Matlab xPC target USB?

Hello folks,

If I am attempting to communicate with an external device such as a GPS (driver installed) and it shows up as a COM port on my computer even though it is hooked up via USB on the xPC target, can I still use the RS232 library from xPC target to read/write to the device?

Thank you, Rob

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

USB virtual serial ports require a device driver in order to communicated with as serial ports. If your xPC includes the appropriate device driver then you can use the RS232 library.

I know that some USB support is being offered on xPC now, but I have not examined the documentation to find out whether USB serial ports are one of them.

[Robert]

Thank you Walter,

I have the device driver for Windows installed on my PC and it shows up as a COM port in device manager. Would that be sufficient or would I have to create my own driver for the xPC Target kernel?

[Walter Roberson]

My understanding is that drivers for xPC are not MS Windows drivers, that you would need a specific driver. I am not certain on this point.

I should also backtrack, in that I do not know how the xPC RS232 library is implemented, so my "can use" should be "might perhaps be able to use".

[Robert]

That is a question I have been asking myself also, whether or not MS Windows drivers are read by the xPC Target kernel. I assume they are, otherwise how can the xPC Target kernel detect devices on the motherboard such as Ethernet or USB.. Perhaps a xPC product employee can enlighten us?

[Walter Roberson]

xPC has kernel drivers for a small number of Ethernet models, I believe. I have seen a few postings from people whose ethernet board was not one of the few listed.

[Robert]

You are correct, I overlooked this fact. It looks like a virtual com port via USB is out of the question at the moment since I have little time to create a driver so I will resort to sending my GPS coordinates to an external micro-controller which will then be connected via RS232 to the target PC.

[Walter Roberson]

Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.