Simulating control algorithms from embedded systems for generation of optimized code

Abstract

Modern design of embedded systems is based on a microcontroller who's running a real time operating system. The big numbers of tasks that must be performed without affecting the system performances imply a lot of software analysis. A critical part in embedded system software is the part related to control algorithms: it is important to have a correct command in a critical amount of time. The simple way for checking the control algorithms time constrain is to simulate on real-time platforms together with plant models. Simulating embedded systems control software can show us the weak part of the software, the part where code can be simplify in order to improve the execution time and reduce the product time to market. A powerful tool providing us very good result is xPC-Target from MATLAB/Simulink.