Introduction to Mechatronics

Chapter 6

Microcontrollers and Microprocessors

Introduction
• Any computer with proper I/O interface devices (digital and analog I/O) and
software tools can be used as a controller.
• Can be non embedded or embedded
✓Non embedded: a desktop PC can be used as a process controller by
adding an I/O expansion board and control software.
✓Embedded: computer used as the controller of a mechatronic system.
• A microcontroller is the main building block of an embedded computer.
Microcontroller
▪ The microcontroller is the integration of a
microprocessor with memory and
input/output interfaces, and other
peripherals such as timers, on a single chip.
▪ A microcontroller is an integrated
microprocessor chip with many I/O
interfaces.
▪ The general microcontroller has pins for
external connections of inputs and outputs,
power, clock and control signals.
▪ The pins for the inputs and outputs are
grouped into units called input/output
ports.
Figure: Block diagram of a microcontroller.
Cont..
▪ Microprocessors which have memory and various input/output arrangements
all on the same chip are called microcontrollers.
▪ Systems using microprocessors basically have three parts:
▪ Central processing unit(CPU): to recognize and carry out program
instructions (this is the part which uses the microprocessor),
▪ Input and output interfaces: to handle communications between the
microprocessor and the outside world (the term port is used for the
interface), and
▪ Memory: to hold the program instructions and data.
▪ Digital signals move from one section to another along paths called buses.
Buses
❖There are three forms of bus in a microprocessor
1. Data bus: carries the data associated with the processing function of the CPU.
✓ It is used to transport a word to or from the CPU and the memory or
the input/output interfaces.
✓ Each wire in the bus carries a binary signal, i.e. a 0 or a 1.
2. Address bus: carries signals which indicate where data is to be found and so
the selection of certain memory locations or input or output ports.
✓ Each storage location within a memory device has a unique
identification, termed its address, so that the system is able to select a
particular instruction or data item in the memory.
✓ Each input/output interface also has an address.
3. Control bus: carries the signals relating to control actions.
Cont..

Figure: General form of a microprocessor system and its buses.

Parts of microcontroller
1. Central Processing Unit (CPU): is generally referred to as the
microprocessor
• It is that part of the processor system which processes the data fetching
instructions from memory, decoding them and executing them.

Figure: General internal architecture of a microprocessor.

Cont..
❖ Constituent parts of a micro processor (CPU) and their function
1. Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU): is responsible for performing the data
manipulation.
2. Registers: are memory locations within the microprocessor and are used to store
(temporarily) information involved in program execution.
The following are common types of registers.
2.1 Accumulator register: is where data for an input to the arithmetic and
logic unit is temporarily stored.
2.2 Status register, or flag register: contains information concerning the
result of the latest process carried out in the arithmetic and logic unit.
2.3 Program counter register(PC): is the register used to allow the CPU to
keep track of its position in a program.
• This register contains the address of the memory location that contains the
next program instruction.
Cont..
2.4 Memory address register (MAR):This contains the address of data.
2.5 Instruction register(IR): This stores an instruction. After fetching an
instruction from the memory via the data bus, the CPU stores it in the
instruction register.
2.6 General-purpose registers: may serve as temporary storage for data or
addresses and be used in operations involving transfers between other
registers.
2.7 Stack pointer register (SP): The stack is a special area of the memory in
which program counter values can be stored when a subroutine part of a
program is being used.
NB: The number and form of the registers depends on the microprocessor
concerned (Motorola 6800 microprocessor, Intel 8085A microprocessor,…).
3. Control unit: determines the timing and sequence of operations.
✓It generates the timing signals used to fetch a program instruction from
memory and execute it.
Cont..
2. Memory: hold the program instructions and data
✓ Stores binary data and takes the form of one or more integrated circuits.
✓ The data may be program instruction codes or numbers being operated on.
✓The size of the memory is determined by the number of wires in the address bus.
✓The memory elements in a unit consist essentially of large numbers of storage
cells with each cell capable of storing either 0 or 1 bit.
✓The storage cells are grouped in locations with each location capable of storing
one word.
✓In order to access the stored word, each location is identified by a unique address.
Cont..
3. Input and output interfaces:
▪ The input/output operation is defined as the transfer of data between the
microprocessor and the external world.
▪ Input Devices
➢Switches and Keypads
➢Provide binary information to the MPU
▪ Output devices
➢LEDs and LCDs
➢Receive binary information from the MPU
Thank you!!!