Microcontroller Basics

Presented by IEEE of Texas

A&M

About This Workshop

Based on the MSP430G2553 microcontroller by
Texas Instruments
Powerpoint and code available at
ieeetamu.org/mcc/microbasics
Workshop Reference available at
ieeetamu.org/mcc/wsref
Footnotes refer to User Guide (UG), Datasheet,
or Workshop Reference (WSRef)
Example: UG 1.2.3, DS 4.5.6, WSRef 7.8.9

Import code projects into Code

Composer
Follow instructions in the Workshop Reference
or at ieeetamu.org/mcc/importing
Code: ieeetamu.org/mcc/microbasics
Projects to import:
Blinking LEDs 1 (Open and run blinking_leds_1.c)
Blinking LEDs 2
Polling
Interrupts
WSRef 1.2

Extremely Useful
Documents
User's Guide MSP430x2xx Family
ieeetamu.org/msp430ug
All general MSP430 information
Ex: MSP430 Architecture, Instruction Set, Registers,
clocks, timers, module types and functionality

MSP430G2x53 Datasheet
ieeetamu.org/msp430ds
Information specific to individual set of chips
Ex: List of included modules, pin-outs, memory size
4

Topics Covered

Using Code Composer Studio

The MSP430
Input and Output
Interrupts vs Polling

USING CODE COMPOSER

STUDIO

Projects

The Code Composer

Code
Files
Window

Errors/Warnings and
Console

Debugging a Program
Click Debug (bug icon)
or F11
After debug mode
starts, click Resume
(play button) or F8
Pause program using
Suspend
When program is
paused, code can be
run one line at a time
Hover over variables
to see current values
WSRef 1.3

Breakpoints
Right click next to
a line of code
and click toggle
breakpoint
Code will stop
executing when
breakpoint is hit
Step through code
or press Resume
to continue
WSRef 1.3

THE MSP430

The MSP430 Family

Ultra-low power (<100A/MHz)
Multiple Low Power Modes

16-bit, RISC-based CPU

Hardware modules (UART, SPI, I2C)
for communicating with peripherals
or PC
Interrupts and timer modules
Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)
11

MSP430G2553
CPU runs at up to 16 MHz
512 Bytes RAM (for stack/heap)
16 kB Flash Memory (for program
data)
8 channel, 10-bit ADC
Temperature Sensor

12

Registers - The hardware-software

link
All configuration is done using
registers
Controls how microcontroller behaves

In software, register names are

defined in header file
# in clu d e "m sp430g2553.h"
Written in all caps: P1OUT, WDTCTL, IFG2

13

The Header File - msp430g2553.h

Only works with one specific MSP430
model
Other MSP430s have different features

Defines register names

Defines helpful constants
Also in all caps: BIT0, WDTHOLD, UCA0RXIE
Increases readability:
Clear:
WDTCTL = WDTPW + WDTHOLD;
Confusing:
WDTCTL = 0x5A80;
14

The Watchdog Timer

Resets microcontroller in case of
malfunction
Must be continually reset before elapsing
Allows a system to recover autonomously

Useful for applications in remote and/or

dangerous locations such as space
Turn off when not needed
WDCTL = WDTPW + WDTHOLD;

UG Ch. 10

15

INPUT AND OUTPUT

Open blinking_leds_1.c in the project
Blinking LEDs 1 - Microcontroller Basics

Input and Output

Microcontrollers can set and read voltages
on its GPIO pins depending on configuration
of registers
In software, 0 = ground and 1 = Vcc (~3.3V)
The MSP430G2253 has 16 GPIOs
Port 1: P1.0 through P1.7
Port 2: P2.0 through P2.7
Pins are labeled on Launchpad
Each bit (0 through 7) in PxOUT, PxDIR, PxIN,
etc. correspond to a GPIO pin
UG Ch. 8, WSRef 2.2

17

P1DIR and P1OUT

These two registers are used to turn
the LED on and off
P1DIR sets direction of each pin on
port 1
0 = input, 1 = output

P1OUT sets what is being output on

each port 1 pin (if set to output)
0 = ground, 1 = Vcc
WSRef 2.2

18

Blinking LEDs 1
Run the code!
void m ain(void ) {
W D TCTL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = BIT0;
w h ile (1) {
P1O U T ^ = BIT0;
__delay_cycles(250000);
}
}
19

Bitwise Operators
x means dont care (replaceable with 0
or 1)
Operatio
n

Example

Resu
Useful for
lt

OR

xxxx | 0010

xx1x

Setting bits to 1

AND
w/NOT

xxxx & ~0010 xx0x

Setting bits to 0
(clearing)

XOR

1xx0 ^ 1001

Toggling bits (0 to 1 and

1 to 0)

0xx1

Notice that the bits in the first

operand change only where there are
1s in the second operand
WSRef 3.2

20

BITx and Shorthand

Operators

Consta Value
nt
BIT0

000000
01

BIT1

000000
10

P1OUT ^= BIT0; is equivalent

to
BIT2
P1OUT = P1OUT ^ BIT0;
...

000001
00

Same for other operators: P1OUT

BIT6 |= 010000
00
BIT0;
BIT7
100000
00
is the same as P1OUT = P1OUT |
BIT0;

Action Example

P1OUT

Changing multiple
bits

Set

P1OUT |= BIT1;

xxxxxx1x

P1OUT |= BIT4 +
BIT5;

Clear

P1OUT &=
~BIT2;

xxxxx0xx

P1OUT &= ~(BIT5 +

BIT6);

Toggl
e

P1OUT ^= BIT3;

Allows individual bits to be changed

WSRef 2.3.1, 3.5

xxxx?xxx

P1OUT ^= BIT6 +
BIT7;

21

End of main() and

__delay_cycles()
Microcontroller programs should not
end
Use an infinite loop: w h ile (1) {/*code*/}
Enter a low power mode:
_BIS_SR(LPM0_bits);

__delay_cycles() delays code

execution
Length of time depends on MSP430
clock rate!
22
Ex: 1 million cycles @ 1MHz = 1 second

Blinking LEDs 1 - Exercises

to try
Make the green LED blink instead of red
Green LED is on P1.6

Make both LEDs blink at once

Red and Green should turn on and off together
Make sure both are on or off before infinite loop

Make the LEDs alternate (one on at a time)

Exactly one LED should be on at all times

Make an LED turn on and off for different

durations
On state should be longer/shorter than off
Try using |= and &= ~
23

Blinking the green LED

# in clu d e "m sp430g2553.h"
void m ain(void ) {
W D TCTL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = B IT6; // green LED is on P1.6
w h ile (1) {
P1O U T ^ = B IT6 ;
__delay_cycles(250000);
}
}
24

Blinking both LEDs at Once

# in clu d e "m sp430g2553.h"
void m ain(void ) {
W D TCTL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = B IT0 + B IT6 ;
P 1O U T = 0; // start both LED s off
w h ile (1) {
P1O U T ^ = B IT0 + B IT6 ;
__delay_cycles(250000);
}
}
25

Alternating Both LEDs

# in clu d e "m sp430g2553.h"
void m ain(void ) {
W D TCTL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = B IT0 + B IT6 ;
P 1O U T = B IT0; // start only red on
w h ile (1) {
P1O U T ^ = B IT0 + B IT6 ;
__delay_cycles(250000);
}
}
26

Separate duration for on

and off
# in clu d e "m sp430g2553.h"
void m ain(void ) {
W D TCTL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = BIT0;
w h ile (1) {
P 1O U T |= B IT0; // red LED on
__delay_cycles(250000);
P 1O U T & = ~ B IT0; // red LED off
__d elay_cycles(500000);
}
}
27

BLINKING LEDS 2
Open blinking_leds_2.c in the project
Blinking LEDs 2 Microcontroller Basics

Launchpad Setup
Download code to
MSP
Disconnect MSP!
LED leg to P1.1
Resistor leg to
P1.2
Reconnect MSP
and verify LED is
blinking
29

Pins Output Real Voltages!

P1.2 is always set to ground

P1.1 toggles between ground
and Vcc, which turns the LED
on and off
All normal voltage and current
rules apply to circuit connected
between P1.1 and P1.2

Current flows out of P1.1 and into

P1.2

P1D IR = BIT1 + BIT2;

P1O U T = 0;
w h ile (1) {
P1O U T ^ = BIT1;
__delay_cycles(250000);
}
30

Exercise to try
Without changing the circuit, make
the LED blink by toggling P1.2

31

Make LED blink by toggling

P1.2
void m ain (void ) {
W D TC TL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = BIT1 + BIT2;
P1O U T = B IT1;
w h ile (1)
P1O U T ^ = B IT2;
__delay_cycles(250000);
}
}
32

POLLING
Open polling.c in the project Polling Microcontroller
Basics

Launchpad setup

Disconnect the MSP!

Vcc to P1.4
Gnd to P1.5
Connecting P1.4,
red LED will blink
Connecting P1.5,
green LED will turn
on
Having both
connected causes
red LED to blink
slowly
34

Pullup/pulldown Resistors
Default voltage for unconnected
input pin

Input
pin

Prevents voltage from floating

between states
Pullup resistor pulls voltage up to Vcc
Pulldown resistor pulls voltage down
to ground

Takes input voltage when pin is

connected
Useful for switches and buttons
WSRef 4.2

Input
pin

35

Configuring pullup/down
resistors
PxREN enables pullup/down resistors on
pins
When enabled, PxOUT decides direction
0 = down, 1 = up

void m ain(void ) {
W D TCTL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = BIT0 + BIT6;
P1O U T = 0;
P1REN |= BIT4 + BIT5;
P1O U T |= BIT5;
36

P1IN
Use P1IN to read inputs on port 1
pins
0 = ground, 1 = Vcc

WSRef 2.2

37

The Polling Loop

Constantly loops, checking conditions over and over again
Very inefficient

w h ile (1) {
if (P1IN & BIT4) { // checks if P1.4 is Vcc. P1IN & BIT4
P1O U T ^ = BIT0; // results in either 010000 or 000000
}
// w hich evaluates to true and false
if (!(P1IN & BIT5)) { // checks if P1.5 is ground
P1O U T |= BIT6;
__delay_cycles(250000);
} else {
P1O U T & = ~ BIT6;
}
__delay_cycles(250000);
}
38

INTERRUPTS
Open interrupts.c in the project Interrupts
Microcontroller Basics

Launchpad Setup
Same as polling
example
Vcc to P1.4
Gnd to P1.5

Connecting
P1.4, red LED
will toggle
Connecting
P1.5, green LED
will blink 4
times

40

Interrupts
Interrupts are handled by the
microcontroller
Only runs code when interrupt is
triggered

Interrupts pause currently running

code to run their own code
Interrupts have different priorities
More important interrupts run before
others
UG 2.2

41

Interrupt Configuration
void m ain (void ) {
W D TCTL = W D TPW + W D TH O LD ;
P1D IR = BIT0 + BIT6;
P1O U T = 0;
P1REN |= BIT4 + BIT5;
P1O U T |= BIT5;
P1IE |= BIT4 + BIT5;
P1IES = BIT5;
P1IFG & = ~ (BIT4 + BIT5);
_BIS_SR(LPM 4_bits + G IE);
}
42

Interrupt Handler
# p rag m a vector= PO RT1_VECTO R
// handles interrupts on port 1
__in terru p t void P ort_1(void ) {
if (P1IFG & BIT4) {
// handles P1.4 interrupt
P1O U T ^ = BIT0;
_delay_cycles(100000);
P1IFG & = ~ BIT4;
} else if (P1IFG & BIT5) {
// handles P1.5 interrupt
in t i;
for (i= 0; i< 4; i+ + ) {
P1O U T |= BIT6;
_delay_cycles(100000);
P1O U T & = ~ BIT6;
_delay_cycles(100000);
}
P1IFG & = ~ BIT5;
}
}
43