INFORMATION SHEET NO.

8051 MICROCONTROLLERS

Learning Outcomes:

After reading this Information Sheet, you must be able to:

1. Familiarize with the diagram of 8051 microcontroller.
2. Identify the applications of 8051 microcontroller.
3. Illustrate the features of 8051 microcontroller.

8051 Microcontroller Introduction and History

The 8051 Microcontroller Introduction gives a brief overview about the

8051 Microcontroller and its history. Intel’s 8051 Microcontroller (Intel MSC-51
Architecture) was a successor to 8048 Microcontroller (Intel MSC-48
Architecture).

Originally, 8051 Microcontrollers were developed using N-MOS Technology

but the use of battery powered devices and their low power consumption lead to
usage of CMOS Technology (which is famous for its low power consumption).

Even though Intel developed 8051 Microcontrollers (which is discontinued

in 2007), more than 20 semiconductor manufacturers are still producing 8051
compatible microcontrollers i.e. processors based on MSC-51 Architecture.

Some of the 8051 Microcontrollers produced by different manufacturers

are: Atmel (AT89C51, AT89S51), Phillips (S87C654), STC Micro (STC89C52),
Infineon (SAB-C515, XC800), Siemens (SAB-C501), Silicon Labs (C8051), NXP
(NXP700, NXP900), etc.

Majority of the modern 8051 Microcontrollers are Silicon IP Cores

(Intellectual Property Cores) but discrete 8051 Microcontroller IC’s are also
available. Because of their low power consumption, smaller size and simple

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architecture, 8051 IP Cores are used in FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array)
and SoCs (System on Chip) instead of Advanced ARM Architecture based MCUs.

Applications of 8051 Microcontroller

Even with the development of many advanced and superior

Microcontrollers, 8051 Microcontroller is still being used in many embedded
system and applications.

Some of the applications of 8051 Microcontroller are mentioned below:

• Consumer Appliances (TV Tuners, Remote controls, Computers, Sewing

Machines, etc.)
• Home Applications (TVs, VCR, Video Games, Camcorder, Music
Instruments, Home Security Systems, Garage Door Openers, etc.)
• Communication Systems (Mobile Phones, Intercoms, Answering Machines,
Paging Devices, etc.)
• Office (Fax Machines, Printers, Copiers, Laser Printers, etc.)
• Automobiles (Air Bags, ABS, Engine Control, Transmission Control,
Temperature Control, Keyless Entry, etc)
• Aeronautical and Space
• Medical Equipment
• Defense Systems
• Robotics
• Industrial Process and Flow Control
• Radio and Networking Equipment
• Remote Sensing

8051 Microcontroller Basics

8051 is an 8 – bit Microcontroller i.e. the data bus of the 8051

Microcontroller (both internal and external) is 8 – bit wide. It is CISC based
Microcontroller with Harvard Architecture (separate program and data memory).

Since the basic layout of a microcontroller includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc.
the 8051 microcontrollers also have a similar layout. The following image shows
a brief layout of a typical 8051 Microcontroller.

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8051 Microcontroller Features

• 8 – Bit ALU: ALU or Arithmetic Logic Unit is the heart of a microcontroller.

It performs arithmetic and bitwise operation on binary numbers. The ALU
in 8051 is an 8 – Bit ALU i.e. it can perform operations on 8 – bit data.
• 8 – Bit Accumulator: The Accumulator is an important register associated
with the ALU. The accumulator in 8051 is an 8 – bit register.
• RAM: 8051 Microcontroller has 128 Bytes of RAM which includes SFRs and
Input / Output Port Registers.
• ROM: 8051 has 4 KB of on-chip ROM (Program Memory).
• I/O Ports: 8051 has four 8 – bit Input / Output Ports which are bit
addressable and bidirectional.
• Timers / Counters: 8051 has two 16 – bit Timers / Counters.
• Serial Port: 8051 supports full duplex UART Communication.
• External Memory: 8051Microcontroller can access two 16 – bit address line
at once: one each for RAM and ROM. The total external memory that an
8051 Microcontroller can access for RAM and ROM is 64KB (216 for each
type).
• Additional Features: Interrupts, on-chip oscillator, Boolean Processor,
Power Down Mode, etc.

NOTE: Some of the features like size of RAM and ROM, number of Timers, etc.
are not generic. They vary by manufacturer.

8051 Microcontroller Packaging

8051 Microcontroller is available in a variety of IC Packaging Types. The

most popular and commonly used 8051 Microcontroller Packaging is Dual in-
line or DIP. It is often available as a 40 – pin PDIP or Plastic DIP IC.

The other common packaging type is 44 – Lead PLCC (Plastic Leaded Chip
Carrier). It is a kind of surface mount package.

Another surface mount packaging for 8051 microcontrollers is 44 – Lead

TQFP (Thin Quad Flat Package).

8051 Microcontroller Architecture

The 8051 Microcontroller is an 8 – bit Microcontroller i.e. it can read, write

and process 8 – bit Data. There are a bunch of manufacturers like Atmel, NXP,
TI, who manufacture their own versions of 8051 Microcontroller.
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 Irrespective of the manufacturer, the internal hardware design i.e. the
8051 Microcontroller Architecture remains more or less the same. The following
image shows the 8051 Microcontroller Architecture in a block diagram style.

The block diagram of the 8051 Microcontroller Architecture shows that

8051 Microcontroller consists of a CPU, RAM (SFRs and Data Memory), Flash
(EEPROM), I/O Ports and control logic for communication between the
peripherals.

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 All these different peripherals inside the 8051 Microcontroller will
communicate with each other via the 8 – bit Data Bus, also known as the internal
data bus.

8051 Microcontroller Architecture Features

We have seen the internal architecture of the 8051 Microcontroller in the

above section. Now, we will see the features of the 8051 Microcontroller
Architecture.

NOTE: Some of the features like internal ROM and RAM will vary with the
specific model of the 8051 Microcontroller.

• 8 – bit CPU with two Registers A (Accumulator) and B.

• Internal ROM of 8K Bytes – It is a flash memory that supports in – system
programming.
• Internal RAM of 256 Bytes – The first 128 Bytes of the RAM i.e. 00H to 7FH
is again divided in to 4 banks with 8 registers (R0 – R7) in each bank, 16-
bit addressable registers and 80 general purpose registers. The higher 128
Bytes of the RAM i.e. 80H to FFH consists of SFRs or Special Function
Registers. Using SFRs we can control different peripherals like Timers,
Serial Port, all I/O Ports, etc.
• 32 I/O Pins (Input / Output Pins) – Arranged as 4 Ports: P0, P1, P2 and P3.
• 8- bit Stack Pointer (SP) and Processor Status Word (PSW).
• 16 – bit Program Counter (PC) and Data Pointer (DPTR).
• Two 16 – bit Timers / Counters – T0 and T1.
• Control Registers – SCON, PCON, TCON, TMOD, IP and IE.
• Serial Data Transmitter and Receiver for Full – Duplex Operation – SBUF.
• Interrupts: Two External and Three Internal.
• Oscillator and Clock Circuit.

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 SELF -CHECK NO. 7

A. MULTIPLE CHOICE

Directions: Read the short story carefully. Encircle the letter of the correct
answer in each number.

1. The basic layout of this microcontroller includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. and
it is CISC based Microcontroller with Harvard Architecture (separate
program and data memory).

a. 8051 c. ARM
b. AVR d. Zilog

2. It is a flash memory that supports in – system programming.

a. Control Registers c. Internal ROM of 8K Bytes

b. Interrupts d. Internal RAM of 256 Bytes

3. The heart of a microcontroller. It performs arithmetic and bitwise operation

on binary numbers.

a. CPU c. RAM
b. ROM d. ALU

4. This feature of 8051 supports full duplex UART Communication.

a. Serial Port c. I/O Port

b. Timer d. ROM

5. The most popular and commonly used 8051 Microcontroller Packaging.

a. Dual in Line c. Plug-In

b. Surface Mount d. Soldered

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6. The following are the features of 8051 microcontroller except:

a. Boolean Processor c. Thumb

b. Power Down Mode d. on-chip oscillator

7. 8051 Microcontroller will communicate with each other via the 8 – bit Data,
also known as _________________.

a. External Bus c. Internal Bus

b. External Data Instruction d. Internal Data Bus

8. The block diagram of the 8051 Microcontroller consists of a AFU, CPU, RAM
(SFRs and Data Memory), Flash (EEPROM), I/O Ports and control logic for
communication between the peripherals. What is wrong in the statement?

a. AFU c. Control Logic

b. SFR d. EEPROM

9. Irrespective of the ______________, the internal hardware design i.e. the 8051
Microcontroller Architecture remains more or less the same.

a. Corporation c. Manufacturer
b. Company d. Programmer

10. The other common packaging type is 44 – Lead PLCC (Plastic Leaded
Chip Carrier). What type of packaging is 44-Lead PLCC?

a. Dual in Line c. Plug-In

b. Surface Mount d. Plastic

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