xPC Target

Overview

xPC Target includes hardware driver support for a range of commercial off-the-shelf I/O boards and runs on PC-compatible target computer hardware. To develop your own real-time testing solution for xPC Target, you use a PC-compatible target computer with one of the many I/O boards supported by the library of I/O drivers. You purchase these boards directly from the manufacturer and install them in your target computer to complete your own real-time testing solution.

There are many combinations of components that you can use to create a PC-compatible target computer, but not all PC-compatible computers perform equally well under real-time conditions. Some combinations of components can affect performance, such as certain combinations of BIOS settings, network cards, and open PCI slots. If you choose to develop your own real-time testing solution by purchasing and assembling a PC-compatible target computer, you are responsible for ensuring that it performs well under real-time conditions.

For a fully assembled real-time testing solution that is optimized for Simulink and xPC Target, see xPC Target Turnkey.

If you need to use an I/O board for which no xPC Target I/O driver exists, go to the Additional Information tab for access to the Guide for Writing Device Drivers for xPC Target. It offers assistance for writing your own driver through examples and source code provided with xPC Target.

Contact your local sales representative to set up an engineering assessment for your real-time testing project or application.

I/O Drivers

xPC Target includes I/O drivers for a variety of commercial-off-the-shelf I/O boards from multiple board manufacturers. The I/O boards cover a range of I/O types, such as analog input and output, digital input and output, counter/timers, and communication protocols.

The I/O boards also cover a range of performance, accuracy, channel counts, and form factors. To develop your own real-time testing solution, select the I/O boards that fit your project and application, purchase the boards from the manufacturer, and install them in your target computer.

Additional Information

If you develop your own real-time testing solution by purchasing and assembling a PC-compatible target computer, you are responsible for its performance under real-time conditions. For assistance in this process, review the following information about supported Ethernet chipsets and performance benchmarks.

Supported Ethernet Chipsets
Benchmark comparisons

If you need to use an I/O board for which no xPC Target I/O driver exists, you can write your own driver using examples and source code in the following guide, provided with xPC Target:

Guide for Writing Device Drivers for xPC Target (login required).

To get started with the tools and techniques for executing and verifying Simulink and Stateflow models in real-time using xPC Target, the MathWorks consulting team offers the xPC Target Jumpstart Service.

To request technical assistance, contact support directly.

To request additional hardware driver support or functionality, complete the following form. The information that you provide will help the development team plan future product releases.