9 years, 5 months ago.

Communicating between MATLAB and mBED.

Hallo everyone, I seem to be finding myself in a bit of a pickle with the USB communication between MATLAB and mBED LPC1768 microcontroller. Here is a bit of code that behaves rather unexpectedly (explanation follows):

        //Receive parameter data from MATLAB.
        pc.scanf("%f",&aux_var);
        Readbatch = aux_var; //Capture Readbatch (read after Readbatch write pulses).
        pc.scanf("%f",&aux_var);
        Databatch = aux_var; //Capture Databatch (process data in Databatch-sized chunks).
        
        //Declare new array to hold voltage and timing data on the time series.
        static float *BatchT = new float[int(Databatch)]; //Timing array.
        static float *BatchV = new float[int(Databatch)]; //Voltage array.
        
        //NeurorecCapture(Databatch, BatchV, BatchT);
        pc.scanf("%f", &aux_var);
        pc.scanf("%f", &aux_var);
    
        printf("%f\n", Databatch); //Confirm data is being passed.

MATLAB is set up to pass 2 numbers to mBED via the standard "try-fprintf-end" scheme, which the microcontroller captures through scanf statements (lines 2-5). Following this the microcontroller is instructed to create a couple of arrays whose size depends on the value in received varfiable 'Databatch' (lines 8-9). Then, the mBED receives another couple of variables from MATLAB (lines 12-13) and finally replies to MATLAB by showing it that is has correctly captured the value of Databatch (line 15).

The interesting thing is this: If I comment lines 8 & 9, where the new arrays are declared all goes well and the program runs completely clean of any errors or warnings. MATLAB sends the data quite happily and receives the correct reply at the end through its own scanf statement; the coutnerpart to line 15 of the uC code above. However, as soon as lines 8 & 9 are back in the loop I start getting issues of "Unsuccessful read: Timeout before reaching the terminator"!

This I find quite baffling. Why would declaring a couple of arrays in between the scanf statements cause such dramatic change in behaviour?

Attempted fix: I tried moving line 15 in between lines 9 and 12 too and changed the corresponding code in MATLAB so that MATLAB can stay on stand-by until the mBED is done creating the new arrays, instead of trying to force another couple of floats in. Alas to no avail: the system experiences the same problem and once again the problem vanishes if the array declaration is commented out.

Any possible insights into why this is happening and how it could be fixed would be much appreciated.

Many thanks!