Model-Based Development of an FPGA Encoder Simulator for Real-Time Testing of Elevator Controllers

In this paper we present the model-based development (MBD) of a real-time simulator of a CANopen absolute encoder for the functional verification of real-time elevator controllers. Our contribution is a case-study on the present capabilities and limitations of two commercial MBD environments to support the development of real-time test components and their deployment into reconfigurable computing platforms. We discuss the rationale for the model design, the selection of development tools, the validation of the model and its real-time implementation, and how we considered the computing platform constraints when modeling the system. We describe the step-by-step synthesis and deployment of the encoder simulator in the FPGA of a commercial-of-the-shelf NI cRIO real-time controller. We also discuss specific integration and portability issues that arose when migrating the simulator to a variant of the hardware platform. From this experience we conclude that it is possible to successfully use a single model to program diverse HiL devices, provided that both the limits of the model-to-code translators and the IP integration capabilities in the MDB environments were examined beforehand. Finally we put forward an outlook about forthcoming model-based developments of the test system.