Merge
Combine multiple signals into single signal
- Library:
Simulink / Signal Routing
Description
The Merge block combines inputs into a single output. The output value at any time is equal to the most recently computed output of its driving blocks. Specify the number of inputs by setting the parameter Number of inputs parameter.
Use Merge blocks to interleave input signals that update at different times into a combined signal in which the interleaved values retain their separate identities and times. To combine signals that update at the same time into an array or matrix signal, use a Concatenate block.
Guidelines for Using the Merge Block
When you use the Merge block, follow these guidelines:
Always use conditionally executed subsystems to drive Merge blocks.
Ensure that at most one of the driving conditionally executed subsystems executes at any time step.
Ensure that all input signals have the same sample time.
Do not branch a signal that inputs to a Merge block, if you use the default setting of
Classicfor the Model Configuration Parameters > Diagnostics > Underspecified initialization detection parameter.For all conditionally executed subsystem Outport blocks that drive Merge blocks, set the Output when disabled parameter to
held.If the output of a Model block is coming from a MATLAB Function block or a Stateflow® chart, do not connect that output port to the input port of the Merge block.
For each input of a Merge block, the topmost nonatomic and nonvirtual source must be a conditionally executed subsystem that is not an Iterator Subsystem.
The next diagram shows valid Merge block usage, merging signals from two conditionally executed subsystems.
Bus Support
The Merge block is a bus-capable block. The inputs can be virtual or nonvirtual bus signals subject to these restrictions:
The number of inputs must be greater than one.
Initial output must be zero, a nonzero scalar, or a finite numeric structure.
Allow unequal port widths must be disabled.
All inputs to the merge must be buses and must be equivalent (same hierarchy with identical names and attributes for all elements).
All signals in a nonvirtual bus input to a Merge block must have the same sample time. You can use a Rate Transition block to change the sample time of an individual signal, or of all signals in a bus.
Merging S-Function Outputs
The Merge block can merge a signal from an
S-Function block only if the memory used to store the output from
the S-Function is reusable. Simulink® software displays an error message if you attempt to update or
simulate a model that connects a nonreusable port of an S-Function
block to a Merge block. See ssSetOutputPortOptimOpts.
Limitations
All signals that connect to a Merge block, are functionally the same signal. Therefore, they are subject to the restriction that a given signal can have at most one associated signal object. See
Simulink.Signalfor more information.Run-time diagnostics do not run if the inputs to a merge block are from a single initiator. For example, a single initiator could be a Stateflow chart executing function-call subsystems that are connected to a Merge block.
Do not set the outports of conditionally executed subsystems being merged to reset when disabled. This action can cause multiple subsystems to update the block at the same time. Specifically, the disabled subsystem updates the Merge block by resetting its output, while the enabled subsystem updates the block by computing its output.
To prevent this behavior, set the Outport block parameter Output when disabled to
heldfor each conditionally executed subsystem being merged.Note
If you are using Simplified Initialization Mode, set the Outport block parameter Output when disabled to
held.A Merge block does not accept input signals whose elements have been reordered or partially selected. In addition, do not connect input signals to the block that have been combined outside of a conditionally executed subsystem.
You can use an array of buses as an input signal to a Merge block with these limitations:
Allow unequal port widths — Clear this parameter.
Initial condition — You can specify this parameter using:
The value
0. In this case, each of the individual signals in the array of buses use the initial value0.An array of structures that specifies an initial condition for each of the individual signals in the array of buses.
A single scalar structure that specifies an initial condition for each of the elements that the bus type defines. Use this technique to specify the same initial conditions for each of the buses in the array.
Ports
Input
Output
Parameters
Model Examples
Block Characteristics
Data Types |
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Direct Feedthrough |
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Multidimensional Signals |
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Variable-Size Signals |
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Zero-Crossing Detection |
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