Main Content

Linear Step Response Plot, Check Linear Step Response Characteristics

Step response of linear system computed from nonlinear Simulink model

expand all in page
  • Linear Step Response Plot block

Libraries:
Simulink Control Design / Linear Analysis Plots
Simulink Control Design / Model Verification

Description

The Linear Step Response Plot and Check Linear Step Response Characteristics blocks compute a linear system from a nonlinear Simulink® model and plot the step response of the linear system during simulation. These blocks are identical except for the default settings on the Bounds tab.

  • The Linear Step Response Plot does not define default bounds.

  • The Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block defines default bounds and enables these bounds for assertion.

For more information on time domain analysis of linear systems, see Time-Domain Responses.

During simulation, the software linearizes the portion of the model between specified linearization inputs and outputs and then plots the step response of the linear system. You also can save the linear system as a variable in the MATLAB® workspace.

The Simulink model can be continuous- or discrete-time or multirate and can have time delays. Because you can specify only one linearization input/output pair in this block, the linear system is Single-Input Single-Output (SISO).

You can specify step response bounds and view them on the plot. You can also check that the bounds are satisfied during simulation:

  • If all bounds are satisfied, the block does nothing.

  • If a bound is not satisfied, the block asserts and a warning message appears in the MATLAB Command Window. You can also specify that the block:

    • Evaluate a MATLAB expression.

    • Stop the simulation and bring that block into focus.

During simulation, the block can also output a logical assertion signal.

  • If all bounds are satisfied, the signal is true (1).

  • If any bound is not satisfied, the signal is false (0).

To compute and plot the step response of various portions of your model, you can add multiple Linear Step Response Plot and Check Linear Step Response Characteristics blocks.

These blocks do not support code generation and can be used only in Normal simulation mode.

Examples

Plot Linear System Characteristics of a Chemical Reactor

Plot Linear System Characteristics of a Chemical Reactor

Visualize linear system characteristics of nonlinear Simulink models at triggered simulation events.

Verify Frequency-Domain Characteristics of an Aircraft

Verify Frequency-Domain Characteristics of an Aircraft

Simulink Control Design™ software provides blocks that you can add to Simulink models to check that the linear response of the model satisfies frequency-domain characteristics during simulation.

Ports

Input

expand all

Use this input port (indicated by External trigger icon) to connect an external trigger signal for computing the model linearization. To specify the type of trigger signal to detect, use the Trigger type parameter.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set the Linearize on parameter to External trigger.

Output

expand all

Output the value of the assertion signal as a logical value. If any bound specified on the Bounds tab is violated, the assertion signal is false (0). Otherwise, this signal is true (1).

By default, the data type of the output signal is double. To set the output data type as Boolean, in the Simulink model, in the Configuration Parameters dialog box, select the Implement logic signals as Boolean data parameter. This setting applies to all blocks in the model that generate logic signals.

You can use the assertion signal to design complex assertion logic. For an example, see Verify Model Using Simulink Control Design and Simulink Verification Blocks.

Dependencies

To enable this port, select the Output assertion signal parameter.

Parameters

expand all

To view gain and phase margins computed during a simulation, click this button before starting the simulation. If you specify bounds on the Bounds tab, they are also shown on the plot.

To show the plot when opening the block, select the Show plot on block open parameter.

For more information on using the plot, see Using the Plot.

Select this parameter to open the plot when opening the block. You can then perform tasks, such as adding or modifying bounds, in the plot window instead of using the block parameters. To access the block parameters from the plot window, select Edit or click Parameter icon.

For more information on using the plot, see Using the Plot.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LaunchViewOnOpen
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Open the Response Optimizer app to optimize the model response to meet the design requirements specified on the Bounds tab.

This button is available only if you have Simulink Design Optimization™ software installed.

For more information on response optimization, see Design Optimization to Meet Step Response Requirements (GUI) (Simulink Design Optimization) and Design Optimization to Meet Time-Domain and Frequency-Domain Requirements (GUI) (Simulink Design Optimization).

Linearizations

To specify the portion of the model to linearize and other linearization settings, use the parameters on the Linearizations tab. The default settings on this tab are the same for the Linear Step Response Plot and Check Linear Step Response Characteristics blocks.

To specify the portion of the model to linearize, select signals from the Simulink model and add them as linearization inputs or outputs.

Linearization input and output table

In the table, the Block:Port:Bus Element column shows the following information for each signal.

  • Source block

  • Output port of the source block to which the signal is connected

  • Bus element name (if the signal is in a bus)

In the Configuration column, select the type of linear analysis point from the following types. For more information on linear analysis points, see Specify Portion of Model to Linearize.

  • Open-loop Input — Specifies a linearization input point after a loop opening

  • Open-loop Output — Specifies a linearization output point before a loop opening

  • Loop Transfer — Specifies an output point before a loop opening followed by an input

  • Input Perturbation — Specifies an additive input to a signal

  • Output Measurement — Takes a measurement at a signal

  • Loop Break — Specifies a loop opening

  • Sensitivity — Specifies an additive input followed by an output measurement

  • Complementary Sensitivity — Specifies an output followed by an additive input

Note

If you simulate the model without specifying a linearization input or output, the software generates a warning in the MATLAB Command Window and does not compute a linear system.

Edit Linearization Inputs and Outputs

To add linearization inputs and outputs:

  1. To expand the signal selection area, click Plus.

    The dialog box expands to display a Click a signal in the model to select it area.

  2. In the Simulink model, select one or more signals.

    The selected signals appear in the Model signal table.

    Signal table with signal added

  3. (Optional) For bus signals, expand the bus to select individual elements.

    Tip

    For large buses or other large lists of signals, you can filter the signal names. In the Filter by name box, enter search text. The name match is case-sensitive.

    To modify the filtering options, click Down arrow. For more information on filtering options, see the Enable regular expression and Show filtered results as a flat list parameters.

  4. To add the selected signal to the Linearization inputs/outputs table, click Left arrow.

  5. In the Configuration column, specify the signal type.

Alternatively, if you have linearization inputs and outputs defined in your model, you can add them to the Linearization inputs/outputs table by clicking Import icon.

To remove a signal from the Linearization inputs/outputs table, select the signal and click Delete icon.

To highlight the source block of a signal in the Simulink model, select the signal in the Linearization inputs/outputs table and click Highlight icon.

Select this option to enable the use of MATLAB regular expressions for filtering signal names. For example, entering t$ in the Filter by name text box displays all signals whose names end with a lowercase t (and their immediate parents). For more information, see Regular Expressions.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, click Down arrow next to the Filter by name text box.

Select this option to display the list of filtered signals in a flat list format. The flat list format uses dot notation to reflect the hierarchy of bus signals. The signals are filtered based on the text in the Filter by name text box.

The following figure shows an example of the flat list format for a filtered set of nested bus signals.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, click Down arrow next to the Filter by name text box.

Use this parameter to specify when you want to compute a linear model.

To compute linear models at specified simulation snapshot times, set this parameter to Simulation snapshots. Specify snapshot times using the Snapshot times parameter.

Use simulation snapshots when you:

  • Know one or more times when the model is at a steady-state operating point

  • Want to compute linear systems at specific times

To compute linear models at trigger-based simulation events, set this parameter to External trigger. Selecting this option adds a trigger input port to the block, to which you connect your external trigger signal. To specify the type of trigger to detect, use the Trigger type parameter.

Use an external trigger when a signal generated during simulation indicates that the model is at a steady-state condition of interest. For example, for an aircraft model, you might want to compute the linear system whenever the fuel mass is a given fraction of the maximum fuel mass.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: LinearizeAt
Type: character vector
Value: 'SnapshotTimes' | 'ExternalTrigger'
Default: 'SnapshotTimes'

To compute a linear system at specific simulation times, such as a time that you know the model reaches a steady state operating point, specify one or more snapshot times. To specify multiple snapshot times, specify this parameter as a vector of positive values.

Snapshot times must be less than or equal to the simulation time specified in the Simulink model.

For examples of linearizing a model at simulation snapshot times, see:

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the Linearize on parameter to Simulation snapshots.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SnapshotTimes
Type: character vector
Value: '0' | positive real value | vector of positive real values
Default: '0'

Specify the trigger to detect in the external trigger signal as one of the following types.

  • Rising edge — Use the rising edge of the trigger signal; that is, when the signal changes from 0 to 1.

  • Falling edge — Use the falling edge of the trigger signal; that is, when the signal changes from 1 to 0.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the Linearize on parameter to External trigger.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: TriggerType
Type: character vector
Value: 'rising' | 'falling'
Default: 'rising'

Select this option to enable zero-crossing detection.

When you set the Linearize on parameter to Simulation snapshots, enabling zero-crossing detection ensures that the software computes the linear model at the exact snapshot times you specify in the Snapshot times parameter.

When you set the Linearize on parameter to External trigger, enabling zero-crossing detection ensures that the software computes the linear model at the exact time that the external trigger is detected. To specify the type of trigger, use the Trigger type parameter.

If you clear this option, the software computes the linear system at simulation times selected by the variable-step Simulink solver, which might not correspond to an exact snapshot time or the exact time when a trigger signal is detected.

For example, consider the case where the variable-step solver selects simulation times Tn–1 and Tn. As shown in the following figure, the specified snapshot time Tsnap can be between the selected simulation times. If you enable zero-crossing detection, the solver also simulates the model at time Tsnap and computes the linear model at this point.

Similarly, the external trigger can be detected at a time Ttrig that is between the selected simulation times. If you enable zero-crossing detection, the solver also simulates the model at time Ttrig and computes the linear model at this point.

In both cases, if you do not enable zero-crossing detection, the software computes the linear model at either Tn–1 or Tn.

For more information on zero-crossing detection, see Zero-Crossing Detection.

Dependencies

This parameter is ignored when you use a fixed-step Simulink solver.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: ZeroCross
Type: character vector
Value: 'on' | 'off'
Default: 'on'

Select this option to compute a linear model with exact delays. If you clear this option, the linear model uses Padé approximations of any delays.

For more information on linearizing models with delays, see Linearize Models with Delays.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: UseExactDelayModel
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

To compute a linear system with the specified sample time, the software coverts sample times in the model using the method you specify in the Sample time rate conversion method parameter.

You can set the sample time to one of the following values.

  • auto — If all blocks in the model are continuous-time, use a sample time of 0. Otherwise, set the sample time to the least common multiple of the nonzero sample times in the model.

  • Positive finite value — Create a discrete-time model with the specified sample time.

  • 0 — Create a continuous-time model.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SampleTime
Type: character vector
Value: 'auto' | positive finite value | '0'
Default: 'auto'

Method for converting sample times during linearization, specified as one of the following values.

  • Zero-Order Hold — Zero-order hold, where the control inputs are assumed piecewise constant over the sample time Ts. This method usually performs better in the time domain.

  • Tustin (bilinear) — Bilinear (Tustin) approximation without frequency prewarping. The software rounds off fractional time delays to the nearest multiple of the sampling time. This method usually performs better in the frequency domain.

  • Tustin with Prewarping — Bilinear (Tustin) approximation with frequency prewarping. Specify the prewarp frequency using the Prewarp frequency parameter. This method usually performs better in the frequency domain. Use this method to ensure matching in a frequency region of interest.

  • Upsampling when possible, Zero-Order Hold otherwise — Upsample a discrete-time system when possible; otherwise, use a zero-order hold.

  • Upsampling when possible, Tustin otherwise — Upsample a discrete-time system when possible; otherwise, use a Tustin approximation.

  • Upsampling when possible, Tustin with Prewarping otherwise — Upsample a discrete-time system when possible; otherwise, use a Tustin approximation with frequency prewarping.

You can upsample only when you convert a discrete-time system to a new faster sample time that is an integer multiple of the sample time of the original system.

For more information on rate conversion and linearization of multirate models, see:

Note

If you use a rate conversion method other than Zero-Order Hold, the converted states no longer have the same physical meaning as the original states. As a result, the state names in the resulting LTI system change to '?'.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the Linear system sample time parameter to a value other than auto.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: RateConversionMethod
Type: character vector
Value: 'zoh' | 'tustin' | 'prewarp'| 'upsampling_zoh'| 'upsampling_tustin'| 'upsampling_prewarp'
Default: 'zoh'

Prewarp frequency for Tustin rate conversion in radians per second, specified as a scalar value less than the Nyquist frequency before and after resampling.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the Sample time rate conversion method parameter to one of the following values.

  • Tustin with Prewarping

  • Upsampling when possible, Tustin with Prewarping otherwise

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: PreWarpFreq
Type: character vector
Value: positive scalar
Default: '10'

To show the state, input, and output names of the computed linear system using their full block path, select this parameter. For example, in the scdcstr model used in the Plot Linear System Characteristics of a Chemical Reactor example, a state in the Integrator1 block of the CSTR subsystem appears with full path as scdcstr/CSTR/Integrator1.

If you clear this parameter, only the names of the states, inputs, and outputs are used, which is useful when the signal names are unique and you know their locations in your Simulink model. In the preceding example, the state name of the integrator block appears as Integrator1.

The computed linear system is a state-space object (ss). The state, input, and output names for the system appear in the following state-space object properties.

Input, Output, or State NameState-Space Object Property
Linearization input namesInputName
Linearization output namesOutputName
State namesStateName

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: UseFullBlockNameLabels
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

When you select an entire bus as a linearization input or output, select this parameter to use the signal names of the individual bus elements in the computed linear system. If you do not enable this option, the bus channel numbers are used instead.

Note

Selecting an entire bus signal is not recommended. Instead, select individual bus elements.

Bus signal names appear when the linearization input or output is from one of the following blocks.

  • Root-level inport block containing a bus object

  • Bus creator block

  • Subsystem block whose source traces back to the output of a bus creator block

  • Subsystem block whose source traces back to a root-level inport by passing through only virtual or nonvirtual subsystem boundaries

Dependencies

Using this parameter is not supported when your model contains mux/bus mixtures.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: UseBusSignalLabels
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Bounds

To define bounds on step response characteristics and specify whether to check for violations of these bounds, use the parameters on the Bounds tab. The default settings on this tab are different for the Linear Step Response Plot and Check Linear Step Response Characteristics blocks.

Select this parameter to check whether the step response characteristics violate the bounds specified on the Bounds tab.

By default, this parameter is cleared for the Linear Step Response Plot block and selected for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Dependencies

This parameter is used for assertion only if you select the Enable assertion parameter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: EnableStepResponseBound
Type: character vector
Value: 'on' | 'off'
Default: 'off' for Linear Step Response Plot block, 'on' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

To compute the other step response characteristics on the Bounds tab, the block uses the expected final value of the output signal in response to a step input.

By default, this parameter is [] for the Linear Step Response Plot block and 1 for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: FinalValue
Type: character vector
Value: finite real scalar
Default: '[]' for Linear Step Response Plot block, '1' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

Upper bound on the time in seconds for the step response to reach a percentage of the final value.

  • To specify the final value, use the Final value parameter.

  • To specify the percentage of the final value, use the % Rise parameter.

By default, this parameter is [] for the Linear Step Response Plot block and 5 for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: RiseTime
Type: character vector
Value: finite positive scalar
Default: '[]' for Linear Step Response Plot block, '5' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

Percentage of the final value used to define the rise time bound.

  • To specify the final value, use the Final value parameter.

  • To specify the rise time bound, use the Rise time parameter.

By default, this parameter is [] for the Linear Step Response Plot block and 80 for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: PercentRise
Type: character vector
Value: positive scalar less than (100 - % Settling)
Default: '[]' for Linear Step Response Plot block, '80' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

Upper bound on the time in seconds for the step response to settle within a specified range around the final value. This settling range is defined as the final value plus or minus the specified settling percentage of the final value.

  • To specify the final value, use the Final value parameter.

  • To specify the settling percentage, use the % Settling parameter.

By default, this parameter is [] for the Linear Step Response Plot block and 7 for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SettlingTime
Type: character vector
Value: finite scalar greater than rise time
Default: '[]' for Linear Step Response Plot block, '7' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

Percentage of the final value used to define the settling range bounds. The settling range is defined as the final value plus or minus the specified settling percentage of the final value.

  • To specify the final value, use the Final value parameter.

  • To specify the settling time bound, use the Settling time parameter.

By default, this parameter is [] for the Linear Step Response Plot block and 1 for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: PercentSettling
Type: character vector
Value: positive scalar less than (100 - % Settling)
Default: '[]' for Linear Step Response Plot block, '1' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

The amount by which the step response can exceed the final value, defined as a percentage of the final value. To specify the final value, use the Final value parameter.

By default, this parameter is [] for the Linear Step Response Plot block and 10 for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: PercentOvershoot
Type: character vector
Value: scalar between 0 and 100
Default: '[]' for Linear Step Response Plot block, '10' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

The amount by which the step response can undershoot the initial value, defined as a percentage of the final value. To specify the final value, use the Final value parameter.

By default, this parameter is [] for the Linear Step Response Plot block and 1 for the Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: PercentUndershoot
Type: character vector
Value: scalar between 0 and 100
Default: '[]' for Linear Step Response Plot block, '1' for Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block

Logging

To control whether linearization results computed during the simulation are saved, use the parameters on the Logging tab. The default settings on this tab are the same for the Linear Step Response Plot and Check Linear Step Response Characteristics blocks.

Select this parameter to save the computed linear systems for further analysis or control design. The data is saved in a structure with the following fields.

  • time — Simulation times at which the linear systems are computed.

  • values — State-space model representing the linear system. If the linear system is computed at multiple simulation times, values is an array of state-space models.

  • operatingPoints — Operating points corresponding to each linear system in values. To enable this field, select the Save operating points for each linearization parameter.

To specify the name of the saved data structure, use the Variable name property.

The location of the saved data structure depends upon the configuration of the Simulink model.

  • If the model is not configured to save simulation output as a single object, the data structure is a variable in the MATLAB workspace.

  • If the model is configured to save simulation output as a single object, the data structure is a field in the Simulink.SimulationOutput object that contains the logged simulation data.

To configure your model to save simulation output in a single object, in the Configuration Parameters dialog box, select the Single simulation output parameter.

For more information about data logging in Simulink, see Save Simulation Data and the Simulink.SimulationOutput reference page.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SaveToWorkspace
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Specify the name of the data structure that stores linear systems computed during simulation.

The name must be unique among the variable names used in all data logging model blocks, such as Linear Analysis Plot blocks, Model Verification blocks, Scope blocks, To Workspace blocks, and simulation return variables such as time, states, and outputs.

For more information about data logging in Simulink, see Save Simulation Data and the Simulink.SimulationOutput reference page.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Save data to workspace parameter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SaveName
Type: character vector
Default: 'sys'

Select this parameter to save the operating point at which each linearization is computed. Selecting this parameter adds the operatingPoints field to the saved data structure.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Save data to workspace parameter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: SaveOperatingPoints
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Assertion

To control the assertion behavior of the block when bounds defined on the Bounds tab are violated, use the parameters on the Assertion tab. The default settings on this tab are the same for the Linear Step Response Plot and Check Linear Step Response Characteristics blocks.

To check whether the bounds defined on the Bounds tab are satisfied during the simulation, select this parameter. When a bound is not satisfied, the assertion fails and a warning is generated.

Clearing this parameter disables assertion; that is, the block no longer checks that the specified bounds are satisfied. The block icon also updates to indicate that assertion is disabled.

Block with X indicating that assertion is disabled.

By default, on the Bounds tab:

  • The Linear Step Response Plot block does not have defined bounds.

  • The Check Linear Step Response Characteristics block has defined bounds.

You can configure your Simulink model to enable or disable all model verification blocks and override the Enable assertion parameter. To do so, in the Simulink model, in the Configuration Parameters dialog box, specify the Model Verification block enabling parameter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: enabled
Type: character vector
Value: 'on' | 'off'
Default: 'on'

Specify a MATLAB expression to evaluate when the bounds specified on the Bounds tab are violated. All variables used in the expression must be in the MATLAB workspace.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Enable assertion parameter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: callback
Type: character vector
Value: MATLAB expression
Default: ''

To stop the simulation when the bounds specified on the Bounds tab are violated, select this parameter. If you do not select this option, the bound violation is reported as a warning in the MATLAB Command Window and the simulation continues.

If you run the simulation from the Simulink model, when the assertion fails, the block where the bound violation occurs is highlighted and an error message is displayed in the Simulation Diagnostics window.

Note

Since selecting this option stops the simulation as soon as the assertion fails, bound violations that might occur later during the simulation are not reported. If you want all bound violations to be reported, do not select this option.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, select the Enable assertion parameter.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: stopWhenAssertionFail
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Add the z–1 assertion signal output port to the block. This port outputs the value of the assertion as a Boolean signal. When the bounds defined on the Bounds tab are violated, the assertion fails and the assertion signal is 0. Otherwise, the assertion signal is 1.

You can use the assertion signal to design complex assertion logic. For an example, see Verify Model Using Simulink Control Design and Simulink Verification Blocks.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: export
Type: character vector
Value: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

More About

expand all

Version History

Introduced in R2010b

See Also

Topics