DOCSLIB.ORG

What Is a Microcontroller?

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
What Is a Microcontroller? What is a Microcontroller? Microcontrollers are semiconductors that are inside a surprising number of products. Most of your kitchen appliances have a microcontroller, which is obvious when they have a light emitting diode (LED) or liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and a keypad (like the one on your microwave oven). However, even newer appliances without screens, like toasters and blenders, often have microcontrollers inside. All modern automobiles contain at least one microcontroller, and can have up to 50 or more. The average new car contains 20 – 25 microcontrollers that are used in areas like engine control, anti-lock brakes, cruise control and air bags. Any device or appliance that has a remote control almost certainly contains a microcontroller. In fact, most consumer electronics, such as digital cameras, cell phones, camcorders, answering machines, laser printers, telephones with special features, pagers, high-tech refrigerators, dishwashers, and washers and dryers, have microcontrollers. A microcontroller is a whole computer on one chip (often called a system-on-a-chip), while your desktop computer has many different pieces that work together inside that beige box. All computers have commonalties, whether a desktop personal computer (PC) or a large mainframe system. They all have a central processing unit (CPU) to execute a program, some random access memory (RAM) to store “variables,” erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), input/output (I/O), timers, and an interrupt controller. Desktop PCs are “general purpose computers” that can run thousands of programs. Microcontrollers are “special purpose computers” that are programmed to do a small number of things well, and are beneficial when all or most of the internal components are needed on one chip. Other common characteristics that define microcontrollers include: • Microcontrollers are “embedded” (or hidden) inside some other device to control the features or actions of that product. Therefore, a microcontroller is synonymous with “embedded controller.” • Microcontrollers are dedicated to one task and run one specific program. The program is stored in on-chip program memory and generally does not change. Newer microcontrollers have Flash memory, which can be reprogrammed up to a million times. • Microcontrollers are often low-power devices. A desktop computer is almost always plugged into a wall socket and might consume 50 watts of electricity, while a battery- operated microcontroller may consume only one thousandth as much power (50 milliwatts). • A microcontroller has a dedicated input device and often, but not always, has a small LED or LCD screen for output. A microcontroller also takes input from the device it is controlling, and runs the device by sending signals to different components in the device. For example, the microcontroller inside a microwave oven takes input from a keypad, displays output on an LCD display, and controls a relay that turns the microwave generator on and off. Some microcontrollers are able to connect to the Internet or other networks, which is useful for applications like vending machines, enabling stock to be checked from a remote location. • A microcontroller is often small and low cost. These components are chosen to minimize size and to be the least expensive possible. -more- What is a Microcontroller? 2-2-2 • A microcontroller must frequently be durable, especially in automotive, commercial and industrial applications. For example, the microcontroller controlling a car’s engine works in extreme temperatures that a normal desktop computer generally cannot handle. A car’s microcontroller in Alaska has to work in -30°F (-34°C) weather, while the same microcontroller in Nevada might operate at 120°F (49°C). When you add the heat naturally generated by the engine, the temperature can go to more than 250°F (100 – 125°C) in the engine compartment. On the other hand, a microcontroller embedded inside a VCR doesn’t need to be as durable. • The actual processor (or CPU) used inside a microcontroller can vary widely. In many products, such as microwave ovens, the demand on the CPU is fairly low and price is an important consideration. In these cases, manufacturers turn to dedicated microcontroller chips--semiconductors designed to be small, low-cost, low-power, embedded CPUs that are combined with other components in one package. By today’s standards, microcontrollers are not the most complex chips; but they are extremely inexpensive when purchased in large quantities, and can often meet the needs of a design engineer with just one semiconductor. The average consumer uses more than 100 microcontroller-enhanced products every day – from the thermostat in the morning, to the copier and phone at work, to the remote control for evening television viewing. While we may not notice them, microcontrollers are practically everywhere and provide direct benefits to our daily lives. Much like tools in a hardware store, microcontrollers come in many flavors and varieties, including various packages, pin counts and memory sizes. Depending on the power and features that are needed, a design engineer might choose a 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit or 32-bit microcontroller. (photo source: Microchip Technology Inc.) ###.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • What Are Your Best Computer Options for Teleworking?
    What are your best computer options for teleworking? If you NEED… And you HAVE a… Then your BEST telework option is… COMMON COUNTY APPS such as Microsoft Office, Adobe County Laptop ONLY - Connect your County laptop to the County VPN Reader, and web applications County Laptop AND - Connect your County laptop to the County VPN County Desktop PC County Laptop AND - Connect your County laptop to the County VPN Home Computer Home Computer ONLY - Connect remotely using VDI (Virtual Desktop) Home Computer AND - Connect remotely using Dakota County VPN County Desktop Computer - Remotely control your computer using Windows Remote Desktop County Desktop Computer ONLY - Check out a County laptop from IT Laptop Loaner Program - Connect your County laptop to the County VPN COMMON COUNTY APPS such as Microsoft Office, Adobe County Laptop ONLY - Connect your County laptop to the County VPN Reader, and web applications SUPPORTED BUSINESS APPS such as OneSolution, OnBase, SIRE, Microsoft Project, and Visio County Laptop AND - Connect your County laptop to the County VPN County Desktop PC If you NEED… And you HAVE a… Then your BEST telework option is… County Laptop AND - Connect your County laptop to the County VPN Home Computer Home Computer ONLY - Contact the County IT Help Desk at 651/438-4346 Home Computer AND - Connect remotely using Dakota County VPN County Desktop Computer - Remotely control your computer using Windows Remote Desktop County Desktop Computer ONLY - Check out a County laptop from IT Laptop Loaner Program - Connect your County laptop
    [Show full text]
  • Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU)
    Computer Arithmetic: Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU) • Part of the computer that actually performs arithmetic and logical operations on data • All of the other elements of the computer system are there mainly to bring data into the ALU for it to process and then to take the results back out • Based on the use of simple digital logic devices that can store binary digits and perform simple Boolean logic operations ALU Inputs and Outputs Integer Representations • In the binary number system arbitrary numbers can be represented with: – The digits zero and one – The minus sign (for negative numbers) – The period, or radix point (for numbers with a fractional component) – For purposes of computer storage and processing we do not have the benefit of special symbols for the minus sign and radix point – Only binary digits (0,1) may be used to represent numbers Integer Representations • There are 4 commonly known (1 not common) integer representations. • All have been used at various times for various reasons. 1. Unsigned 2. Sign Magnitude 3. One’s Complement 4. Two’s Complement 5. Biased (not commonly known) 1. Unsigned • The standard binary encoding already given. • Only positive value. • Range: 0 to ((2 to the power of N bits) – 1) • Example: 4 bits; (2ˆ4)-1 = 16-1 = values 0 to 15 Semester II 2014/2015 8 1. Unsigned (Cont’d.) Semester II 2014/2015 9 2. Sign-Magnitude • All of these alternatives involve treating the There are several alternative most significant (leftmost) bit in the word as conventions used to
    [Show full text]
  • FUNDAMENTALS of COMPUTING (2019-20) COURSE CODE: 5023 502800CH (Grade 7 for ½ High School Credit) 502900CH (Grade 8 for ½ High School Credit)
    EXPLORING COMPUTER SCIENCE NEW NAME: FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTING (2019-20) COURSE CODE: 5023 502800CH (grade 7 for ½ high school credit) 502900CH (grade 8 for ½ high school credit) COURSE DESCRIPTION: Fundamentals of Computing is designed to introduce students to the field of computer science through an exploration of engaging and accessible topics. Through creativity and innovation, students will use critical thinking and problem solving skills to implement projects that are relevant to students’ lives. They will create a variety of computing artifacts while collaborating in teams. Students will gain a fundamental understanding of the history and operation of computers, programming, and web design. Students will also be introduced to computing careers and will examine societal and ethical issues of computing. OBJECTIVE: Given the necessary equipment, software, supplies, and facilities, the student will be able to successfully complete the following core standards for courses that grant one unit of credit. RECOMMENDED GRADE LEVELS: 9-12 (Preference 9-10) COURSE CREDIT: 1 unit (120 hours) COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS: One computer per student with Internet access RESOURCES: See attached Resource List A. SAFETY Effective professionals know the academic subject matter, including safety as required for proficiency within their area. They will use this knowledge as needed in their role. The following accountability criteria are considered essential for students in any program of study. 1. Review school safety policies and procedures. 2. Review classroom safety rules and procedures. 3. Review safety procedures for using equipment in the classroom. 4. Identify major causes of work-related accidents in office environments. 5. Demonstrate safety skills in an office/work environment.
    [Show full text]
  • The Central Processing Unit(CPU). the Brain of Any Computer System Is the CPU
    Computer Fundamentals 1'stage Lec. (8 ) College of Computer Technology Dept.Information Networks The central processing unit(CPU). The brain of any computer system is the CPU. It controls the functioning of the other units and process the data. The CPU is sometimes called the processor, or in the personal computer field called “microprocessor”. It is a single integrated circuit that contains all the electronics needed to execute a program. The processor calculates (add, multiplies and so on), performs logical operations (compares numbers and make decisions), and controls the transfer of data among devices. The processor acts as the controller of all actions or services provided by the system. Processor actions are synchronized to its clock input. A clock signal consists of clock cycles. The time to complete a clock cycle is called the clock period. Normally, we use the clock frequency, which is the inverse of the clock period, to specify the clock. The clock frequency is measured in Hertz, which represents one cycle/second. Hertz is abbreviated as Hz. Usually, we use mega Hertz (MHz) and giga Hertz (GHz) as in 1.8 GHz Pentium. The processor can be thought of as executing the following cycle forever: 1. Fetch an instruction from the memory, 2. Decode the instruction (i.e., determine the instruction type), 3. Execute the instruction (i.e., perform the action specified by the instruction). Execution of an instruction involves fetching any required operands, performing the specified operation, and writing the results back. This process is often referred to as the fetch- execute cycle, or simply the execution cycle.
    [Show full text]
  • Resource Guide: Workstation Productivity
    Resource Guide: Workstation Productivity Contents Beyond the Desktop: Workstation Productivity ……………………………………………………2 Find out how to get the highest productivity possible from high performance applications that require more power than traditional desktop computers Top IT Considerations for Mobile Workstations …………………...............................................4 Discover the top IT considerations for organization that require mobile workstations designed to provide a balance of performance and portability Maximum Management and Control with Virtualized Workstations ....…………………...…….6 Explore the benefits of virtualization to ensure the greatest possible management and control of high performance workstations for the most demanding workloads and applications Sponsored by: Page 1 of 6 Copyright © MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. For more downloads and a free TechRepublic membership, please visit http://techrepublic.com.com/2001-6240-0.html TechRepublic Resource Guide: Workstations Productivity Beyond the Desktop: Workstation Productivity Find out how to get the highest productivity possible from high performance applications that require more power than traditional desktop computers Desktop computers have come a long way in terms of value and performance for the average user but more advanced applications now require even more in terms of processing, graphics, memory and storage. The following is a brief overview of the differences between standard desktops and workstations as well as the implications for overall performance and productivity as compiled from the editorial resources of CNET, TechRepublic and ZDNet.com. Think Inside the Box A lot of people tend to think of desktop computers and computer workstation as one and the same but that isn’t always the case in terms of power and performance. In fact, many of today’s most demanding workloads and applications for industries such as engineering, entertainment, finance, manufacturing, and science actually require much higher functionality than what traditional desktops have to offer.
    [Show full text]
  • Good Reasons to Use a Desktop Computer
    Good reasons to use a desktop computer Why would anyone possibly need a desktop? For most, it goes against all common sense to use a desktop because they're not as convenient and portable as a lap- top, and a laptop does what you need it to do just fine. At the same time, the good ol' bulky, stationary desktop still has a place for many people. Here are good reasons why you might want to use desktop computer. You can upgrade the parts, which is cheaper than buying a new laptop. When a laptop starts to slow down, your only option is to buy a whole new one. Depending on what you need a com- puter for, a new laptop could cost thousands of dollars. That's because you have to buy every single part inside the laptop brand new — the processor, motherboard, RAM, hard drive, and everything else. But most of the parts in your old laptop are probably still fine, and it's usually only the processor (and the motherboard it sits on) that needs upgrading. With a desktop you can easily replace an aging processor (and motherboard) for around $300. That said, all-in-one desktops like the iMac can be a little difficult to upgrade. You get more bang for your buck. Depending on the brand, desktops and laptops with similar specs can often cost the same. Yet, the main differences between the two are the processor and the graphics processor. Most Laptops use the smaller mobile version of a processor model, which often aren't quite as powerful as the full-size desktop versions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Intel Microprocessors: Architecture, Programming and Interfacing Introduction to the Microprocessor and Computer
    Microprocessors (0630371) Fall 2010/2011 – Lecture Notes # 1 The Intel Microprocessors: Architecture, Programming and Interfacing Introduction to the Microprocessor and computer Outline of the Lecture Evolution of programming languages. Microcomputer Architecture. Instruction Execution Cycle. Evolution of programming languages: Machine language - the programmer had to remember the machine codes for various operations, and had to remember the locations of the data in the main memory like: 0101 0011 0111… Assembly Language - an instruction is an easy –to- remember form called a mnemonic code . Example: Assembly Language Machine Language Load 100100 ADD 100101 SUB 100011 We need a program called an assembler that translates the assembly language instructions into machine language. High-level languages Fortran, Cobol, Pascal, C++, C# and java. We need a compiler to translate instructions written in high-level languages into machine code. Microprocessor-based system (Micro computer) Architecture Data Bus, I/O bus Memory Storage I/O I/O Registers Unit Device Device Central Processing Unit #1 #2 (CPU ) ALU CU Clock Control Unit Address Bus The figure shows the main components of a microprocessor-based system: CPU- Central Processing Unit , where calculations and logic operations are done. CPU contains registers , a high-frequency clock , a control unit ( CU ) and an arithmetic logic unit ( ALU ). o Clock : synchronizes the internal operations of the CPU with other system components using clock pulsing at a constant rate (the basic unit of time for machine instructions is a machine cycle or clock cycle) One cycle A machine instruction requires at least one clock cycle some instruction require 50 clocks. o Control Unit (CU) - generate the needed control signals to coordinate the sequencing of steps involved in executing machine instructions: (fetches data and instructions and decodes addresses for the ALU).
    [Show full text]
  • Computer Organization & Architecture Eie
    COMPUTER ORGANIZATION & ARCHITECTURE EIE 411 Course Lecturer: Engr Banji Adedayo. Reg COREN. The characteristics of different computers vary considerably from category to category. Computers for data processing activities have different features than those with scientific features. Even computers configured within the same application area have variations in design. Computer architecture is the science of integrating those components to achieve a level of functionality and performance. It is logical organization or designs of the hardware that make up the computer system. The internal organization of a digital system is defined by the sequence of micro operations it performs on the data stored in its registers. The internal structure of a MICRO-PROCESSOR is called its architecture and includes the number lay out and functionality of registers, memory cell, decoders, controllers and clocks. HISTORY OF COMPUTER HARDWARE The first use of the word ‘Computer’ was recorded in 1613, referring to a person who carried out calculation or computation. A brief History: Computer as we all know 2day had its beginning with 19th century English Mathematics Professor named Chales Babage. He designed the analytical engine and it was this design that the basic frame work of the computer of today are based on. 1st Generation 1937-1946 The first electronic digital computer was built by Dr John V. Atanasoff & Berry Cliford (ABC). In 1943 an electronic computer named colossus was built for military. 1946 – The first general purpose digital computer- the Electronic Numerical Integrator and computer (ENIAC) was built. This computer weighed 30 tons and had 18,000 vacuum tubes which were used for processing.
    [Show full text]
  • Lecture Notes
    Lecture #4-5: Computer Hardware (Overview and CPUs) CS106E Spring 2018, Young In these lectures, we begin our three-lecture exploration of Computer Hardware. We start by looking at the different types of computer components and how they interact during basic computer operations. Next, we focus specifically on the CPU (Central Processing Unit). We take a look at the Machine Language of the CPU and discover it’s really quite primitive. We explore how Compilers and Interpreters allow us to go from the High-Level Languages we are used to programming to the Low-Level machine language actually used by the CPU. Most modern CPUs are multicore. We take a look at when multicore provides big advantages and when it doesn’t. We also take a short look at Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and what they might be used for. We end by taking a look at Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) and Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC). Stanford President John Hennessy won the Turing Award (Computer Science’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize) for his work on RISC computing. Hardware and Software: Hardware refers to the physical components of a computer. Software refers to the programs or instructions that run on the physical computer. - We can entirely change the software on a computer, without changing the hardware and it will transform how the computer works. I can take an Apple MacBook for example, remove the Apple Software and install Microsoft Windows, and I now have a Window’s computer. - In the next two lectures we will focus entirely on Hardware.
    [Show full text]
  • Today Computers Are All Around Us. from Desktop Computers To
    Today computers are all around us. From desktop computers to smartphones, they're changing the way that we live our lives. But have you ever asked yourself what exactly is a computer? A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information or data. The computer sees data as ones and zeros but it knows how to combine them into more complex things such as a photograph, a movie, a website, a game and much more... Computers use a combination of hardware and software. Hardware is any physical part of the computer which includes all of the internal components and also the external parts like the monitor and keyboard. Software is any set of instructions that tells the hardware what to do such as a web browser, media player or word processor. Now when most people say computer, they're talking about a personal computer. This can be a desktop computer or a laptop computer which has basically the same capabilities but in a more portable package. Personal computers come in two main styles, PC and Mac. PCs are the most common types, there are many different companies that make them and they usually come with the Microsoft Windows operating system. Macs or Macintosh computers are all made by one company, Apple, and they come with the Mac OS 10 operating system. Computers come in many other shapes and sizes, mobile phones, tablets, game consoles and even TVs have built-in computers, although they may not do everything a desktop or laptop can. There is another type of computer that plays an important role in our lives, servers.
    [Show full text]
  • Unit 8 : Microprocessor Architecture
    Unit 8 : Microprocessor Architecture Lesson 1 : Microcomputer Structure 1.1. Learning Objectives On completion of this lesson you will be able to : ♦ draw the block diagram of a simple computer ♦ understand the function of different units of a microcomputer ♦ learn the basic operation of microcomputer bus system. 1.2. Digital Computer A digital computer is a multipurpose, programmable machine that reads A digital computer is a binary instructions from its memory, accepts binary data as input and multipurpose, programmable processes data according to those instructions, and provides results as machine. output. 1.3. Basic Computer System Organization Every computer contains five essential parts or units. They are Basic computer system organization. i. the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) ii. the control unit iii. the memory unit iv. the input unit v. the output unit. 1.3.1. The Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU) The arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) is that part of the computer that The arithmetic and logic actually performs arithmetic and logical operations on data. All other unit (ALU) is that part of elements of the computer system - control unit, register, memory, I/O - the computer that actually are there mainly to bring data into the ALU to process and then to take performs arithmetic and the results back out. logical operations on data. An arithmetic and logic unit and, indeed, all electronic components in the computer are based on the use of simple digital logic devices that can store binary digits and perform simple Boolean logic operations. Data are presented to the ALU in registers. These registers are temporary storage locations within the CPU that are connected by signal paths of the ALU.
    [Show full text]
  • Computer Monitor and Television Recycling
    Computer Monitor and Television Recycling What is the problem? Televisions and computer monitors can no longer be discarded in the normal household containers or commercial dumpsters, effective April 10, 2001. Televisions and computer monitors may contain picture tubes called cathode ray tubes (CRT’s). CRT’s can contain lead, cadmium and/or mercury. When disposed of in a landfill, these metals contaminate soil and groundwater. Some larger television sets may contain as much as 15 pounds of lead. A typical 15‐inch CRT computer monitor contains 1.5 pounds of lead. The State Department of Toxic Substances Control has determined that televisions and computer monitors can no longer be disposed with typical household trash, or recycled with typical household recyclables. They are considered universal waste that needs to be disposed of through alternate ways. CRTs should be stored in a safe manner that prevents the CRT from being broken and the subsequent release of hazardous waste into the environment. Locations that will accept televisions, computers, and other electronic waste (e‐waste): If the product still works, trying to find someone that can still use it (donating) is the best option before properly disposing of an electronic product. Non‐profit organizations, foster homes, schools, and places like St. Vincent de Paul may be possible examples of places that will accept usable products. Or view the E‐waste Recycling List at http://www.mercedrecycles.com/pdf's/EwasteRecycling.pdf Where can businesses take computer monitors, televisions, and other electronics? Businesses located within Merced County must register as a Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG) prior to the delivery of monitors and televisions to the Highway 59 Landfill.
    [Show full text]