Microcontroller
A microcontroller (μC or uC) is a solitary chip microcomputer
fabricated from VLSI fabrication. A micro controller is also known
as embedded controller. Today various types of microcontrollers are
available in market with different word lengths such as 4bit,
8bit, 64bit and 128bit microcontrollers. Microcontroller is a
compressed micro computer manufactured to control the functions of
embedded systems in office machines, robots, home appliances,
motor vehicles, and a number of other gadgets. A microcontroller
is comprises components like - memory, peripherals and most
importantly a processor. Microcontrollers are basically employed in
devices that need a degree of control to be ap plied by the user of the
device.
Microcontroller Basics:
Any electric appliance that stores, measures, displays
information or calculates comprise of a
microcontroller chip inside it. The basic structure of a microcontroller
comprise of: -
1. CPU- Microcontrol lers brain is named as CPU. CPU is the device
which is employed to fetch data, decode it and at the end complete the
assigned task successfully. With the help of CPU all the components
of microcontroller is connected into a single system. Instruction fetch
ed by the programmable memory is decoded by the CPU.
2. Memory– In a microcontroller memory chip works same as
microprocessor. Memory chip stores all programs & data.
Microcontrollers are built with certain amount of ROM or RAM
(EPROM, EEPROM, etc) or flash memory for the storage of program
source codes.
3. Input/output ports– I/O ports are basically employed to interface
or drive different appliances such as - printers, LCD’s, LED’s, etc.
4.Serial Ports– These ports give serial interfaces amid
microcontroller & various other peripherals such as parallel port.
5.Timers– A microcontroller may be in-built with one or more
timer or counters. The timers & counters control all counting &
timing operations within a microcontroller. Timers are employed to
count external pulses. The main operations performed by timers’
are-pulse generations, clock functions, frequency measuring,
modulations, making oscillations, etc.
6.ADC (Analog to digital converter)–ADC is employed to convert
analog signals to digital ones. The input signals need to be analog for
ADC. The digital signal production can be employed for different
digital applications (such as measurement gadgets).
7.DAC (digital to analog converter)–this converter executes
opposite functions that ADC perform. This device is generally
employed to supervise analog appliances like-DC motors, etc.
8.Interpret Control- This controller is employed for giving delayed
control for a working program. The interpret can be internal or
external.
9. Special Functioning Block– Some special microcontrollers
manufactured for special appliances like - space systems, robots,
etc, comprise of this special function block. This special block
has additional ports so as to carry out some special operations.