Simulink-based Software Radio Hardware Co-simulation Technology

Software radio technology has made tremendous development in civilcommunication, which promotes the process of rapid market-oriented software radioproducts. For detecting problems earlier in the design and improving the reliability ofthe design, digital signal processing of software radio system has Stringentrequirements in design flow and simulation.However, the traditional design process and the simulation method separatealgorithm simulation from functional simulation. At first algorithm simulation, thenwriting the algorithm model for HDL code, and then functional simulation, the processfaces the following problems:(1) two simulation tools need to design two sets of simulation environment, andensure the consistency of the simulation environment.(2) The algorithm design to physical implementation need to write a lot of code,when the application replace, the algorithm can not be reused.(3) The slow simulink simulation speed and the repeated FPGA compilation istime-consuming, resulting in the design cycle too long.Learning from the idea of hardware and software co-simulation, this paper proposessoftware radio hardware co-simulation based on the Simulink.First, to integrate algorithm simulation tools and functional simulation tools, thispaper has researched the S-function. S function is a function of MATLAB special callformat, which can not be called directly by other languages, using C Mex S-functionpackaged C language algorithm into Simulink simulation module, which made thealgorithm simulation and functional simulation in the same environment.Second, to complete the algorithm design directly conversion to the physicalimplementation, this paper has explored the automatic HDL code generationtechnology, In System Generator environment, the Simulink model RTL code isgenerated by the Core Generator, using Xflow compilation flow, flexibility addingcustom top and modules,can complete implementation of the RTL code, andautomatically generate from Simulink models to FPGA bits with the scriptingtools,which avoided the processing of the hardware interface, and the algorithm can bemultiplexed.Third, to raise simulink and FPGA hardware co-simulation speed. this paper hasdesigned Socket client and server, Gigabit Ethernet interfaces provided by thehardware platform, using the TCP transport protocol, establish reliable communicationbetween Simulink and FPGA. compared to pure Simulink simulation, the FPGAhardware simulation speed is increased by at least30times, shortening the designcycle. In this paper, the hardware co-simulation technology, the most direct sense, canimprove simulation speed, detect problems and solve the problem earlier,and speed upthe progress of the design; specific meaning, the algorithm simulation and functionalsimulation integrated in the same environment, which made algorithm design directlyconverted for the physical implementation, avoiding the intermediate interfaceProcessing; more general sense, these techniques can be applied to the hardwareco-simulation of custom Xilinx FPGA platform, and enrich hardware co-simulationstudy,which has a good reference value and commercial value.