System speeds automotive controller design

The MathWorks and Accurate Technologies (ATI) have developed a powerful, cost-effective rapid prototyping and calibration system for automotive powertrain design.

The MathWorks and Accurate Technologies (ATI) have developed a powerful, cost-effective rapid prototyping and calibration system for automotive powertrain design.

Vision-RP from ATI provides an integrated tool for rapid prototyping and calibration, allowing users to acquire data from electronic control unit (ECU) software and Simulink diagrams simultaneously using the same Vision graphical user interface.

By configuring xPC TargetBox, the MathWorks industrial PC hardware system for rapid prototyping of embedded control systems, with Vision-RP, ATI's universal vehicle/electronic control unit calibration and data acquisition system, powertrain engineers are provided with seamless integration between the calibration capability of Vision and the rapid prototyping capability of Matlab, Simulink and xPC Target.

As a result, engineers can calibrate and acquire data from base ECU software, ECU strategy data items and Simulink bypass models, while the control system is running in real time.

Additionally, a high-speed ATI communications I/O card within xPC TargetBox provides a variety of target ECU connections, such as memory emulation, CAN, AUD and Nexus interfaces, using standard ATI hardware.

"Working with The MathWorks has allowed ATI to build on its commitment to helping our customers produce zero defect automotive products", said Siegfried Roeck, Executive Vice President of ATI.

"The partnership has allowed us to increase Vision-RP's capabilities and provide our customers with a first class tool that aids powertrain engineers significantly by providing a complete solution for rapid prototyping and calibration.

There are two Vision-RP and xPC TargetBox systems running at Ford Motor Company in North America and the United Kingdom, and more systems are currently being deployed".

With the release of Vision-RP, ATI will introduce a proprietary patent-pending capability allowing companies with existing RISC-based, production intent control systems to apply these systems for rapid prototyping without having to use "software bypass hooks" or any alterations to the source code of the controller software.

The need for software bypass hooks is a large contributing factor to the complexity of traditional rapid prototyping systems.

"The elimination of software bypass hooks can be seen as one of the largest time-saving advancements in the automotive control system development process in recent years", said Roeck.

"By collaborating with ATI to create this powerful and cost-effective solution, The MathWorks is able to provide its automotive customers increased benefits in the area of powertrain design and calibration", said Mike Dickens, Technical Marketing Manager at The MathWorks.

"The MathWorks model-based design and simulation tools have assisted many automotive companies in their day-to-day engineering challenges, and partnering with a leading control design tools company like ATI demonstrates our strong ongoing commitment to providing an extended range of capabilities for this market".

Vision-RP will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2003.

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