Microcontrollers

Empedded Programming - RL-eCee Dev Board

Team Emertxe
Important Terms
Microcontrollers
Important Terms

● Host:
A system which is used to develop the target.
● Target:
A system which is being developed for specific
application.
● Cross Compiler:
An application used to generated code for another
architecture being in another architecture
Workspace Creation
Microcontrollers
Workspace Creation
● For better data organization lets create some project
working directories
● Please follow the below steps

Step 1
user@user:~] cd

Step 2
user@user:~] mkdir -p ECEP/Microcontrollers/ClassWork

Step 3
user@user:~] cd ECEP/Microcontrollers/ClassWork
Lets Start Coding
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding
● Well, come on lets make our hand a bit dirty in
embedded coding with the following code
Example ●
Nice, but few questions here
#include <stdio.h>
– Why did you write this code?
int main()
{ Hmm, Just to say hello world to
int x = 20;
embedded programming
printf(“%d\n”, x);
– Fine, where are you planning to run
return 0; this code?
}
Of course on a embedded target!
– Does it have a OS already running?
Ooink, Hmm noo, may be …
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding
● So questions raised in the previous slide has to be answered
before we can start our code.
● The answers to these questions are little tricky and depends
on
– Complexity of the work you do
– The requirement of the project
and many other factors
● Now the scope of this module is to learn low level
microcontroller programming which is non OS (called as
bare metal)
● So let's rewrite the same example as shown in the next slide
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding
Example ●
The change you observe is void
#include <stdio.h>
main(void)
void main(void)
{
int x = 20;
● Why?
printf(“%d\n”, x); – As mentioned generally the low end
}
embedded system are non OS based
– The code you write would be the first piece of code coming
to existence
● Now, lets not take this too seriously. This could again
depend the development environment
● There could be some startup codes, which would call the
main
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding
Example ● The next questions is, where are
#include <stdio.h>
trying to print? On Screen?
void main(void)
{
int x = 20;
– Does your target support that?
printf(“%d\n”, x); – Does your development
}
environment support that?
● Now again, all these are depends on your target board
and development environment
● Maaan, So many questions? Well, what should I write
then?
– Well that too depends on your target board!!
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● Well, my principle is simple. No matter on what type of

board you work, the first code you write, should give you
the confidence that you are on the right path.
● Try to identify the simplest possible interface which can
be made work with lesser overhead, so that, we are sure
about our setup like
– Hardware is working
– Toolchain setup is working
– Connectivity between the host and target is
established
and so on.
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● It is good to know what your target board is, what it

contains by its architecture
● Board architecture generally gives you overview about
your board and its peripheral interfaces
● In our case we will be using RL-eCee development board
which is shown in the next slide
Microcontrollers
EP - Let's Start Coding – RL-eCee Architecture

ON Chip
RS232
Bootloader

LEDs
GPIO

Buzzer
CAN

I2C PIC18F4580 Digital Keypad

RTC / EEPROM

TSOP SSDs
IR Sensor

LM35 Matrix Keypad

Temp Sensor

ADC CLCD
(Single Port)
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

●
So from the architecture we come to know that the board
has few LEDs, So why don't we start with it?
● So simple right? Well I hope you
Example know whats going happen with
#include <stdio.h>
this code!!
void main(void)
{
int led;
Any C programmer knows that the
●

led is just a integer variable and

led = 0;
} we write just a value in it, hence
no point in this code
Now what should we do?
● Hmm, refer next slide
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding
●
LED is an external device connected to microcontroller port
●
A port is interface between the controller and external
peripheral.
●
Based on the controller architecture you will have N
numbers of ports
●
The target controller in RL-eCee board is PIC18F4580 from
Microchip
●
The next question arises is how do I know how many ports
my target controller has?
– From Microcontroller Architecture which will be
detailed in the data sheet provided by the maker
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● By reading the data sheet you come to know that there

are 5 Ports
● Again a question. Where are the LEDs connected. You
need the Schematic of the target board to know this.
● A Schematic is document which provides information
about the physical connections on the hardware.
● From the schematic we come to know the the LEDs are
connected to PORTB
● Port is a peripheral and we need need to know on how to
access and address. This infos will be available in the
data sheet in PORTB and Data Memory sections
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● From the section of PORTB it clear that there are 2 more

registers associated with it named, TRISB and LATB
● The TRISB register is very important for IO configuration.
The value put in this register would decide pin direction as
shown below
TRIS Register PORT Register Pin Direction

1 TRISx7 ? Rx7 Input

0 TRISx6 ? Rx6 Output
1 TRISx5 ? Rx5 Input
1 TRISx4 ? Rx4 Input
0 TRISx3 ? Rx3 Output
1 TRISx2 ? Rx2 Input
1 TRISx1 ? Rx1 Input
0 TRISx0 ? Rx0 Output
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● So from previous slide its clear that we have to use the

TRIS register to control the pin direction
● LEDs are driven by external source, so the port direction
should be made as output
● In this case the LEDs are connected to the controller and
will be driven by it
● Fine, what should write to the port to make it work?
It depends on the hardware design.
● By considering all these point we can modify our code as
shown in the next slide
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding
Example
void main(void)
{
/*
* Defining a pointer to PORTB data latch register at address 0xF8A,
* pointing to 8 bit register. Refer data sheet
*/
unsigned char *latb = (unsigned char *) 0x0F8A;
/*
* Defining a pointer to PORTB tri-state register at address 0xF93,
* pointing to 8 bit register. Refer data sheet
*/
unsigned char *trisb = (unsigned char *) 0x0F93;

/* Setting the pin direction as output (0 – output and 1 – Input) */

*trisb = 0x00;

/*
* Writing just a random value on the data latch register where
* LEDs are connected
*/
*latb = 0x55;
}
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● Hurray!!, we wrote our first Embedded C code for our

target board
● Come on let's move forward, how do I compile this code?
● Obviously with a compiler!, Yes but a cross compiler
since this code has to run on the target board.
● The target controller, as mentioned, is by Microchip. So
we will be using XC8 (Free Version)
● You need to download it and install it in your system
– In Windows you can use MPLABX
– In Linux, the simplest would be command line
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● There some assumptions made here like

– You should know how to interface your board with the
Host System
– How to power up the target board
– Procedure on how to transfer the code into the target
board
and so on...
● All these might be available on the User Manual of the
target board
Microcontrollers
EP - Let's Start Coding - Compiling

● Assuming you are using Linux it can be compiled as

shown below
Compile like
user@user:~] xc8 -–ROM=0-3000 --chip=18f4580 main.c

or
Compile like
user@user:~] /<path>/xc8 -–ROM=0-3000 --chip=18f4580 main.c

● The output of the compilation would be many

intermediate files, but we will be interested in file name
main.hex
Microcontrollers
EP - Let's Start Coding – Hex Download

●
As a last step we need to dump the main.hex to the target
board.
●
Sometimes we need a separate hardware to do this
(typically depends on the target board design)
●
RL-eCee board comes the microcontroller dumped with a
serial boot loader in it
●
So we need a system with a Serial Port or a USB to serial
adapter from hardware prospective
●
We will be using tiny boot loader software to transfer the
code to the target
●
Refer the next slide for the downloading steps
Microcontrollers
EP - Let's Start Coding – Hex Download
Download like
user@user:~] tinybldlin.py –-port /dev/ttyUSB0 --file main.hex

or
Download like
user@user:~] <path>/tinybldlin.py –-port /dev/<device_file> --file main.hex

● The LEDs on the board should glow alternately

● Ooops!, where are the LEDs on board?
Know your target board too!!. Refer next slide
Microcontrollers
EP - Let's Start Coding – RL-eCee Dev Board
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding

● The thrill of having your first code working is different.

● But, this is just the beginning, you might like to design
some good application based on your board
● Proceeding forward, the way how we wrote the code
with indirect addressing would require good amount of
time
● So it is common to use the definitions and libraries
provided by the cross compiler to build our applications
else we end up “Reinventing the Wheel”
● The same code can be re-written the the way provided
in the next slide
Microcontrollers
Embedded Programming - Let's Start Coding
Example
#include <xc8.h>

void main(void)
{
/* Setting the pin direction as output (0 – output and 1 – Input) */
TRISB = 0x00;

/*
* Writing just a random value on the data latch register where
* LEDs are connected
*/
LATB = 0x55;
}

● So simple. Isn't it?

Project Creation
Microcontrollers
Project Creation - Code Organization
● Please organize the code as shown below to increase
productivity and modularity
● Every .c file should have .h file

#include#include
“supporting_file.h”
“supporting_file.h” #include “main.h” #ifndef MAIN_H #ifndef #ifndef
SUPPORTING_FILE_H
SUPPORTING_FILE_H
#define MAIN_H #define #define
SUPPORTING_FILE_H
SUPPORTING_FILE_H
void function_1(void)
void function_1(void) void init_config(void)
{ { { #include <htc.h> #endif #endif
/* Function
/* Function
Code */ Code */ /* Initilization Code */
} } } #endif

void main(void)
{
init_config();

while (1)
{
/* Application Code */
}
}cc

modules.c main.c main.h modules.h

Microcontrollers
Project Creation - Code Template
main.c main.h
#include “main.h” #ifndef MAIN_H
#define MAIN_H
void init_config(void)
{ #include <htc.h>
/* Initilization Code */
} #endif

void main(void)
{
init_config();

while (1)
{
/* Application Code */
}
}
Lets Roll Out on Interfaces
Microcontrollers
Lets Role Out on Interfaces

● LEDs
● Digital Keypad
● Interrupts
● Timers
● Clock I/O
● SSDs
● CLCD
● Matrix Keypad
● Analog Inputs
Light Emitting Diodes
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – LEDs - Introduction

● Simplest device used in most on the embedded

applications as feedback
● Works just like diodes
● Low energy consumptions, longer life, smaller size, faster
switching make it usable in wide application fields like
– Home lighting,
– Remote Controls, Surveillance,
– Displays and many more!!
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – LEDs – Working Principle

S R S R
Which side will
work?
VDD VDD
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – LEDs – Working Principle

S R S R
Oops, wrong
choice. Can you
VDD VDD
explain why?
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – LEDs – Working Principle

S R Ooh, looks like S R

you know the

VDD VDD
funda.
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – LEDs – Circuit on Board

LED1
RB0

LED2
RB1

LED3
RB2

LED4
RB3

LED5
RB4

LED6
RB5

LED7
RB6

LED8
RB7

Note: Make sure the DP

switch its towards LEDs
Digital Keypad
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad
● Introduction
● Interfacing
● Input Detection
● Bouncing Effect
● Circuit on Board
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Introduction

● Provides simple and cheap interface

● Comes in different shapes and sizes
● Preferable if the no of user inputs are less
● Mostly based on tactile switches
● Some common application of tactile keys are
– HMI
– Mobile Phones
– Computer Mouse etc,.
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Tactile Switches

● Considering the below

design what will be input
to the controller if the
switch is pressed?

To
Controller

SW1
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Tactile Switches

● Will this solve the VDD

problem which may arise

in the design mentioned
in previous slide?

To
Controller

SW1
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Tactile Switches

● Now will this solve the VDD

problem which may arise

in the design mentioned
R1
in previous slides?

To
Controller

SW1
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Tactile Switches

● What would you call the VDD

this design?
● Is there any potential SW1
problem?
To
Controller

R1
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Tactile Switches

● What would you call the VDD

this design?
● Is there any potential SW1
problem?
R2
To
Controller

R1
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Triggering Methods
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Bouncing Effects

Contact Bounce Contact Bounce

Period Period

Switch Press Switch Release

Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Digital Keypad - Circuit on Board

VDD

SW15

RC0
SW16

RC1
SW17

RC2
SW18

RC3
Interrupts
Microcontrollers
Interrupts

● Basic Concepts
● Interrupt Source
● Interrupt Classification
● Interrupt Handling
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Basic Concepts
● An interrupt is a communication process set up in a
microprocessor or microcontroller in which:
– An internal or external device requests the MPU to stop
the processing
– The MPU acknowledges the request
– Attends to the request
– Goes back to processing where it was interrupted
● Polling
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Interrupt vs Polling
● Loss of Events
● Response
● Power Management
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Sources
● External
● Timers
● Peripherals
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Classification

Interrupts

Hardware Software

Non Maskable Maskable

External Internal
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Handling

Super Loop Interrupt

Handler
0x0000
0x0001
0x0002

Interrupt
Occurs Here

i
i+1
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Service Routine (ISR)
● Similar to a subroutine
● Attends to the request of an interrupting source
– Clears the interrupt flag
– Should save register contents that may be affected by the code
in the ISR
– Must be terminated with the instruction RETFIE
● When an interrupt occurs, the MPU:
– Completes the instruction being executed
– Disables global interrupt enable
– Places the address from the program counter on the stack
● Return from interrupt
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Service Routine (ISR)
● What / What Not
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - Latency

● Latency is determined by:

– Instruction time (how long is the longest)
– How much of the context must be saved
– How much of the context must be restored
– The effort to implement priority scheme
– Time spend executing protected code
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - External Interrupt – Circuit on Board

VDD

SW14

R48
1K
RB0

R24
10K
Microcontrollers
Interrupts - External Interrupt - Example
Example
#include <xc8> bit glow_led;

static void init_config(void) void interrupt external_pin(void)

{ {
init_external_interrupt(); if (INTFLAG)
} {
glow_led = 1;
void main(void) INTFLAG = 0;
{ }
unsigned char i; }
init_config();

while (1)
{
while (!glow_led)
{
if (SWITCH == 1)
glow_led = 1;

for (i = 10000; i--; );

}
if (glow_led)
LED = 0;
}
}
Timers
Microcontrollers
Timers - Introduction

● Resolution  Register Width

● Tick  Up Count or Down Count
● Quantum  System Clock settings
● Scaling  Pre or Post
● Modes
● Counter
● PWM or Pulse Generator

● PW or PP Measurement etc.,

● Examples
Microcontrollers
Timers - Example

●
Requirement – 5 pulses of 8 µsecs
● Resolution – 8 Bit
●
Quantum – 1 µsecs
● General
Microcontrollers
Timers - Example

Timer Register

Overflows
28μs 20μs 12μs 4μs
Clock I/O
Microcontrollers
Clock I/O - Introduction

● Most peripheral devices depends on Clocking

● Controllers have to generate clock to communicate with
the peripherals
● Some of the Controllers internal peripherals work on
external clocking provided at it pins
Microcontrollers
Clock I/O - Introduction

● The activity on the devices could be on

– Edges
– Levels
Microcontrollers
Clock I/O - PWM

● Sometimes called as PDM (Pulse Duration Modulation)

● A technique used to vary the active time vs inactive time in
a fixed period.
● Mostly used to control the average voltage of the Load
connected.
● Used in wide applications like Motor Controls, Lamp
Dimmers, Audio, Power Controls and many more..
Microcontrollers
Clock I/O - PWM

TON TOFF

TON TOFF

TON TOFF
Seven Segment Displays
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs - Introduction

● Array of LEDs connected internally

● Possible configurations are common cathode and common
anode
● Very good line of sight
● Used in many applications
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs – Introduction - Design

VDD

a a

b b

c c

d d

e e

f f

g g

dp dp
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs - Example

● Assuming a common
Data Control
anode display, what a b c d e f g dp C1 C2 C3 C4
will the output for 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
provided table? 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

DISP1 DISP2 DISP3 DISP4

a a
b
c
f b d
e
f
g g
dp
e c C1
C2
d dp C3
C4

Segment Map
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs - Example

● Assuming a common
Data Control
anode display, what a b c d e f g dp C1 C2 C3 C4
will the output for 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
provided table?
DISP1 DISP2 DISP3 DISP4
a a
b
c
f b d
e
f
g g
dp
e c C1
C2
d dp C3
C4

Segment Map
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs - Example

● Assuming a common
Data Control
anode display, what a b c d e f g dp C1 C2 C3 C4
will the output for
provided table? 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

DISP1 DISP2 DISP3 DISP4

a a
b
c
f b d
e
f
g g
dp
e c C1
C2
d dp C3
C4

Segment Map
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs – Multiplexing

a DISP1 DISP2 DISP3 DISP4

0
b
0
1
c
1
0
d
0 e
0
1
f
1
0 g
0 dp
1

C2
C3
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs – Multiplexing

a DISP1 DISP2 DISP3 DISP4

0
b
0
c
1
d
0 e
0
f
1 g
0 dp
1

C2
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs – Multiplexing

a DISP1 DISP2 DISP3 DISP4

b
c
d
e
f
g
dp
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – SSDs - Circuit on Board

b DISP1 DISP2 DISP3 DISP4

RD0 a
RD1 f
RD2 g
RD3 dp
RD4 c
RD5 d
RD6 e
RD7

RA3
RA2
RA1
RA0
Character Liquid Crystal Display
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – CLCD - Introduction

● Most commonly
used display ASCII
characters
● Some
customization in
symbols possible
● Communication
Modes
– 8 Bit Mode
– 4 Bit Mode
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – CLCD - Circuit on Board

D0
RD0 D1
RD1 D2
RD2 D3
RD3 D4
RD4 D5
RD5 D6
RD6 D7
RD7
RW
RC0 RS
RC1 EN
RC2
Matrix Keypad
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Matrix Keypad - Introduction

● Used when the more number of user inputs is required and

still want to save the some controller I/O lines
● Uses rows and columns concept
● Most commonly used in Telephonic, Calculators, Digital
lockers and many more applications
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Matrix Keypad - Example

COL1 COL2

SW

SW
1

2
SW ROW1

SW
3

4
ROW2
Microcontrollers
Interfaces – Matrix Keypad – Circuit on Board

RB1 RB2 RB3 RB4

SW1 SW4 SW7 SW10

RB5
SW2 SW5 SW8 SW11

RB6

SW3 SW6 SW9 SW12

RB7
Analog Inputs
Microcontrollers
Analog Inputs - Introduction

● Very important peripheral in embedded systems for real

time activities
● Multiplexed with normal GPIO
● Comes with different resolutions
Microcontrollers
Analog Inputs - SAR
Data Storage
Microcontrollers
Data Storage - Introduction

● Mostly used in every Embedded System

● The size and component (memory) of storage depends
upon the requirements
● Modern controllers has built in data storage
– EEPROM
– Data Flash etc.
Thank You