Microprocessors and

Microcontrollers
 Microprocessors and
Microcontrollers Introduction
The computer is a machine that processes data to generate information with speed
and accuracy. Electronic and electromechanical devices, and software make this
programmable machine. The computer comprises four basic units, namely, input
(I/P), memory, output (O/P), and central processing unit.
 Microprocessors and
Microcontrollers Introduction
Input Device: An input device accepts data from the environment, converts it into
digital form and sends it to the memory of the computer for storing.
 Microprocessors and
Microcontrollers Introduction
Memory: A computer system also has storage areas, often referred to as memory.
The memory unit stores the information to be processed by the CPU. This information
consists of the program as well as data. The memory can receive data, hold them and
deliver them when instructed to do so.
 Microprocessors and
Microcontrollers Introduction
Output devices: When a program is executed in the computer, the result will be
computed and readily available for display. The computer needs output devices to
display the information to the user.
 Microprocessors and
Microcontrollers Introduction
Central processing unit (CPU) : The central processing unit is the brain of the
computer. It executes the programmer’s software and controls the memory, input and
output devices. Programs are stored in the memory. The CPU fetches instructions of a
program sequentially from the memory. It fetches one instruction at a time, decodes it
and then executes it.
 Microprocessors and
Microcontrollers Introduction
The central processing unit built on a single IC is called a microprocessor. In a
microcomputer, the microprocessor acts as the central processing unit.
 Microprocessors and
Microcontrollers Introduction
Microprocessor: The microprocessor is a multipurpose, programmable, and
clock-driven integrated circuit. This IC can read binary instructions from any storage
device called memory. It also accepts binary data as input, processes data according to
instructions, and provides results as output.
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
There are four steps of operation. In Step 1, the microprocessor fetches an instruction
and in the next step, the control logic decodes what the instruction has to do. Then
decoding is done in the third step and in the last step, the microprocessor executes the
instruction. The microprocessor always operates in binary digits 0 and 1, known as
bits. Bit is an abbreviation for ‘binary digit’ which can be represented in terms of
voltages. The microprocessor recognizes and processes a group of bits called word.
Microprocessors are classified according to their word length such as 8-bit, 16-bit,
32-bit and 64-bit microprocessors.
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
Generally, the words ‘microprocessor’ and ‘microcomputer’ are used to correspond to
the same thing, but in fact these words have different meanings. The microprocessor is
an Integrated Circuit (IC) developed on LSI or VLSI technology. It is the core of any
computer system, but a microprocessor by itself is completely useless, until external
peripheral devices are connected with it to enable it to interact with the outside world.
The microcomputer is a complete computing system and it is built with a
microprocessor, input/output devices and memory (RAM and ROM).
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
Usually, the function of microprocessors is to process or manipulate data. Except data
manipulations, the processor is used to read data and instructions from the memory,
read and write data to the memory, read data from input devices and write data into
output devices. To perform these operations, the processor communicates with the
memory and I/O devices through the address bus, data bus and control bus.
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
Depending upon the number of data buses and memory, there are three types of
processor architecture such as

(i) Von Neumann architecture

Von Neumann architecture: The Von Neumann architecture of processors and this
architecture is most commonly used in processors. In this architecture, one memory
chip is used to store both instructions and data. The processor interacts with the
memory through address and data buses to fetch instructions as well as data.
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
Harvard architecture: In this processor architecture, two separate memory blocks,
namely, program memory and data memory are used. The program memory is used to
store only instructions and data memory is used to store data. The program memory
address bus is used to locate the program memory and through program memory data
bus, the processor can write/read instructions to/from memory. Similarly, the data
memory address bus is used to locate data memory and the data memory data bus can
be used to access the data memory. Consequently, this architecture is efficient than Von
Neumann architecture as the instructions and data will be accessed very fast.
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
Super Harvard architecture: It is the modified Harvard Architecture Generally, the
data memory is accessed more frequently than the program memory in Harvard
architecture. In the super Harvard architecture, the program memory can store
secondary data to balance the load on both program memory and data memory. The
instruction cache is in-built within the processor. This architecture is most commonly
used in Digital Signal Processing (DSP).
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
Evolution of microprocessor:
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
The microprocessor started as a 4-bit device. It has progressed to an 8-bit, a 16-bit, a
32-bit and now a 64-bit device. A microprocessor with a longer word length will solve
more problems at a faster rate. Therefore, a longer word length should give a better and
faster solution to all problems. However, the consideration of product cost is important
and it has been increased by number of data bits. The applications of 4-bit, 8-bit and
other microprocessors are given below:
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
A microcontroller is a small computer on a single Integrated Circuit (IC) containing a
processor, memory, and programmable input/output ports. The program memory, in the
form of flash or ROM, is also incorporated on a chip and a small amount of RAM is also
included on a single chip. Microcontrollers are specially designed for embedded
applications. In 1980, Intel had developed an 8-bit microcontroller named the 8051
microcontroller. It had 128 bytes of RAM, 4 K bytes of on-chip ROM, two timers, four
parallel ports with each port 8-bits wide and a serial port.
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
The 8051 microcontroller was developed by incorporating different types of memory
such as UV-EPROM, NV-RAM and flash. The UV-EPROM version of the 8051
microcontroller is called the 8751 microcontroller family. The NV-RAM version of the
8051 microcontroller was called DS500 and it was manufactured by Dalas
semiconductor. The flash ROM version is known as AT89C51 family microcontroller,
and it is manufactured by Atmel corporation. This microcontroller is called Amtel family
microcontroller.
 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction
The Peripheral Interface Controller (PIC) family of microcontrollers was developed by
Microchip in 1985. PIC microcontrollers are based on Harvard architecture and Reduced
Instruction Set (RISC). During 1997, 8-bit microcontrollers were introduced by Atmel,
based on reduced instruction set. The 8-bit PIC microcontrollers such as PIC16CXX,
PIC17CXX were also developed by microchip and manufactured using CMOS
Technology. These microcontrollers are extensively used in industry due to their very
good performance, low cost and small size.
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers Introduction