Products & Services Solutions Academia Support User Community Company

Learn more about Signal Processing Blockset   

Importing and Exporting Sample-Based Signals

On this page…

Importing Sample-Based Vector Signals

Importing Sample-Based Matrix Signals

Exporting Sample-Based Signals

Importing Sample-Based Vector Signals

The Signal From Workspace block generates a sample-based vector signal when the variable or expression in the Signal parameter is a matrix and the Samples per frame parameter is set to 1. Each column of the input matrix represents a different channel. Beginning with the first row of the matrix, the block outputs one row of the matrix at each sample time. Therefore, if the Signal parameter specifies an M-by-N matrix, the output of the Signal From Workspace block is M 1-by-N row vectors representing N channels.

The figure below is a graphical representation of this process for a 6-by-4 workspace matrix, A.

In the following example, you use the Signal From Workspace block to import a sample-based vector signal into your model:

  1. Open the Signal From Workspace Example 3 model by typing doc_importsbvectorsigs at the MATLAB command line.

  2. At the MATLAB command line, type A = [1:100;-1:-1:-100]';

    The matrix A represents a two column signal, where each column is a different channel.

  3. At the MATLAB command line, type B = 5*ones(100,1);

    The vector B represents a single-channel signal.

  4. Double-click the Signal From Workspace block, and set the block parameters as follows:

    • Signal = [A B]

    • Sample time = 1

    • Samples per frame = 1

    • Form output after final data value = Setting to zero

    The Signal expression [A B] uses the standard MATLAB syntax for horizontally concatenating matrices and appends column vector B to the right of matrix A. The Signal From Workspace block outputs a sample-based signal with a sample period of 1 second. After the block has output the signal, all subsequent outputs have a value of zero.

  5. Save these parameters and close the dialog box by clicking OK.

  6. Run the model.

    The following figure is a graphical representation of the model's behavior during simulation.

    The first row of the input matrix [A B] is output at time t=0, the second row of the input matrix is output at time t=1, and so on.

You have now successfully imported a sample-based vector signal into your signal processing model using the Signal From Workspace block.

Back to Top

Importing Sample-Based Matrix Signals

The Signal From Workspace block generates a sample-based matrix signal when the variable or expression in the Signal parameter is a three-dimensional array and the Samples per frame parameter is set to 1. Beginning with the first page of the array, the block outputs a single page of the array to the output at each sample time. Therefore, if the Signal parameter specifies an M-by-N-by-P array, the output of the Signal From Workspace block is P M-by-N matrices representing M*N channels.

The following figure is a graphical illustration of this process for a 6-by-4-by-5 workspace array A.

In the following example, you use the Signal From Workspace block to import a four-channel, sample-based matrix signal into a Simulink model:

  1. Open the Signal From Workspace Example 4 model by typing doc_importsbmatrixsigs at the MATLAB command line.

    Also, the following variables are loaded into the MATLAB workspace:

    Fs1x18double array
    dsp_examples_A2x2x1003200double array
    dsp_examples_sig11x1x100800double array
    dsp_examples_sig121x2x1001600double array
    dsp_examples_sig21x1x100800double array
    dsp_examples_sig31x1x100800double array
    dsp_examples_sig34 1x2x1001600double array
    dsp_examples_sig4 1x1x100800double array
    mtlb4001x132008double array

  2. Double-click the Signal From Workspace block. Set the block parameters as follows, and then click OK:

    • Signal = dsp_examples_A

    • Sample time = 1

    • Samples per frame = 1

    • Form output after final data value = Setting to zero

    The dsp_examples_A array represents a four-channel, sample-based signal with 100 samples in each channel. This is the signal that you want to import, and it was created in the following way:

    dsp_examples_sig1 = reshape(1:100,[1 1 100])
dsp_examples_sig2 = reshape(-1:-1:-100,[1 1 100])
dsp_examples_sig3 = zeros(1,1,100)
dsp_examples_sig4 = 5*ones(1,1,100)
dsp_examples_sig12 = cat(2,sig1,sig2)
dsp_examples_sig34 = cat(2,sig3,sig4)
dsp_examples_A = cat(1,sig12,sig34)	% 2-by-2-by-100 array

  3. Run the model.

    The figure below is a graphical representation of the model's behavior during simulation.

    The Signal From Workspace block imports the four-channel sample based signal from the MATLAB workspace into the Simulink model one matrix at a time.

You have now successfully imported a sample-based matrix signal into your model using the Signal From Workspace block.

Back to Top

Exporting Sample-Based Signals

The Signal To Workspace and Triggered To Workspace blocks are the primary blocks for exporting signals of all dimensions from a Simulink model to the MATLAB workspace.

A sample-based signal, with M*N channels, is represented in Simulink as a sequence of M-by-N matrices. When the input to the Signal To Workspace block is a sample-based signal, the block creates an M-by-N-by-P array in the MATLAB workspace containing the P most recent samples from each channel. The number of pages, P, is specified by the Limit data points to last parameter. The newest samples are added at the end of the array.

The following figure is the graphical illustration of this process using a 6-by-4 sample-based signal exported to workspace array A.

The workspace array always has time running along its third dimension, P. Samples are saved along the P dimension whether the input is a matrix, vector, or scalar (single channel case).

In the following example you use a Signal To Workspace block to export a sample-based matrix signal to the MATLAB workspace:

  1. Open the Signal From Workspace Example 6 model by typing doc_exportsbsigs at the MATLAB command line.

    Also, the following variables are loaded into the MATLAB workspace:

    dsp_examples_A2x2x1003200double array
    dsp_examples_sig11x1x100800double array
    dsp_examples_sig121x2x1001600double array
    dsp_examples_sig21x1x100800double array
    dsp_examples_sig31x1x100800double array
    dsp_examples_sig341x2x1001600double array
    dsp_examples_sig41x1x100800double array

    In this model, the Signal From Workspace block imports a four-channel sample-based signal called dsp_examples_A. This signal is then exported to the MATLAB workspace using a Signal to Workspace block.

  2. Double-click the Signal From Workspace block. Set the block parameters as follows, and then click OK:

    • Signal = dsp_examples_A

    • Sample time = 1

    • Samples per frame = 1

    • Form output after final data value = Setting to zero

    Based on these parameters, the Signal From Workspace block outputs a sample-based signal with a sample period of 1 second. After the block has output the signal, all subsequent outputs have a value of zero.

  3. Double-click the Signal To Workspace block. Set the block parameters as follows, and then click OK:

    • Variable name = dsp_examples_yout

    • Limit data points to last parameter to inf

    • Decimation = 1

    Based on these parameters, the Signal To Workspace block exports its sample-based input signal to a variable called dsp_examples_yout in the MATLAB workspace. The workspace variable can grow indefinitely large in order to capture all of the input data. The signal is not decimated before it is exported to the MATLAB workspace.

  4. Run the model.

  5. At the MATLAB command line, type dsp_examples_yout.

    The four-channel sample-based signal, dsp_examples_A, is output at the MATLAB command line. The following is a portion of the output that is displayed.

    dsp_examples_yout(:,:,1) =

     1    -1
     0     5

dsp_examples_yout(:,:,2) =

     2    -2
     0     5

dsp_examples_yout(:,:,3) =

     3    -3
     0     5

dsp_examples_yout(:,:,4) =

     4    -4
     0     5

Each page of the output represents a different sample time, and each element of the matrices is in a separate channel.

You have now successfully exported a four-channel sample-based signal from a Simulink model to the MATLAB workspace using the Signal To Workspace block.

Back to Top

  

Deconstructing Multichannel Frame-Based SignalsDeconstructing Multichannel Frame-Based Signals Importing and Exporting Frame-Based SignalsImporting and Exporting Frame-Based Signals

Related Products & Applications

Get Simulink trial software

Learn more about Simulink through this collection of videos, articles, technical literature and the Getting Started with Simulink Guide.

Get this Simulink Kit

 © 1984-2010- The MathWorks, Inc.    -   Site Help   -   Patents   -   Trademarks   -   Privacy Policy   -   Preventing Piracy   -   RSS