Components of a
microprocessor/controller
• CPU: Central Processing Unit
• I/O: Input /Output
• Bus: Address bus & Data bus
• Memory: RAM & ROM
• Timer
• Interrupt
• Serial Port
• Parallel Port
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General-purpose
microprocessor:
• CPU for Computers
• Commonly no RAM, ROM, I/O on CPU chip itself
Many chips on motherboard
Data Bus
CPU
General-
Serial
Purpose RAM ROM I/O Timer COM
Micro- Port
Port
processor
Address Bus
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Microcontroller :
• A single-chip computer
• On-chip RAM, ROM, I/O ports...
• Example : Motorola’s 6811, Intel’s 8051, Zilog’s Z8 and PIC 16X
CPU RAM ROM
A single chip
Serial
I/O Timer COM
Port
Port
Microcontroller
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Microprocessor vs. Microcontroller
Microprocessor Microcontroller
• CPU is stand-alone, RAM, • CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O and timer
ROM, I/O, timer are separate are all on a single chip
• designer can decide on the • fixed amount of on-chip ROM,
amount of ROM, RAM and RAM, I/O ports
I/O ports. • for applications in which cost,
• expensive
power and space are critical
• versatility
• single-purpose (control-oriented)
• general-purpose
• Low processing power
• High processing power
• High power consumption • Low power consumption
• Instruction sets focus on • Bit-level operations
processing-intensive • Instruction sets focus on control
operations and bit-level operations
• Typically 32/64 – bit • Typically 8/16 bit
• Typically deep pipeline (5-20 • Typically single-cycle/two-stage
stages)
pipeline
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Some Popular Microcontrollers…
• 8051
• Microchip Technology PIC
• Atmel AVR
• Texas Instruments MSP430 (16-bit)
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Review questions
• What are the main differences between a
microprocessor and a microcontroller in
terms of
– Architecture
– Applications
– Instruction set
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Example
• A uP running at 600 MHz has an average
CPI of 1.2 and a average power
consumption of 400 mW, while a uC
running at 12 MHz with a two cycle
datapath has a power consumption of 24
mW.
– Calculate their respective MIPS
– Which one is more efficient in MIPS/mW?
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