A Simulink® blockset is a library of blocks that can be connected in the Simulink block editor to create functional models of a dynamical system. For system modeling, System Generator blocksets are used like other Simulink blocksets. The blocks provide abstractions of mathematical, logical, memory, and DSP functions that can be used to build sophisticated signal processing (and other) systems. There are also blocks that provide interfaces to other software tools (e.g. FDATool, ModelSim) as well as the System Generator code generation software.
System Generator blocks are bit-accurate and cycle-accurate. Bit-accurate blocks produce values in Simulink that match corresponding values produced in hardware; cycle-accurate blocks produce corresponding values at corresponding times.
Xilinx Blockset
The Xilinx® Blockset is a family of libraries that contain basic System Generator blocks. Some blocks are low-level, providing access to device-specific hardware. Others are high- level, implementing (for example) signal processing and advanced communications algorithms. For convenience, blocks with broad applicability (e.g., the Gateway I/O blocks) are members of several libraries. Every block is contained in the Index library. The libraries are described below.
| Library | Description |
|---|---|
| AXI4 | Blocks with interfaces that conform to the AXI4 specification |
| Basic Elements | Standard building blocks for digital logic |
| Communication | Forward error correction and modulator blocks, commonly used in digital communications systems |
| Control Logic | Blocks for control circuitry and state machines |
| Data Types | Blocks that convert data types (includes gateways) |
| DSP | Digital signal processing (DSP) blocks |
| Floating-Point | Blocks that support the Floating-Point data type |
| Index | Every block in the Xilinx Blockset |
| Math | Blocks that implement mathematical functions |
| Memory | Blocks that implement and access memories |
| Tools | “Utility” blocks, e.g. code generation (System Generator token), resource estimation, HDL co-simulation, etc. |
Xilinx Reference Blockset
The Xilinx® Reference Blockset contains composite System Generator blocks that implement a wide range of functions. Blocks in this blockset are organized by function into different libraries. The libraries are described below.
| Library | Description |
|---|---|
| Communication | Blocks commonly used in digital communications systems |
| Control Logic | Logic Blocks used for control circuitry and state machines |
| DSP | Digital signal processing (DSP) blocks |
| Imaging | Image processing blocks |
| Math | Blocks that implement mathematical functions |
Each block in this blockset is a composite, i.e., is implemented as a masked Subsystem, with parameters that configure the block.
You can use blocks from the Reference Blockset libraries as is, or as starting points when constructing designs that have similar characteristics. Each reference block has a description of its implementation and hardware resource requirements.
