Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and Embedded Systems

What this unit covers

The page brings together material on processors, microcontrollers and the wider idea of embedded systems. The mind map Microprocessor (µp) describes a processor as a digital component built on a single integrated circuit. The map Embedded Systems links firmware, hardware, IoT, network capability and gateways.

Where to start

Begin with the basics. The map Introduction sets out the microcomputer idea: processor, memory, I/O, and the roles of ROM, RAM and EEPROM. Then move to Microcontrollers, which lists the CPU, GPIO, timers, ADC, DAC, PWM, UART and DMA. A note with the same title was created from that map, so you can read it as text.

Going deeper

• 8051: the maps Architecture of 8051 and Features of 8051, plus the note Program status word(PSW), cover the accumulator, program counter, data pointer, stack pointer and flags.
• Interrupts: the MSP430 map on interrupts covers the vector table, priority and port interrupt registers. The flashcards Steps of an Interrupt help you rehearse the sequence.
• Other chips: you will find maps for the PIC16F877X, PIC18F4550 and ATmega128, and flashcards on Arduino and ARM Cortex-M.
• Interfacing: lecture maps cover keyboard scanning, analogue I/O, RS232, SPI and I2C.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then take a quiz such as MICRO CONTROLLERS to see what stuck. If a question catches you out, go back to the matching map or flashcard deck. The flowcharts, such as DATA LOGGER, show how ideas become small projects.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Digital Electronics and Computer Systems strand of Electrical and electronic engineering. Teachers can pull maps and flashcards straight into lessons. Choose one chip or topic, work through its resources, then try writing your own flashcards.