile('GeneralProfile');
referenceModel.Architecture.applyStereotype('GeneralProfile.softwareComponent');
batchApplyStereotype(referenceModel.Architecture,'Component','GeneralProfile.projectElement')

Add ports and connections to the reference component.

sensorPorts = addPort(components(1).Architecture,{'MotionData','SensorData'},{'in','out'});
sensorPorts(2).setInterface(interface)
connect(arch,components(1),components(2),'Rule','interfaces');
connect(arch,components(3),components(1));

Save the models.

save(referenceModel)
save(model)

Make a Variant Component

You can convert the Planning component into a variant component using the makeVariant function. The original component is embedded within a variant component as one of the available variant choices. You can design other variant choices within the variant component and toggle the active choice. Variant components allow you to choose behaviorial designs programmatically in an architecture model to perform trade studies and analysis.

[variantComp,choice1] = makeVariant(components(2));

Add an additional variant choice named PlanningAlt. The second argument defines the name, and the third argument defines the label. The label identifies the choice. The active choice is controlled by the label.

choice2 = addChoice(variantComp,{'PlanningAlt'},{'PlanningAlt'});

Create the necessary ports on PlanningAlt.

setActiveChoice(variantComp,choice2)
planningAltPorts = addPort(choice2.Architecture,{'Command','SensorData1','MotionCommand'},{'in','in','out'});
planningAltPorts(2).setInterface(interface);

Make PlanningAlt the active variant.

setActiveChoice(variantComp,'PlanningAlt')

Arrange the layout by pressıng Ctrl+Shift+A or using the following command:

Simulink.BlockDiagram.arrangeSystem('mobileRobotAPI/Planning');

Save the model.

save(model)

Clean Up

Uncomment the following code and run to clean up the artifacts created by this example:

% bdclose('mobileRobotAPI')
% bdclose('mobileSensor')
% Simulink.data.dictionary.closeAll
% systemcomposer.profile.Profile.closeAll
% delete('Profile.xml')
% delete('SensorInterfaces.sldd')

More About

Definitions

Term	Definition	Application	More Information
interface	An interface defines the kind of information that flows through a port. The same interface can be assigned to multiple ports. An interface can be composite, meaning that it can include elements that describe the properties of an interface signal.	Interfaces represent the information that is shared through a connector and enters or exits a component through a port. Use the Interface Editor to create and manage interfaces and interface elements and store them in an interface data dictionary for reuse between models.	Define Interfaces
interface element	An interface element describes a portion of an interface, such as a communication message, a calculated or measured parameter, or other decomposition of that interface.	Interface elements describe the decompositions of an interface: Pins or wires in a connector or harness. Messages transmitted across a bus. Data structures shared between components.	Assign Interfaces to Ports
interface dictionary	An interface data dictionary is a consolidated list of all the interfaces in an architecture and where they are used. Local interfaces on a System Composer model can be saved in an interface data dictionary using the Interface Editor.	Interface dictionaries can be reused between models that need to use a given set of interfaces and interface elements. Data dictionaries are stored in separate .sldd files.	Save, Link, and Delete Interfaces Reference Data Dictionaries
adapter	An adapter helps connect two components with incompatible port interfaces by mapping between the two interfaces. An adapter can also act as a unit delay or rate transition.	With an adapter, you can perform three functions on the Interface Adapter dialog: Create and edit mappings between input and output interfaces. Apply an interface conversion UnitDelay to break an algebraic loop. Apply an interface conversion RateTransition to reconcile different sample time rates for reference models.	Interface Adapter