Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 1Seattle Pacific University

Take a microprocessor/microcontroller chip

Take a microprocessor/microcontroller chip

How to Succeed in Life – The micro way

Build an small but cool system

Build an small but cool system

Program lots offunctions into it

Program lots offunctions into it Sell it for MegabucksSell it for Megabucks Lose it all in the

Market

Lose it all in theMarket

Add supportchips

Add supportchips

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 2Seattle Pacific University

General Purpose Computers

• Microcomputers are computers based on microprocessors

• General purpose microcomputers• PC’s, Macs, Tablets etc.

• Generally require a large amount ofsupport circuitry

• Memory, communications, I/O, keyboard,display...

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 3Seattle Pacific University

Inside a General Purpose Computer

CPU RAM ROMPCIBusBridge

PCI Bus

Clock,Resetcircuitry

Real-timeClock

DiskController

DiskInterface

VideoMemory

VideoDisplayController

Serial Interface

ParallelInterface

...

Keyboard/MouseController

PCI ExpBusBridge

Data BusControl Bus

Address Bus

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 4Seattle Pacific University

Does One Size Fit All?

• Advantages of a general-purpose computer

• Flexible - can run lots of programs and interface with lots of devices

• Expandable - can be updated with new hardware

• Cost-effective - the cost of adding a new program is small

• Economy of scale - millions are being produced…

• Disadvantages

• Must be a “super” system, capable of running any program

• High price

• Relatively large, short battery life

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 5Seattle Pacific University

Microcontroller Systems• Microcontroller Systems are small, special-purpose

computer systems• Toaster control systems• Handheld electronics• Toys• Test equipment

• Only the necessary parts are included • Cheaper, smaller

• Simpler --> more reliable?

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 6Seattle Pacific University

A Problem needing a Solution

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 7Seattle Pacific University

Needs of Typical Microcontroller Systems

• Consider the following embedded systems:

• Intelligent thermostat

• Blood Glucose Meter

• RC helicopter

• Automobile System Controller

• Single-purpose

• Small

• Inexpensive

• Reduced computation needs

• Special interfaces

• Lightweight (often hand held)

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 8Seattle Pacific University

Building small using Microprocessors?

• What does it take to build a blood glucose meter using a typical microprocessor?

• 1 CPU• Dynamic RAM, controller (about 20 chips)• ROM (one or two chips) for program

• Real-time clock

• LCD panel• Serial interface ports, drivers• A/D Converter• Random support chips (five or six chips)

• This is going to take around 40 chips, use 50 W, and cost $500.

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 9Seattle Pacific University

Building small using Microcontrollers

• A Microcontroller is a small CPU with many support devices built into the chip• Small CPU (8-32 bits, 4-60 MHz)• FLASH ROM (8-256 KB)• RAM (1K-16KBytes)• Parallel ports• Serial ports• A/D Converter• Timer

• Typically, a microcontroller uses little power and costs $0.50 to $5.00.

Microcontroller System Design Introduction- 10

Seattle Pacific University

A Generic Microcontroller

Small CPU Core8-32 Bits2-60 MHz

2-16 Registers

FlashEEROM

8KB – 256KB

RAM1KB – 16KB

GPIO

ADC8-14 Bits

Timer16-32 Bit

RS232/USB

I2C/SPIMemory Bus

16-24 Bits