? MCU features
? Program execution
? RAM file registers
? Other PIC chips
pic 16 Elements of a Digital Controller
The microcontroller unit (MCU) is now big, or rather small, in electronics. It is one of the most significant developments in the continuing miniaturization of electronic hardware. Now, even trivial products, such as a musical birthday card or electronic price tag, can include an MCU. They are an important factor in the digitization of analog systems, such as sound systems or television. In addition, they provide an essential component of larger systems, such as automobiles, robots, and industrial systems. There is no escape from microcontrollers, so it is pretty useful to know how they work. The computer or digital controller has three main elements: input and output devices, which communicate with the outside world; a processor, to make calculations and handle data operations; and memory, to store programs and data. Figure 1.1 shows these in a little more detail. Unlike the conventional microprocessor system (such as a PC), which has separate chips on a printed circuit board, the microcontroller contains all these elements in one chip. The MCU is essentially a computer on a chip; however, it still needs input and output devices, such as a keypad and display, to form a working system.
The microcontroller stores its program in ROM (read only memory). In the past, UV (ultraviolet) erasable programmable ROM (EPROM) was used for prototyping orsmall batch production, and one-time programmable ROM for longer product runs. Programmable ROM chips are programmed in the final stages of manufacture, while EPROM could be programmed by the user. Flash ROM is now normally used for prototyping and low-volume production. This can be programmed in circuit by the user after the circuit has been built. The prototyping cycle is faster, and software variations are easier to accommodate.
We are all now familiar with flash ROM as used in USB memory sticks, digital camera memory, and so on, with Gb (10 9 byte) capacities commonplace. The range of microcontrollers available is expanding rapidly. The first to be widely used, the Intel 8051, was developed alongside the early Intel PC processors, such as the 8086. This device dominated the field for some time; others emerged only slowly, mainly in the form of complex processors for applications such as engine management systems.
These devices were relatively expensive, so they were justified only in high-value products. The potential of microcontrollers seems to have been realized only slowly. The development of flash ROM helped open up the market, and Microchip was among the first to take advantage. The cheap and reprogrammable PIC16F84 became the most widely known, rapidly becoming the number one device for students and hobbyists. On the back of this success, the Microchip product range rapidly developed and diversified. The supporting development system, MPLAB, was distributed free, which helped the PIC to dominate the low-end market. Flash ROM is one of the technical developments that made learning about microsystems easier and more interesting. Interactive circuit design software is another. The whole design process is now much more transparent, so that working systems are more quickly achievable by the beginner. Low-cost in-circuit debugging is another technique that helps get the final hardware up and running quickly, with only a modest expenditure on development tools.
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