Bridging algorithm and ESL design: Matlab/Simulink model transformation and validation

Matlab/Simulink is today´s de-facto standard for model-based design in domains such as control engineering and signal processing. Particular strengths of Simulink are rapid design and algorithm exploration. Moreover, commercial tools are available to generate embedded C or HDL code directly from a Simulink model. On the other hand, Simulink models are purely functional models and, hence, designers cannot seamlessly consider the architecture that a Simulink model is later implemented on. In particular, it is not possible to explore the different architectural alternatives and investigate the arising interactions and side-effects directly within Simulink. To benefit from Matlab/Simulink´s algorithm exploration capabilities and overcome the outlined drawbacks, this work introduces a model transformation framework that converts a Simulink model to an executable specification, written in an actor-oriented modeling language. This specification then serves as the input of well-established Electronic System Level (ESL) design flows that, e. g., enables Design Space Exploration (DSE) and automatic code generation for both hardware and software. We also present a validation technique that considers the functional correctness by comparing the original Simulink model with the generated specification in a co-simulation environment. The co-simulation can also be used to evaluate the performance of implementation candidates during DSE. As case study, we present and investigate a torque vectoring application from an electric automotive vehicle.