Best way to protect intellectual property in a Simulink model?

Hello!

I have built a simulator for my employer which to a great deal is based on signals that we generate from a Simulink model. The question this morning was whether we could protect the model. The idea is to run most of the different programs (including the simulink model) though an exe-file, like a batch system, but this still leaves the simulink model completely in the open so the user just have to figure out some of the other programs, many of them freewares, and can then install them and set the conditions and start them in the correct order, bypassing the exe-file, and run the simulink model.

So which would be the best way to protect it?

//Mikael

Answer 1

[Jason Moore]

If you open the model then go to File -> Export Model to -> Protected Model. This menu will give you the option to only allow simulation, code generation, or make the model read only. This feature also gives the option of password protection on the file.

[Mikael]

Thanks!

[Mikael]

Hello!

One related question: I don't have that "Protected Model" option in the list, just "Web" and "Previous version".

The instructions state that a Simulink Coder license is required and when I checked my employers version with "ver" in the command window I get among others

"Embedded Coder" "Matlab Coder" "Simulink Coder"

Is there something else I'd need to do this?

//Mikael

[Jason Moore]

By looking at the release notes it seems this functionality was added in R2011a. Are you using a newer version than R2011a?

[Mikael]

Hi!

The version I'm using is 2013b, but I learned now that the simulator will be used on computers with very basic versions so the feature will most likely not be present there. So I'll have to figure out another solution, possibly try to lock in all the programs using some GUI-programming or similar.

Could the reason why I can't do this be that we are using floating licenses when we program? I might have to ask someone in charge of the licenses and see what they say.