Virtual Instrumentation – Accelerating

Automotive Test Development

“Developing Complex Systems Faster and Cheaper”

Davide Palandella
Automotive Accounts Manager
Test Development Accelerators

Abstraction – Fast Development

Reconfiguration – Fast Adaptation
Integration – Fast Assessment
Test Development Accelerators

Abstraction – Fast Development

Reconfiguration – Fast Adaptation
Integration – Fast Assessment
 Expanding the Scope of Efficiency

Graphical System Design

I/O, Software & Models
Design Efficiency

Virtual Instrumentation
I/O and Software
Box Instrumentation
I/O

1970’s 1980’s 1990’s 2000’s

Measurement Application Design

Centric Centric Centric
…Software Defines The Functionality

Car Radio
 Abstraction – Enabling Technologies
Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)

PROGRAMMABLE I/O BLOCK

INTERCONNECT

Source: Xilinx

CONFIGURABLE LOGIC BLOCK (CLB)

Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices feature a reconfigurable digital

circuit architecture with a matrix of Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs)
surrounded by a periphery of I/O Blocks. Signals can be routed within the FPGA
matrix in any arbitrary manner by Programmable Interconnect switches and
wire routes.
 Abstraction – Enabling Technologies
Graphically Programming for FPGAs
E F

VHDL

A
B
C
D
Z

W X Y F = {(A+B)CD} ⊕ E
Application-Ready FPGA Platform
• Integrated I/O
• High performance
• Truly parallel
• Flexible
• Reliable
• Software configurable

www.ni.com / ipnet
 Accelerating Platform - Control: CompactRIO

Point-to-Point C Series
FPGA FPGA Data Links Parallel I/O
LabVIEW
Real-Time

Thread-Safe
Libraries

Multithreaded
RT OS

LabVIEW FPGA
CompactRIO - In-Vehicle Datalogger
• Application: Vehicle Datalogger
– Portable, rugged and extremely
versatile
– Onboard analysis and diagnostics
– Easily and single-handedly navigate all
device functions
– In-vehicle, laboratory, environmental
chamber, wind tunnel, endurance,
calibration/diagnostics
• Platform: CompactRIO
• Software: LabVIEW, Real-Time
and FPGA
Test Development Accelerators

Abstraction – Fast Development

Reconfiguration – Fast Adaptation
Integration – Fast Assessment
The Future Of Virtual Instrumentation

Research/ Design and Verification/ Manufacturing and

Modeling Simulation Validation Deployment

Virtual World Physical World

A Typical Design Cycle

Theory and Design and Board and Silicon Manufacturing and

Research Simulation Prototype Deployment

Cost of
Finding a
Bug

Virtual World Physical World

Test Refines Simulation and Validation

Road Load
Data Flow

RLD Measurements

Courtesy of API COM

 High-Level Design Models
Dataflow C Code Textual Math Simulation Statechart
#include"eio\cmd565\Shared\Shared.h"

{
unsigned short *AccessArea;
unsigned short RegisterMask;

static unsigned long int RegOffset;

static int Initialized=0;

if(!Initialized) {
Initialized=1;

/*GETIMMR*/
GetRegOffset(RegOffset);
}

/*WRITEDDR*/
RegisterMask=1<<CHANNEL;
Channel AccessArea=0x306102+RegOffset;
CHANNEL *AccessArea=(*AccessArea)&(~RegisterMask); /* Set the right bit to zero */

/*READDI*/ Output
AccessArea=0x306100+RegOffset; /* Skip to data register */
RESULT=(*AccessArea)&RegisterMask; RESULT
0 RESULT
}

LabVIEW
Graphical System Design Platform

Desktop Real-Time FPGA Microprocessors

Benefits of LabVIEW Graphical System Design
Simulation Configurable

Graphical Dataflow

State Diagram Math Script

LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation Module
• Easily create interactive
control design and analysis VIs
• Model construction,
conversion, and reduction
• Time and frequency response
• Dynamic characteristics
• Classical control design
- root locus, PID, lead/lag ...
• State-space control and
estimation - LQR, LQG, pole
placement, Kalman filter ...
 LabVIEW Statechart Module
Statechart in LabVIEW
• Complex State Machines
• State-based Control
• User Interfaces
• Communication protocols

Deploy Statecharts on
• Desktop
• Real-time Controllers
• FPGAs
• Embedded Systems
• Touch Panels
ni.com/statechart
NI LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit (SIT)

• Use the LabVIEW Simulation

Interface Toolkit to:
– Build powerful user interfaces for
models developed in the
Simulink environment
– Interact with, view, and control
models from LabVIEW
– Deploy models to real-time
hardware with LabVIEW Real-
Time*
*Requires The MathWorks, Inc. Real-Time Workshop®
.
Real-Time Workshop® is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
NI LabVIEW Simulation Interface Toolkit (SIT)
LabVIEW Front Panel Simulation Model

LabVIEW Controls
SIT Connection Manager Model Parameters
and Indicators and Signals
NI PXI – Engine Test Simulator
MicroNova Uses LabVIEW FPGA for Exact and
Comprehensive Engine Simulation to test the engine
ECU in a BMW 12-cyclinder hydrogen-based series car

Intel-based PC
running Windows

Engine
Control Unit
(ECU)
Intel-based PXI System
running Real-Time Operating System
(Simulates a BMW)
Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation Architecture
Host PC Test Data
Management and
Test Automation Post-Processing

User Interface Simulation Models

FPGA
Simulation Models
Model Signals
Test Vectors
Test Results
Parameter Values/Sets

Real-Time Target Sensor Simulation

Analog Out
Real-Time Test
Digital Out
Sequencing
CAN Out
Custom HIL Out
Plant Model Control Unit
Simulation Actuator
Simulation
Analog In
Digital In
Test Data CAN In
Logging Custom HIL In
 The Deployment Curve

I/O
I/O
System Flexibility and Price

I/O
Processor FPGA

PXI RIO
Custom I/O

PCI RIO

CompactRIO
Modular LabVIEW
CompactRIO
Integrated

Number of Systems Deployed

Making Test&Control Integral to the Design Cycle

Research/ Design, Prototype, Manufacturing and

Modeling and Test Deployment
Making Test&Control Integral to the Design Cycle

Virtual Instrumentation –
Research/ Design, Prototype, Manufacturing and

Accelerating Automotive Test Development

Modeling and Test Deployment