Call MATLAB Function Files in MATLAB Function Blocks

Simulate the Model

The model takes the position data of an object stored in a MAT-file and runs the data through a tracking algorithm. The MATLAB Function block labeled Tracking calls a separate MATLAB function file, ex_kalman_f.m, to execute the tracking algorithm. In the model, double-click the Tracking block to see the code that calls ex_kalman_f.m.

function y = kalman(u)
y = ex_kalman_f(u);
end

Open ex_kalman_f.m to view the algorithm. ex_kalman_f.m uses a Kalman filter algorithm to track the location of the object. The algorithm uses two persistent variables. x_est stores the state between time steps and p_ext stores the covariance. The algorithm uses these persistent variables to calculate the estimated location of the object at every time step as the output y.

function y = ex_kalman_f(z)
%#codegen

% Initialize state transition matrix
dt = 1;
A = [ 1 0 dt 0 0 0;...
    0 1 0 dt 0 0;...
    0 0 1 0 dt 0;...
    0 0 0 1 0 dt;...
    0 0 0 0 1 0 ;...
    0 0 0 0 0 1 ];

% Measurement matrix
H = [ 1 0 0 0 0 0; 0 1 0 0 0 0 ];
Q = eye(6);
R = 1000 * eye(2);

% Initial conditions
persistent x_est p_est
if isempty(x_est)
    x_est = zeros(6, 1);
    p_est = zeros(6, 6);
end
% Predicted state and covariance
x_prd = A * x_est;
p_prd = A * p_est * A' + Q;

% Estimation
S = H * p_prd' * H' + R;
B = H * p_prd';
klm_gain = (S \ B)';

% Estimated state and covariance
x_est = x_prd + klm_gain * (z - H * x_prd);
p_est = p_prd - klm_gain * H * p_prd;

% Compute the estimated measurements
y = H * x_est;
end

MATLAB Function block code, and the function files the block calls, must be supported for code generation. Unlike the MATLAB Function block, MATLAB files called by the MATLAB Function block require the %#codegen directive to find code violations that would result in errors during code generation. In this example, ex_kalman_f.m does not have any violations.

After Simulink® calculates the estimated location of the object, the Visualizing block plots the actual and estimated locations of the object by using the MATLAB plot function.

function plot_me(y,z)

persistent h
if isempty(h)
    h = figure;
    hold;
end

N = size(z,2);
title("Trajectory of object [blue] its Kalman estimate[green]");
xlabel("horizontal position");
ylabel("vertical position");

for i = 1:N
    plot(y(1,i), y(2,i), "bx-");
    plot(z(1,i), z(2,i), "go-");
    axis([-1.1, 1.1, -1.1, 1.1]);
    pause(0.02);
end
end

Run the model to watch the data during simulation.

Generate C Code

If you have a license for Embedded Coder® or Simulink Coder™, you can generate C code from MATLAB Function blocks that do not include extrinsic functions. In this example, you cannot generate C code from the Visualizing block because it includes plot and figure, which MATLAB treats as extrinsic functions. For more information, see Use MATLAB Engine to Execute a Function Call in Generated Code (MATLAB Coder). However, you can generate C code for the Tracking block. To generate C code for the Tracking block, right-click the block and click C/C++ Code > Build This Subsystem.

Limitations