Microprocessor

Systems &
Applications

Unit 59: Microprocessor Systems & Applications

Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit a learner should be able
to:
1. Know how microprocessor-based systems can be
applied
2. Understand the architecture and operation of a
microprocessor system
3. Understand decimal, binary and hexadecimal
number systems, instructions and subroutines
4. Be able to use a microprocessor development
system to prepare and run a program.

Unit 59: Microprocessor Systems & Applications

Learning Objectives:
Explain the difference between a
Microprocessor & a Microcontroller

Microprocessor & Microcontrollers

Microprocessors & Microcontrollers form the brains
behind many of the electronic devices we use every
day and which drives industrial growth.
To understand the difference between the two
devices, we need to look at their applications and the
requirements of those.
Broadly speaking, microprocessors will power
devices that need to run a number of software
applications concurrently, whereas a microcontroller
will power a device that has a specific control
function.

Microprocessor & Microcontrollers

Processor Performance
The speed of a computer's processor chip is known as its clock
speed and is measured in Giga hertz (GHz), with the fastest
processors currently running at up to 4.7 GHz.
However today, CPU performance is now determined by more
than just raw clock speed, the architecture of a processor is the
most important factor to determine its performance.
In most situations, multi-core processors are far more powerful
than traditional single core processors. This is because they
can carry out several tasks at the same time. Single core
processors can only achieve this by constantly switching
between tasks.
This means that multi-core processors can run at lower speeds
than single-core processors and yet be far more powerful.
For example a 2.4 GHz quad core i5 processor is more
powerful than a 3 GHz Pentium processor, which only has a
single processor chip.

Processor Architecture
Microprocessor & microcontroller architecture dictates its
performance and its input / output capabilities. The architecture
also determines the complexity and skills required to program
the system.

Processor Performance
How are the processor chips made?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm67wbB5GmI

Microprocessor or Microcontroller?

What is a Microprocessor?
A microprocessor - also known as a CPU or central
processing unit - is a complete computation engine
that is fabricated on a single chip.
The first commercial microprocessor was the Intel
4004, introduced in 1971. The 4004 was not very
powerful - all it could do was add and subtract, and
it could only do that 4 bits at a time. But it was
amazing that everything was on one chip.
Prior to the 4004, engineers built computers either
from collections of chips or from discrete
components (transistors wired one at a time).
The 4004 powered one of the first portable
electronic calculators.

What is a Microprocessor?
The first microprocessor to make it into a home
computer was the Intel 8080, a complete 8-bit
computer on one chip, introduced in 1974.
The first microprocessor to make a real splash in
the market was the Intel 8088, introduced in 1982
and incorporated into the IBM PC.
The PC market moved from the 8088 to the 80286
to the 80386 to the 80486 to the Pentium to the
Pentium II to the Pentium III to the Pentium 4.
All of these microprocessors are made by Intel and
all of them are improvements on the basic design of
the 8088. The Pentium 4 could execute any piece of
code that ran on the original 8088, but it does it
about 5,000 times faster.

Inside a Computer?
A
motherboard
being
manufactured

Microprocessor-based systems have separate memory modules, and input / output

controllers (incl. video etc). They will also have an Operating System (OS) to manage
all of the software and hardware on the computer. These all need to access your
computer's central processing unit (CPU), memory, and storage. The operating system
coordinates all of this to make sure each program gets what it needs.

What is a Microprocessor?
Intel therefore dominates the general microprocessor
market, the ones we see in our laptops, desktops, and
servers, but this is not the case for microcontrollers,
as we will see.
Data Width is the width
of the ALU.
An 8-bit ALU can add /
subtract / multiply / etc.
two 8-bit numbers,
while a 32-bit ALU can
manipulate 32-bit
numbers.
An 8-bit ALU would
have to execute four
instructions to add two
32-bit numbers, while a
32-bit ALU can do it in
one instruction.

Inside a Microprocessor
Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU)
The part of the central processing unit that deals
with operations such as addition, subtraction, and
multiplication of integers and Boolean operations.
It receives control signals from the control unit
telling it to carry out these operations.
Control Unit (CU)
This controls the movement of instructions in and
out of the processor, and also controls the
operation of the ALU. It consists of a decoder,
control logic circuits, and a clock to ensure
everything happens at the correct time. It is also
responsible for performing the instruction
execution cycle.
Register Array
This is a small amount of internal memory. All
processors include some common registers used
for specific functions, namely the program
counter, instruction register, accumulator, memory
address register and stack pointer.

microprocessor

Inside a Microprocessor
System Bus
This is comprised of the control bus, data bus
and address bus. It is used for connections
between the processor, memory and peripherals,
and transferal of data between the various parts.
Memory
The memory is not an actual part of the CPU
itself, and is instead housed elsewhere on the
motherboard.

However, it is here that the program being

executed is stored, and as such is a crucial part of
the overall structure involved in program
execution.

microprocessor

Inside a Microprocessor
Many different types of registers are common between most
microprocessor designs. These are:
Program Counter (PC)
This register is used to hold the memory address of the next instruction
that has to executed in a program. This is to ensure the CPU knows at all
times where it has reached, that is able to resume following an execution
at the correct point, and that the program is executed correctly.
Instruction Register (IR)
This is used to hold the current instruction in the processor while it is
being decoded and executed, in order for the speed of the whole
execution process to be reduced. This is because the time needed to
access the instruction register is much less than continual checking of the
memory location itself.
Accumulator (A, or ACC)
The accumulator is used to hold the result of operations performed by the
arithmetic and logic unit, as covered in the section on the ALU.

Inside a Microprocessor
Many different types of registers are common between most
microprocessor designs. These are:

Memory Address Register (MAR)

Used for storage of memory addresses, usually the addresses involved in
the instructions held in the instruction register. The control unit then
checks this register when needing to know which memory address to
check or obtain data from.
Memory Buffer Register (MBR)
When an instruction or data is obtained from the memory, it is first placed
in the memory buffer register.

Flag register / status flags

The flag register is designed to contain all the appropriate 1-bit status
flags, which are changed as a result of operations involving the ALU.
Other general purpose registers
These registers have no specific purpose, but are generally used for the
quick storage of pieces of data that are required later in the program
execution.

Microprocessor Memory
Microprocessor memory is connected externally to the processor via the Address,
Data, and Control buses. Memory suffers from the dichotomy that it can be either
large or it can be fast. As memory becomes larger, it becomes slower, and vice-versa.
Because of this trade-off, computer systems typically have a hierarchy of memory
types, where faster (and smaller) memories are closer to the processor, and slower
(but larger) memories are further from the processor.
Random Access Memory (RAM), also known as main memory, is a volatile storage
that holds data for the processor. Unlike HDD storage, RAM typically only has a
capacity of a few gigabytes. There are two primary forms of RAM, and many variants
on these.

Static RAM (SRAM) is a type of memory storage that uses 6 transistors to store data. These transistors
store data so long as power is supplied to the RAM and do not need to be refreshed. SRAM is typically
used in processor caches because of its faster speed, but not in main memory because it takes up more
space.
Dynamic RAM (DRAM) is smaller than SRAM, and therefore can store more data in a smaller area. DRAM
tends to be slower than SRAM. Many modern types of Main Memory are based on DRAM design because
of the high memory densities. Because DRAM is simpler than SRAM, it is typically cheaper to produce.

Cache is memory that is smaller and faster than main memory and resides closer to
the processor (or on the chip). RAM runs on the system bus clock, but Cache typically
runs on the processor speed which can be 10 times faster or more.

Microprocessor Memory

Address Space

20

Microprocessor or Microcontroller?

Embedded, Everywhere

22

Embedded, Everywhere - Fitbit

23

Embedded, Everywhere WattVision on Kickstarter

24

MEMS Accelerometers:
Rapidly falling price and power

O(mA)
25 A @ 25 Hz

ADXL345
[Analog Devices, 2009]

10 A @ 10 Hz @ 6 bits

[ST Microelectronics, annc. 2009] 25

Energy harvesting and storage:

Small doesnt mean powerless

RF [Intel]

Thin-film batteries

Piezoelectric
[Holst/IMEC]

Clare Solar Cell

Shock Energy Harvesting

CEDRAT Technologies
Electrostatic Energy
Harvester [ICL]

Thermoelectric Ambient
Energy Harvester [PNNL]

26

Lots of manufacturers ship ARM products

27

What is a Microcontroller?
A microcontroller is effectively a micro computer.
Whereas a microprocessor is just the CPU.
A microcontroller-based system is typically referred to as
an Embedded system and is characterised by the
following:
Has a microprocessor unit
Is application specific
Has no operating system
Is real-time
Is an integrated device
Has fixed I/O and is not expandable
Memory management is a concern
The system is likely to be low-power, mobile, small and needs
to be cost-competitive.

What is a Microcontroller

Comparing a P with a C
Microprocessor

Microprocessor assimilates the function

of a central processing unit (CPU) on to
a single integrated circuit (IC).

Microprocessors are mainly used in

designing general purpose systems
from small to large and complex
systems like super computers.
Microprocessors are basic components
of personal computers.
Computational capacity of
microprocessor is very high. Hence can
perform complex tasks.
A microprocessor based system can
perform numerous tasks.
Microprocessors have integrated Math
Coprocessor. Complex mathematical
calculations which involve floating point
can be performed with great ease.

Microcontroller

Microcontroller can be considered as a

small computer which has a processor
and some other components in order to
make it a computer.

Microcontrollers are used in

automatically controlled devices.

Microcontrollers are generally used in

embedded systems
Less computational capacity when
compared to microprocessors. Usually
used for simpler tasks.
A microcontroller based system can
perform single or very few tasks.
Microcontrollers do not have math
coprocessors. They use software to
perform floating point calculations which
slows down the device.

Comparing a P with a C
Microprocessor

The main task of microprocessor is to

perform the instruction cycle repeatedly.
This includes fetch, decode and
execute.

In order to build or design a system

(computer), a microprocessor has to be
connected externally to some other
components like Memory (RAM and
ROM) and Input / Output ports.
The overall cost of a system built using
a microprocessor is high. This is
because of the requirement of external
components.
Generally power consumption and
dissipation is high because of the
external devices. Hence it requires
external cooling system.
The clock frequency is very high usually
in the order of Giga Hertz.

Microcontroller

In addition to performing the tasks of

fetch, decode and execute, a
microcontroller also controls its
environment based on the output of the
instruction cycle.

The IC of a microcontroller has memory

(both RAM and ROM) integrated on it
along with some other components like I
/ O devices and timers.

Cost of a system built using a

microcontroller is less as all the
components are readily available.

Power consumption is less.

Clock frequency is less usually in the

order of Mega Hertz.

Comparing a P with a C
Microprocessor

Instruction throughput is given higher

priority than interrupt latency.

Microcontroller

Have few bit manipulation instructions

Generally microprocessors are not used

in real time systems as they are
severely dependent on several other
components.

In contrast, microcontrollers are

designed to optimize interrupt latency.
Bit manipulation is powerful and widely
used feature in microcontrollers. They
have numerous bit manipulation
instructions.
Microcontrollers are used to handle real
time tasks as they are single
programmed, self sufficient and task
oriented devices.

It is clear that a microprocessor cannot replace a microcontroller

and vice versa. Both pieces of technology have their unique way
of usage in applications.

Unit 59: Microprocessor Systems & Applications

Learning outcome 1:
Explain the difference between a
Microprocessor & a Microcontroller