WHAT IS A MICROCONTROLLER?
January 14, 2022 | Piyumali Wanasinghe
WHAT IS A MICROCONTROLLER?
A microcontroller is a compact integrated circuit designed to govern a specific operation in an embedded system that sometimes referred to as an embedded controller or microcontroller unit (MCU).
A typical microcontroller includes a processor, memory and input/output (I/O) peripherals on a single chip. It does this by interpreting data it receives from its I/O peripherals using its central processor. The temporary information that the microcontroller receives is stored in its data memory, where the processor accesses it and uses instructions stored in its program memory to decipher and apply the incoming data.
Types of Microcontrollers
Microcontrollers are divided into categories according to their memory, architecture, bits and instruction sets.
Bits
• 8 bits microcontroller executes logic & arithmetic operations.
• 16 bits microcontroller executes with greater accuracy and performance in contrast to 8-bit.
• 32bits microcontroller is employed mainly in automatically controlled appliances such as office machines, implantable medical appliances, etc. It requires 32 - bit instructions to carry out any logical or arithmetic function.
Memory
• External Memory Microcontroller–When an embedded structure is built with a microcontroller which does not comprise of all the functioning blocks existing on a chip it is named as external memory microcontroller.
• Embedded Memory Microcontroller – When an embedded structure is built with a microcontroller which comprise of all the functioning blocks existing on a chip it is named as embedded memory microcontroller.
Instruction Set
• CISC - CISC means complex instruction set computer, it allows the user to apply 1 instruction as an alternative to many simple instructions.
• RISC - RISC means Reduced Instruction Set Computers. RISC reduces the operation time by shortening the clock cycle per instruction.
Memory Architecture
• Harvard Memory Architecture Microcontroller
• Princeton Memory Architecture Microcontroller
The microcontroller has played a fundamental role in the technological revolution that has shaped modern life. Microcontrollers are small, versatile, inexpensive devices that can be successfully implemented and programmed not only by experienced electrical engineers but also by hobbyists, students, and professionals from other disciplines. A microcontroller is comprises components like - memory, peripherals and most importantly a processor. Microcontrollers are basically employed in devices that need a degree of control to be applied by the user of the device.
The list of possible microcontroller applications is so long. Some of them are medical equipment, high end consumer electronics found in vehicles, robots, office machines, mobile radio transceivers, vending machines and so on. These adaptable, affordable, user-friendly components are a welcome addition to just about any electronic product.
Application of Microcontroller in Day to Day Life Devices
• Light sensing & controlling devices
• Temperature sensing and controlling devices
• Fire detection & safety devices
• Industrial instrumentation devices
• Process control devices
Application of microcontroller in Industrial Control Devices
• Industrial instrumentation devices
• Process control devices
Applications of microcontroller in Metering & Measurement Devices:
• Volt Meter
• Measuring revolving objects
• Current meter
• Hand-held metering systems
Other supporting elements of a microcontroller include:
• Analog to Digital Converter (ADC)
• Digital to Analog Converter (DAC)
• System bus
• Serial port
Features
A microcontroller's processor will vary by application. Options range from the simple 4-bit, 8-bit or 16-bit processors to more complex 32-bit or 64-bit processors. Microcontrollers can use volatile memory types such as random access memory (RAM) and non-volatile memory types.
Generally, microcontrollers are designed to be readily usable without additional computing components because they are designed with sufficient onboard memory as well as offering pins for general I/O operations, so they can directly interface with sensors and other components.
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