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Prelookup

Compute index and fraction for Interpolation Using Prelookup block

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  • Prelookup block

Libraries:
Simulink / Lookup Tables
HDL Coder / Lookup Tables

Description

The Prelookup block calculates the index and interval fraction that specify how its input value u relates to the breakpoint data set. The Prelookup block works best with the Interpolation Using Prelookup block. Feed the resulting index and fraction values into an Interpolation Using Prelookup block to interpolate an n-dimensional table. These two blocks have distributed algorithms. When combined together, they perform the same operation as the integrated algorithm in the n-D Lookup Table block. However, the Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks offer greater flexibility and more efficient simulation and code generation than the n-D Lookup Table block. For more information, see Efficiency of Performance.

Supported Block Operations

To use the Prelookup block, you must specify a set of breakpoint values. You choose whether to specify the breakpoint values directly on the dialog box or by feeding the values to a bp input port by setting the Source parameter to Dialog or Input port. Typically, this breakpoint data set corresponds to one dimension of the table data in an Interpolation Using Prelookup block. The Prelookup block generates a pair of outputs for each input value u by calculating:

  • The index of the breakpoint set element that is less than or equal to u and forms an interval containing u

  • The interval fraction in the range 0 ≤ f < 1, representing the normalized position of u on the breakpoint interval between the index and the next index value for in-range input

For example, if the breakpoint data set is [0 5 10 20 50 100] and the input value u is 55, the index is 4 and the fractional value is 0.1. Labels for the index and interval fraction appear as k and f on the Prelookup block icon. The index value is zero based.

The interval fraction can be negative or greater than 1 for out-of-range input. See the Extrapolation method block parameter for more information.

Examples

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Open Model

This example shows how to feed a breakpoint data set from a Constant block into the bp input port of the Prelookup block.

The Prelookup block inherits these breakpoint attributes from the bp input port:

  • Minimum: Inf

  • Maximum: Inf

  • Data type: single

Similarly, a Constant block feeds the table data values to the T input port of the Interpolation Using Prelookup block, which inherits these attributes:

  • Minimum: Inf

  • Maximum: Inf

  • Data type: single

Simulink® uses double-precision, floating-point data to perform the computations in this model. However, the model stores the breakpoint and table data as single-precision, floating-point data. Using a lower-precision data type to store breakpoint and table data reduces the memory requirement.

Open Model

This example shows how to specify evenly spaced breakpoint data in the Prelookup block.

In the Breakpoints data section, the Specification parameter is set to Even spacing. The parameters First point, Spacing, and Number of points are set to 25, 12, and 4 respectively. Specifying these parameters creates four evenly spaced breakpoints: [25, 37, 49, 61].

An alternative way to specify evenly spaced breakpoints is to set Specification to Explicit values and set Value to [25:12:61].

Simulink® uses double-precision, floating-point data to perform the computations in this model. However, the model stores the breakpoints and table data as double.

Open Model

This example shows how to output a bus containing the index (k) and fraction (f) from the Prelookup block. The bus object can then be used as an input to the Interpolation Using Prelookup block. The example also shows how to get the same results without using a bus object.

Open and simulate the model.

At the top of the model, open the dialog box for the Prelookup block. In the Main tab, note that Output selection is set to Index and fraction as bus. In the Data Types tab, note that Output is set to Bus: myBus. In the Simulink® Editor, select Modeling>Model Settings>Model Properties and open the Callbacks tab. In the model's PreLoadFcn, the code defines the bus object myBus, which specifies the index as the first bus element and the fraction as the second element.

Open the dialog box for the Interpolation Using Prelookup block. In the Main tab, note that Require index and fraction as bus check box is selected. That option configures the block to use the bus output from the Prelookup block.

Extended Examples

Using the Prelookup and Interpolation Blocks

Using the Prelookup and Interpolation Blocks

Use the Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks.

Saving Memory in Prelookup and Interpolation Blocks by Using Smaller Data

Saving Memory in Prelookup and Interpolation Blocks by Using Smaller Data

Save memory in Prelookup and Interpolation blocks. The Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks allow you to explicitly set data type storing breakpoints and table data. Note that the Prelookup block allows the breakpoint data to differ from the input data type, and the Interpolation Using Prelookup block allows the table data to differ from the output data type.

Ports

Input

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The Prelookup block accepts real-valued signals of any numeric data type that Simulink® supports, except Boolean. The Prelookup block supports fixed-point data types for signals and breakpoint data.

Data Types: half | single | double | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | fixed point | enumerated | bus

The Prelookup block accepts real-valued signals as breakpoint data of any numeric data type that Simulink supports, except Boolean.

Data Types: half | single | double | int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | fixed point | enumerated

Output

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The zero-based index, k, is a real-valued integer that specifies the interval containing the input, u.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set the Output selection to Index and fraction or Index only.

Data Types: int8 | int16 | int32 | int64 | uint8 | uint16 | uint32 | uint64 | fixed point

Fraction, f, represents the normalized position of the input, u, within the interval k.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set the Output selection to Index and fraction.

Data Types: single | double | fixed point

Outputting the index, k, and fraction f, as a bus object can help simplify the model.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set the Output selection to Index and fraction as bus.

Data Types: bus

Parameters

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Main

Breakpoints data

If you set this parameter to:

  • Explicit values, the Source and Value parameters are visible on the dialog box.

  • Even spacing, the First point, Spacing, and Number of points parameters are visible on the dialog box.

  • Breakpoint object, the Name parameter is visible on the dialog box.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointsSpecification
Type: character vector
Values: 'Explicit values' | 'Even spacing' | 'Breakpoint object'
Default: 'Explicit values'

To set this parameter from 'Explicit values' or 'Even spacing' to 'Breakpoint object', use the same set_param call to set the BreakpointObject parameter. For example:

set_param('myModel/myPrelookupBlock',...
   'BreakpointsSpecification','Breakpoint object',...
   'BreakpointObject','myBPObject')

If you set Source to:

  • Dialog, specify breakpoint data under Value.

  • Input port, verify that an upstream signal supplies breakpoint data to the bp input port. Each breakpoint data set must be a strictly monotonically increasing vector that contains two or more elements. For this option, your block inherits breakpoint attributes from the bp input port.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Specification to Explicit values.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointsDataSource
Type: character vector
Values: 'Dialog' | 'Input port'
Default: 'Dialog'

Explicitly specify the breakpoint data. Each breakpoint data set must be a strictly monotonically increasing vector that contains two or more elements. For this option, you specify additional breakpoint attributes on the Data Types pane.

To open the Lookup Table Editor, click Edit (see Edit Lookup Tables).

Note

When you set Specification to Explicit values and Source to Input port, verify that an upstream signal supplies breakpoint data to the bp input port. Each breakpoint data set must be a strictly monotonically increasing vector that contains two or more elements. For this option, your block inherits breakpoint attributes (including data type) from the bp input port.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Specification to Explicit values and Source to Dialog.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointsData
Type: character vector
Values: vector of strictly monotonically increasing values containing two or more elements
Default: '[10:10:110]'

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Specification to Even spacing.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointsFirstPoint
Type: character vector
Values: real-valued scalar
Default: '10'

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Specification to Even spacing.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointsSpacing
Type: character vector
Values: real-valued, positive scalar
Default: '10'

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Specification to Even spacing.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointsNumPoints
Type: character vector
Values: real-valued, positive scalar
Default: '11'

Specify the name of a Simulink.Breakpoint object. A breakpoint object references Simulink breakpoint objects. If a Simulink.Breakpoint object does not exist, click the action button and select Create. The corresponding parameters of the new breakpoint object are automatically populated with the block information.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Specification to Breakpoint object.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointObject
Type: character vector
Values: Simulink.Breakpoint object
Default: ''
Algorithm

If you want the block to output the index and interval fraction, you can specify whether the block outputs individual signals or a bus signal that includes both the index and fraction signals.

  • Index only outputs just the index, without the fraction. Typical applications for this option include:

    • Feeding a Direct Lookup Table (n-D) block, with no interpolation on the interval

    • Feeding selection ports of a subtable selection for an Interpolation Using Prelookup block

    • Performing nonlinear quantizations

  • Index and fraction outputs the index and fraction as individual signals.

  • Index and fraction as bus outputs a bus signal that includes the index and fraction signals. Using a bus for these signals:

    • Simplifies the model by tying these two related signals together

    • Creates a test point DpResult structure for the AUTOSAR 4.0 library

    • For the AUTOSAR 4.0 library, avoids the creation of extra copies during code generation when the Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks are in separate models

    Note

    Selecting Index and fraction as bus displays the Output parameter in the Data Types pane and sets the Output parameter to Inherit: auto. Change this default value to specify a user-defined bus object. For details about defining the bus object, see the Output parameter description.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: OutputSelection
Type: character vector
Values: 'Index and fraction' | 'Index and fraction as bus' | 'Index only'
Default: 'Index and fraction'

Each search method has speed advantages in different situations:

  • For evenly spaced breakpoint sets (for example, 10, 20, 30, and so on), you achieve optimal speed by selecting Evenly spaced points to calculate table indices. This algorithm uses only the first two breakpoints of a set to determine the offset and spacing of the remaining points.

  • For unevenly spaced breakpoint sets, follow these guidelines:

    • If input values for u do not vary significantly between time steps, selecting Linear search with Begin index search using previous index result produces the best performance.

    • If input values for u jump more than one or two table intervals per time step, selecting Binary search produces the best performance.

A suboptimal choice of index search method can lead to slow performance of models that rely heavily on lookup tables.

Note

The generated code stores only the first breakpoint, the spacing, and the number of breakpoints when:

  • The breakpoint data is not tunable.

  • The index search method is Evenly spaced points.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: IndexSearchMethod
Type: character vector
Values: 'Evenly spaced points' | 'Linear search' | 'Binary search'
Default: 'Binary search'

For input values of u that change slowly with respect to the interval size, enabling this option can improve performance. Otherwise, the linear search and binary search methods can take longer, especially for large breakpoint sets.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BeginIndexSearchUsingPreviousIndexResult
Type: character vector
Values: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Options include:

  • Clip

    Block InputBlock Outputs

    Less than the first breakpoint

    • Index of the first breakpoint (for example, 0)

    • Interval fraction of 0

    Greater than the last breakpoint

    • Index of the next-to-last breakpoint

    • Interval fraction of 1

    Suppose the range is [1 2 3] and you select this option. If u is 0.5, the index is 0 and the interval fraction is 0. If u is 3.5, the index is 1 and the interval fraction is 1.

  • Linear

    Block Input Block Outputs

    Less than the first breakpoint

    • Index of the first breakpoint (for example, 0)

    • Interval fraction that represents the linear distance from u to the first breakpoint

    Greater than the last breakpoint

    • Index of the next-to-last breakpoint

    • Interval fraction that represents the linear distance from the next-to-last breakpoint to u

    Suppose the range is [1 2 3] and you select this option. If u is 0.5, the index is 0 and the interval fraction is -0.5. If u is 3.5, the index is 1 and the interval fraction is 1.5.

Note

The Prelookup block supports linear extrapolation only when all of the following conditions are true:

  • The input u, breakpoint data, and fraction output use floating-point data types.

  • The index uses a built-in integer data type.

To use Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks to replicate n-D Lookup Table block behavior, the Extrapolation method for both Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks must be the same as if you use only the n-D Lookup Table block. For example, to get the same behavior as the n-D Lookup Table block with Extrapolation method set to Linear, set Extrapolation method to Linear for both Prelookup and Interpolation Using Prelookup blocks.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: ExtrapMethod
Type: character vector
Values: 'Clip' | 'Linear'
Default: 'Clip'

Specify how to index input values of u that are greater than or equal to the last breakpoint. The index value is zero based. When input equals the last breakpoint, block outputs differ as follows.

Check BoxBlock Outputs

Selected (on)

  • Index of the last element in the breakpoint data set

  • Interval fraction of 0

Cleared (off)

  • Index of the next-to-last breakpoint

  • Interval fraction of 1

Tip

When you select Use last breakpoint for input at or above upper limit for a Prelookup block, you must also select Valid index input may reach last index for the Interpolation Using Prelookup block to which it connects. This action allows the blocks to use the same indexing convention when accessing the last elements of their breakpoint and table data sets.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only when Extrapolation method is Clip.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: UseLastBreakpoint
Type: character vector
Values: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Options include:

  • None — Produce no response.

  • Warning — Display a warning and continue the simulation.

  • Error — Terminate the simulation and display an error.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: DiagnosticForOutOfRangeInput
Type: character vector
Values: 'None' | 'Warning' | 'Error'
Default: 'None'
Code generation
Check BoxResultWhen to Use

On

Generated code does not include conditional statements to check for out-of-range breakpoint inputs.

When the input is out-of-range, it may cause undefined behavior for generated code.

For code efficiency

Off

Generated code includes conditional statements to check for out-of-range breakpoint inputs.

For safety-critical applications

If your input is not out-of-range, you can select Remove protection against out-of-range index in generated code for code efficiency. By default, this parameter is cleared. For safety-critical applications, do not select this parameter. If you want to select Remove protection against out-of-range index in generated code, first check that your model inputs are in range. For example:

  1. Clear Remove protection against out-of-range index in generated code.

  2. Set Diagnostic for out-of-range input to Error.

  3. Simulate the model in normal mode.

  4. If there are out-of-range errors, fix them to be in range and run the simulation again.

  5. When the simulation no longer generates out-of-range input errors, select Remove protection against out-of-range index in generated code.

    Note

    When you select Remove protection against out-of-range index in generated code and the input is out-of-range, the behavior is undefined for generated code.

Depending on your application, you can run the following Model Advisor checks to verify the usage of this parameter:

Additionally, to determine if it is safe to select this parameter, if you have a Simulink Design Verifier™ license, consider using the Detect Block Input Range Violations (Simulink Design Verifier) check.

  • By Product > Embedded Coder > Identify lookup table blocks that generate expensive out-of-range checking code

  • By Product > Simulink Check > Modeling Standards > DO-178C/DO-331 Checks > Check usage of lookup table blocks

For more information about the Model Advisor, see Run Model Advisor Checks.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: RemoveProtectionInput
Type: character vector
Values: 'off' | 'on'
Default: 'off'

Specify the time interval between samples. To inherit the sample time, set this parameter to -1. For more information, see Specify Sample Time.

Dependencies

This parameter is visible only if you set it to a value other than -1. To learn more, see Blocks for Which Sample Time Is Not Recommended.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter: SampleTime
Values: "-1" (default) | scalar or vector in quotes

Data Types

Specify the breakpoint data type. You can set it to:

  • A rule that inherits a data type, for example, Inherit: Same as input

  • The name of a built-in data type, for example, single

  • The name of a data type class, for example, an enumerated data type class

  • An expression that evaluates to a data type, for example, fixdt(1,16,0)

The Data Type Assistant helps you set data attributes. To use the Data Type Assistant, click the Show data type assistant button. For more information, see Specify Data Types Using Data Type Assistant.

Tip

  • Specify a breakpoint data type different from the data type of input u for these cases:

    • Lower memory requirement for storing breakpoint data that uses a smaller type than the input signal u

    • Sharing of prescaled breakpoint data between two Prelookup blocks with different data types for input u

    • Sharing of custom storage breakpoint data in the generated code for blocks with different data types for input u

  • Specify the same slope and bias for a breakpoint data type and its corresponding input data type if either of them has a fixed-point data type.

  • Enumerated data:

    • Breakpoints support unordered enumerated data. As a result, linear searches are also unordered, which offers flexibility but can impact performance. The search begins from the first element in the breakpoint.

    • If the Begin index search using previous index result parameter is selected, you must use ordered monotonically increasing data. This ordering improves performance.

    • For enumerated data, Extrapolation method must be Clip.

    • Because the fraction is 1 or 0, select Output selection > Index only.

      If you are using the index only output selection setting with the Interpolation Using Prelookup block, consider using the Number of sub-table selection dimensions parameter.

These are limitations for using enumerated data with this block:

  • The block does not support out-of-range input for enumerated data. When specifying enumerated data, include the entire enumeration set in the breakpoint data set. For example, use the enumeration function.

  • When breakpoints data source is set to Inport port, the enumeration data type must have 0 as the default value. For example, for this enumeration class, the default value of GEAR1 must be 0. 

    classdef(Enumeration) Gears < Simulink.IntEnumType 
    enumeration 
        GEAR1(1), 
        GEAR2(2), 
        GEAR3(4), 
        GEAR4(8), 
        SPORTS(16), 
        REVERSE(32), 
        NEUTRAL(0) 
    end 
end

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the breakpoints data Source to Dialog.

Note

When you set Source to Input port, the block inherits all breakpoint attributes (data type, minimum, and maximum) from the bp input port.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointDataTypeStr
Type: character vector
Values: 'Inherit: Same as input' | 'Inherit: Inherit from 'Breakpoint data'' | 'double' | 'single' | 'int8' | 'uint8' | 'int16' | 'uint16' | 'int32' | 'uint32' | 'int64' | 'uint64'| 'fixdt(1,16)' | 'fixdt(1,16,0)' | 'fixdt(1,16,2^0,0)'|'<data type expression>'
Default: 'Inherit: Same as input'

Specify a data type that can index all elements in the breakpoint data set. You can:

  • Select a built-in integer data type from the list.

  • Specify an integer data type using a fixed-point representation.

The Data Type Assistant helps you set data attributes. To use the Data Type Assistant, click the Show data type assistant button. For more information, see Specify Data Types Using Data Type Assistant.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: IndexDataTypeStr
Type: character vector
Values: 'int8' | 'uint8' | 'int16' | 'uint16' | 'int32' | 'uint32' | 'int64' | 'uint64' | 'fixdt(1,16)' | '<data type expression>'
Default: 'uint32'

Specify the data type of the interval fraction. You can:

  • Select a built-in data type from the list.

  • Specify data type inheritance through an internal rule.

  • Specify a fixed-point data type using the [Slope Bias] or binary-point-only scaling representation.

    • If you use the [Slope Bias] representation, the scaling must be trivial — that is, the slope is 1 and the bias is 0.

    • If you use the binary-point-only representation, the fixed power-of-two exponent must be less than or equal to zero.

The Data Type Assistant helps you set data attributes. To use the Data Type Assistant, click the Show data type assistant button. For more information, see Specify Data Types Using Data Type Assistant.

Dependencies

This parameter displays only when you set Output selection on the Main tab to Index and fraction.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: FractionDataTypeStr
Type: character vector
Values: 'Inherit: Inherit via internal rule' | 'double' | 'single' | 'fixdt(1,16,0)' | '<data type expression>'
Default: 'Inherit: Inherit via internal rule'

To output a virtual bus, use the Inherit: auto setting. The resulting virtual bus contains two elements, the index and the fraction signals.

To output and specify a nonvirtual bus, use the Bus: <object name> template. Replace <object name> with the name of a bus object that contains the index and fraction signals.

  • The bus object must contain two elements. The first element corresponds to the index signal and the second to the fraction signal.

  • The index and fraction bus element signals cannot be bus signals.

  • The data type and the complexity of the bus elements must meet the same constraints that apply to the index and fraction signals if you set Output selection to Index and fraction.

To create the bus object with the index and fraction bus elements, use MATLAB® code similar to this, customizing the bus object name and the names and data types of the bus elements.

% Bus object: kfBus 
elems(1) = Simulink.BusElement;
elems(1).Name = 'Index';
elems(1).DataType = 'int8';
 
elems(2) = Simulink.BusElement;
elems(2).Name = 'Fraction';
elems(2).DataType = 'double';
 
kfBus = Simulink.Bus;
kfBus.Elements = elems;
clear elems;

Alternatively, you can use the Type Editor to create or modify the bus object to use with the Prelookup block.

If you feed the bus output signal from this block to an Interpolation Using Prelookup block, select Require index and fraction as bus in that block.

Note

Use the Fixed-Point Tool data type override option to override bus objects with new bus objects that replace fixed-point data types with floating-point data types.

Overridden bus objects used with the Prelookup block can cause an error because the block does not accept floating-point data types for the first element in the bus.

If you encounter this issue, use the Fix button to redefine the original bus object and protect it from being overridden. For example, suppose you define the first element of the bus object to be an int32.

myBus.Elements(1).DataType

int32

Clicking the Fix button redefines the first bus element:

myBus.Elements(1).DataType = 'fixdt(''int32'',''DataTypeOverride'',''Off'')'

The Data Type Assistant helps you set data attributes. To use the Data Type Assistant, click the Show data type assistant button. For more information, see Specify Data Types Using Data Type Assistant.

Dependencies

This parameter displays only when you set Output selection on the Main tab to Index and fraction as bus.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: OutputBusDataTypeStr
Type: character vector
Values: 'Inherit: auto' | 'Bus: <object name>' | '<data type expression>'
Default: 'Inherit: auto'

Specify the minimum value that the breakpoint data can have. The default value is [] (unspecified).

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the breakpoints data Source to Dialog on the Main tab.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointMin
Type: character vector
Value: scalar
Default: '[]'

Specify the maximum value that the breakpoint data can have. The default value is [] (unspecified).

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set the breakpoints data Source to Dialog on the Main tab.

Programmatic Use

Block Parameter: BreakpointMax
Type: character vector
Value: scalar
Default: '[]'

Select this parameter to prevent the fixed-point tools from overriding the Output data type you specify on the block. For more information, see Use Lock Output Data Type Setting (Fixed-Point Designer).

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter: LockScale
Values: 'off' (default) | 'on'

Specify the rounding mode for fixed-point operations. For more information, see Rounding Modes (Fixed-Point Designer).

Block parameters always round to the nearest representable value. To control the rounding of a block parameter, enter an expression using a MATLAB rounding function into the mask field.

Programmatic Use

To set the block parameter value programmatically, use the set_param function.

Parameter: RndMeth
Values: 'Floor' (default) | 'Ceiling' | 'Convergent' | 'Nearest' | 'Round' | 'Simplest' | 'Zero'

Block Characteristics

Data Types

double | enumerated | fixed point | integer | single

Direct Feedthrough

yes

Multidimensional Signals

yes

Variable-Size Signals

no

Zero-Crossing Detection

no

More About

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Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Fixed-Point Conversion
Design and simulate fixed-point systems using Fixed-Point Designer™.

Version History

Introduced in R2006b

See Also

Blocks

Objects

Topics