CAN Unpack - Unpack individual signals from CAN messages

Library

CAN Communication

Embedded Coder/ Embedded Targets/ Host Communication

Description

The CAN Unpack block unpacks a CAN message into signal data using the specified output parameters at every timestep. Data is output as individual signals.

Note To use this block, you also need a license for Simulink software.

The CAN Unpack block has one output port by default. The number of output ports is dynamic and depends on the number of signals you specify for the block to output. For example, if your block has four signals, it has four output ports.

Other Supported Features

The CAN Unpack block supports:

The use of Simulink Accelerator mode. Using this feature, you can speed up the execution of Simulink models.
The use of model referencing. Using this feature, your model can include other Simulink models as modular components.
Code generation using Simulink Coder to deploy models to targets.

For more information on these features, see the Simulink documentation.

Dialog Box

Use the Function Block Parameters dialog box to select your CAN message unpacking parameters.

Parameters

Data to be output as

Select your data signal:

raw data: Output data as a uint8 vector array. If you select this option, you only specify the message fields. All other signal parameter fields are unavailable. This option opens only one output port on your block.
manually specified signals: Allows you to specify data signals. If you select this option, use the Signals table to create your signals message manually.

The number of output ports on your block depends on the number of signals you specify. For example, if you specify four signals, your block has four output ports.
CANdb specified signals: Allows you to specify a CAN database file that contains data signals. If you select this option, select a CANdb file.

The number of output ports on your block depends on the number of signals specified in the CANdb file. For example, if the selected message in the CANdb file has four signals, your block has four output ports.

CANdb file

This option is available if you specify that your data is input via a CANdb file in the Data to be output as list. Click Browse to find the appropriate CANdb file on your system. The messages and signal definitions specified in the CANdb file populate the Message section of the dialog box. The signals specified in the CANdb file populate Signals table.

Note File names that contain non-alphanumeric characters such as equal signs, ampersands, and so forth are not valid CAN database file names. You can use periods in your database name. Rename any CAN database files with non-alphanumeric characters before you use them.

Message list

This option is available if you specify that your data is to be output as a CANdb file in the Data to be output as list and you select a CANdb file in the CANdb file field. You can select the message that you want to view. The Signals table then displays the details of the selected message.

Message

Name: Specify a name for your CAN message. The default is CAN Msg. This option is available if you choose to output raw data or manually specify signals.
Identifier type: Specify whether your CAN message identifier is a Standard or an Extended type. The default is Standard. A standard identifier is an 11-bit identifier and an extended identifier is a 29-bit identifier. This option is available if you choose to output raw data or manually specify signals. For CANdb-specified signals, the Identifier type inherits the type from the database.
Identifier: Specify your CAN message ID. This number must be a integer from 0 through 2047 for a standard identifier and from 0 through 536870911 for an extended identifier. If you specify –1, the block unpacks all messages that match the length specified for the message. You can also specify hexadecimal values using the hex2dec function. This option is available if you choose to output raw data or manually specify signals.
Length (bytes): Specify the length of your CAN message from 0 to 8 bytes. If you are using CANdb specified signals for your output data, the CANdb file defines the length of your message. If not, this field defaults to 8. This option is available if you choose to output raw data or manually specify signals.

Signals Table

This table appears if you choose to specify signals manually or define signals using a CANdb file.

If you are using a CANdb file, the data in the file populates this table automatically and you cannot edit any fields. To edit signal information, switch to manually specified signals.

If you have selected to specify signals manually, create your signals manually in this table. Each signal you create has the following values:

Name

Specify a descriptive name for your signal. The Simulink block in your model displays this name. The default is Signal [row number].

Start bit

Specify the start bit of the data. The start bit is the least significant bit counted from the start of the message. The start bit must be an integer from 0 through 63.

Length (bits)

Specify the number of bits the signal occupies in the message. The length must be an integer from 1 through 64.

Byte order

Select either of the following options:

LE: Where the byte order is in little-endian format (Intel). In this format you count bits from the start, which is the least significant bit, to the most significant bit, which has the highest bit index. For example, if you pack one byte of data in little-endian format, with the start bit at 20, the data bit table resembles this figure.
Little-Endian Byte Order Counted from the Least Significant Bit to the Highest Address
BE: Where the byte order is in big-endian format (Motorola). In this format you count bits from the start, which is the least significant bit, to the most significant bit. For example, if you pack one byte of data in big-endian format, with the start bit at 20, the data bit table resembles this figure.
Big-Endian Byte Order Counted from the Least Significant Bit to the Lowest Address

Data type

Specify how the signal interprets the data in the allocated bits. Choose from:

signed (default)
unsigned
single
double

Multiplex type

Specify how the block unpacks the signals from the CAN message at each timestep:

Standard: The signal is always unpacked at each timestep.
Multiplexor: The Multiplexor signal, or the mode signal is always unpacked. You can specify only one Multiplexor signal per message.
Multiplexed: The signal is unpacked if the value of the Multiplexor signal (mode signal) at run time matches the configured Multiplex value of this signal.

For example, a message has four signals with the following values.

Signal Name	Multiplex Type	Multiplex Value
Signal-A	Standard	N/A
Signal-B	Multiplexed	1
Signal-C	Multiplexed	0
Signal-D	Multiplexor	N/A

In this example:

The block unpacks Signal-A (Standard signal) and Signal-D (Multiplexor signal) in every timestep.
If the value of Signal-D is 1 at a particular timestep, then the block unpacks Signal-B along with Signal-A and Signal-D in that timestep.
If the value of Signal-D is 0 at a particular timestep, then the block unpacks Signal-C along with Signal-A and Signal-D in that timestep.
If the value of Signal-D is not 1 or 0, the block does not unpack either of the Multiplexed signals in that timestep.

Multiplex value

This option is available only if you have selected the Multiplex type to be Multiplexed. The value you provide here must match the Multiplexor signal value at run time for the block to unpack the Multiplexed signal. The Multiplex value must be a positive integer or zero.

Factor

Specify the Factor value applied to convert the unpacked raw value to the physical value (signal value). See Conversion Formula to understand how unpacked raw values are converted to physical values.

Offset

Specify the Offset value applied to convert the physical value (signal value) to the unpacked raw value. See Conversion Formula to understand how unpacked raw values are converted to physical values.

Min

Specify the minimum raw value of the signal. The default value is -inf (negative infinity). You can specify any number for the minimum value. See Conversion Formula to understand how unpacked raw values are converted to physical values.

Max

Specify the maximum raw value of the signal. The default value is inf. You can specify any number for the maximum value. See Conversion Formula to understand how unpacked raw values are converted to physical values.

Output Ports

Selecting an Output ports option adds an output port to your block.

Output identifier: Select this option to output a CAN message identifier. The data type of this port is uint32.
Output remote: Select this option to output the message remote frame status. This option adds a new output port to the block. The data type of this port is uint8.
Output timestamp: Select this option to output the message time stamp. This option adds a new output port to the block. The data type of this port is double.
Output length: Select this option to output the length of the message in bytes. This option adds a new output port to the block. The data type of this port is uint8.
Output error: Select this option to output the message error status. This option adds a new output port to the block. The data type of this port is uint8.
Output status: Select this option to output the message received status. The status is 1 if the block receives new message and 0 if it does not. This option adds a new output port to the block. The data type of this port is uint8.

If you do not select any Output ports option, the number of output ports on your block depends on the number of signals you specify.

Conversion Formula

The conversion formula is

physical_value = raw_value *   Factor + Offset

where raw_value is the unpacked signal value. physical_value is the scaled signal value which is saturated using the specified Min and Max values.