Adapter

Connect components with different interfaces

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Description

The Adapter block allows you to connect the source and destination ports of components that have different interface definitions.

To add or connect System Composer™ components:

• Add an Adapter block from the Modeling tab or the palette. The Adapter block has In and Out ports.

• Click and drag a port to create a connection. Connect each port to another component. You can also create a new component to complete the connection.

• Insert an Adapter block between two ports with different interfaces. You can create mappings between interface elements on each port.

To map between interfaces, apply interface conversions, and enter bus creation mode for architecture models:

• Double-click the Adapter block to open the Interface Adapter dialog. In the dialog box, you can create and edit mappings between input and output interfaces, and set the Apply Interface conversion parameter to UnitDelay to break an algebraic loop or RateTransition to reconcile different sample time rates for reference models. When output interfaces are undefined, you can use input interfaces in bus creation mode to author owned output interfaces.

When you have Simulink^® component behaviors with signal or message lines, then to merge message connections for architecture models and signal or message connections for software architecture models:

• Manually configure the Adapter block by double-clicking the block to open the Interface Adapter. Set the Apply Interface conversion parameter to Merge.

• For software architecture models, from the toolstrip, add a Merge block, which is a preconfigured Adapter block for merging.

Examples

Interface Adapter

Specify interfaces between components assigned to ports.

• Open Live Script

Merge Message Connections for Architectures Using Adapter Block

Use an Adapter block to route messages between reference components in a system architecture.

• Open Live Script

Merge Message Connections Using Adapter Block

Use a Merge block to route messages between software components in a software architecture.

• Open Live Script

Limitations

• When used for structural interface adaptations, the Adapter block uses bus element ports internally and, subsequently, only supports virtual buses.

• The Adapter block does not support mixing messages and signals as inputs and outputs.

• When used in AUTOSAR architecture models, the names of corresponding input and output interface elements must match.

Ports

Input

Source — Input connection from a component

interface

If you connect to a source component, the interfaces on the ports should be compatible.

Output

Destination — Output connection to a component

interface

If you connect to a destination component, the interfaces on the ports should be compatible.

More About

Definitions

Term	Definition	Application	More Information
interface data dictionary	An interface data dictionary is a consolidated list of interfaces and value types in an architecture and where you use them in the architecture.	You can save local interfaces on a System Composer model in an interface data dictionary using the Interface Editor. You can reuse data dictionaries between models that need to use a given set of interfaces, elements, and value types. Data dictionaries that you link to models are stored in separate SLDD files.	Manage Interfaces with Data Dictionaries Reference Data Dictionaries
data interface	A data interface defines the kind of information that flows through a port. The same interface can be assigned to multiple ports. A data interface can be composite, meaning that it can include data elements that describe the properties of an interface signal.	Data interfaces represent the information that is shared through a connector and enters or exits a component through a port. Use the Interface Editor to create and manage data interfaces and data elements and store them in an interface data dictionary for reuse between models.	Create Architecture Model with Interfaces and Requirement Links Define Port Interfaces Between Components
data element	A data element describes a portion of an interface, such as a communication message, a calculated or measured parameter, or other decomposition of that interface.	Data interfaces are decomposed into data elements: Pins or wires in a connector or harness. Messages transmitted across a bus. Data structures shared between components.	Create Interfaces Assign Interfaces to Ports
value type	A value type can be used as a port interface to define the atomic piece of data that flows through that port and has a top-level type, dimension, unit, complexity, minimum, maximum, and description.	You can also assign the type of data elements in data interfaces to value types. Add value types to data dictionaries using the Interface Editor so that you can reuse the value types as interfaces or data elements.	Create Value Types as Interfaces
owned interface	An owned interface is an interface that is local to a specific port and not shared in a data dictionary or the model dictionary.	Create an owned interface to represent a value type or data interface that is local to a port.	Define Owned Interfaces Local to Ports
adapter	An adapter connects two components with incompatible port interfaces by mapping between the two interfaces. An adapter can act as a unit delay, rate transition, or merge. You can also use an adapter for bus creation. Use the Adapter block to implement an adapter.	With an adapter, you can perform functions on the Interface Adapter dialog box: Create and edit mappings between input and output interfaces. Apply an interface conversion UnitDelay to break an algebraic loop. Apply an interface conversion RateTransition to reconcile different sample time rates for reference models. Apply an interface conversion Merge to merge two or more message or signal lines. When output interfaces are undefined, you can use input interfaces in bus creation mode to author owned output interfaces.	Interface Adapter Adapter

Version History

Introduced in R2019a