addpath([getenv('BCVTB_HOME'), '/lib/matlab']);

Figure 4.15.  Simulink library with the block that connects to the BCVTB.

Figure 4.16.  Model that is encapsulated in the BCVTB Simulink block.

In this model, the block socketIO implements the communication with the BCVTB. It typically need not be modified. However, you will need to open the block selector to adjust the field called Index in the input form shown in Figure 4.17 . This field specifies which elements of the input vector should be selected and used as an output of this block. For example, if we were to require three values, then the field Index needs to be [1 2 3] to select the first, second and third element of the input vector. Entering each element of the vector is inconvenient if a large number of elements needs to be received. In this situation, one can enter, for example, linspace(1,50,50) to retrieve a vector with 50 elements.

In Figure 4.17 , the field Input port size denotes the size of the input vector. It typically need not be changed unless you changed the file bcvtb/lib/defines.h.

Figure 4.17.  Configuration of the selector block that is shown in Figure 4.16.

Next, the sampling time step needs to be set. In this example, we assume that the Simulink simulation needs to be run with a fixed time step of 120 seconds. To implement this configuration, select Simulation -> Configuration Parameters... and configure the input form as shown in Figure 4.18 . Note that we set the stop time to inf since Simulink will receive from the BCVTB interface a signal when the final time is reached. We also set the step size to 120, which is equal to the time step in seconds that will, in this example, be used in the Ptolemy II model.

Figure 4.18.  Configuration of the Simulink solver.

The BCVTB block can now be connected to a model that processes the output from the BCVTB block and produces new input for the BCVTB block. Such an implementation can be found in the model BCVTB/examples/simulink-room/controller.mdl, which is shown in Figure 4.19 .

Figure 4.19.  Simulink block diagram that links the controller with the block that communicates with Ptolemy II.

To start Simulink from Ptolemy II, a Ptolemy II model needs to be created. The model BCVTB/examples/simulink-room/system.xml that is shown in Figure 4.20 may be used as a starting point.

Figure 4.20.  Ptolemy II system model that links the Simulator actor that communicates with MATLAB with an actor that computes the room temperature and with an actor that plots the results as the simulation progresses.

In this model, the Simulator actor that calls Simulink is configured as shown in Figure 4.21 .

Figure 4.21.  Configuration of the Simulator actor that calls MATLAB on Linux.