Signal Conversion

Convert signal to new type without altering signal values

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  • Library:

  • Simulink / Signal Attributes

    HDL Coder / Signal Attributes

  • Signal Conversion block

Description

The Signal Conversion block converts a signal from one type to another. To select the type of conversion to perform, use the Output parameter or one of these preconfigured Signal Conversion blocks:

  • Signal Copy block

  • To Virtual Bus block

  • To Nonvirtual Bus block

Ports

Input

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Input signal to convert, specified as a scalar, vector, matrix, or N-D array.

Data Types: single | double | half | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | string | Boolean | fixed point | enumerated | bus

Output

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Output signal is the input signal converted to the specified type.

Data Types: single | double | half | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | Boolean | fixed point | enumerated | bus

Parameters

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Specify the type of conversion to perform. The type of conversion that you use depends on your modeling goal.

Modeling GoalOutput Option

Reduce generated code for a muxed signal.

For an example involving Simulink® Coder™ software, see Generate Reentrant Code from Subsystems (Simulink Coder).

Signal copy

Connect a block with a constant sample time to an output port of an enabled subsystem.

Signal copy

Save memory by converting a nonvirtual bus to a virtual bus.

Virtual bus

Pass a virtual bus to a modeling construct that requires a nonvirtual bus, such as a Model block.

Nonvirtual bus

  • The Signal copy option is the default. The type of conversion that the Signal Conversion block performs using the Signal copy option depends on the type of input signal.

    Type of Input SignalConversion That the Signal Copy Option Performs
    Muxed (nonbus) signal

    Converts the muxed signal, whose elements occupy discontiguous areas of memory, to a vector signal, whose elements occupy contiguous areas of memory. The conversion allocates a contiguous area of memory for the elements of the muxed signal and copies the values from the discontiguous areas (represented by the block input) to the contiguous areas (represented by the block output) at each time step.

    Bus

    Outputs a contiguous copy of the bus that is the input to the Signal Conversion block.

    For an array of buses input signal, use the Signal copy option.

  • The Virtual bus option converts a nonvirtual bus to a virtual bus.

  • The Nonvirtual bus option converts a virtual bus to a nonvirtual bus.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: ConversionOutput
Type: character vector
Values: 'Signal copy' | 'Virtual bus' | 'Nonvirtual bus'
Default: 'Signal copy'

Specify the output data type of the nonvirtual bus that the Signal Conversion block produces.

This option is available only when you set the Output parameter to Nonvirtual bus.

The default option is Inherit: auto, which uses a rule that inherits a data type.

Specify a Simulink.Bus object in the Data type parameter for one or both of the following blocks:

If you specify a bus object for the Signal Conversion block, but not for its upstream Bus Creator block, then use a bus object that matches the hierarchy of the bus that upstream Bus Creator block outputs.

If you specify a bus object for both the Signal Conversion block and its upstream Bus Creator block, use the same bus object for both blocks.

Click the Show data type assistant button to display the Data Type Assistant, which helps you set the data type attributes. For more information, see Specify Data Types Using Data Type Assistant.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Output to Nonvirtual bus.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: OutDataTypeStr
Type: character vector
Values: 'Inherit: auto' | 'Bus: <object name>' | '<data type expression>'
Default: 'Inherit: auto'

This option is available only when you set the Output parameter to Signal copy. If the elements of the input signal occupy contiguous areas of memory, then as an optimization, Simulink software eliminates the block from the compiled model. If you select the Exclude this block from 'Block reduction' optimization check box, the optimization occurs the next time you compile the model. For more information, see Block reduction.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: OverrideOpt
Type: character vector
Values: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Model Examples

Create Contiguous Copy of a Bus Signal

Create Contiguous Copy of a Bus Signal

Use the Signal Conversion block to create a contiguous copy of a bus signal.

Open Model
Convert Virtual Bus to a Nonvirtual Bus

Convert Virtual Bus to a Nonvirtual Bus

In this example, the Signal Conversion block converts a virtual bus signal from the first Bus Selector block to a nonvirtual bus signal that inputs to the second Bus Selector block.

Open Model
Convert Nonvirtual Bus to Virtual Bus

Convert Nonvirtual Bus to Virtual Bus

In this example, the Signal Conversion block converts the nonvirtual bus signal from the Bus Creator block to a virtual bus signal that inputs to the Bus Selector block.

Open Model
Convert Muxed Signal to a Vector

Convert Muxed Signal to a Vector

Use the Signal Conversion block to convert a muxed input signal to a vector.

Open Model

Block Characteristics

Data Types

Boolean | double | enumerated | fixed point | half | integer | single | string

Direct Feedthrough

yes

Multidimensional Signals

yes

Variable-Size Signals

yes

Zero-Crossing Detection

no

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

PLC Code Generation
Generate Structured Text code using Simulink® PLC Coder™.

Fixed-Point Conversion
Design and simulate fixed-point systems using Fixed-Point Designer™.

See Also

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Topics

Introduced before R2006a

Simulink Documentation

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