Lecture 1 - Introduction to Microcontroller Systems

ECE 265

Introduction to Microcontroller Based Systems

(A first course in computer architecture)

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Lecture Overview


Outline of the course


Syllabus


General guidelines and policies


A basic overview of computer architecture


The Von Neumann Architecture


The Harvard architecture


Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

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The Syllabus


This is ECE 265
–

Introduction to Microprocessor
Based Systems


Objective
–

A basic understanding of computer
architecture, specifically microcontrollers, along with
an understanding of the uses and application of
microcontrollers.


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General guidelines and policies


Generally a quiz each week. Typically on Wednesday.
Quiz will not necessarily be announced each week. Lowest
Grade dropped.


NO MAKEUP QUIZZES


Homework due two classes after assigned. NO LATE
HOMEWORKS will be accepted. Homework will be
delivered to a
dropbox

in CARMEN.
Dropbox

will not close
but no submissions after due date will be graded.


Midterm exam will be announced one week prior.


Final exam is during Finals Week


Monday March 12 11:30
-
1:18 in this room.


Other details on syllabus


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A Basic Overview of Computer
Architecture


For your reference you can find much of this
information on Wikipedia.


But can you trust wikipedia?



When was the first computer created?????


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Early computing technology


Early computing could be traced back to the abacus.
When was the abacus in use?


Around 2700 B.C.



In the mid 1600’s
Blaise

Pascal designed and
implemented a mechanical calculator.



Note:

Today we use voltage level to represent a logical
TRUE and FALSE. There is no reason that the physical
position of a mechanical component cannot do the same
thing.

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A little more modern


Charles Babbage 1792
-
1871


The Difference Engine


The Difference Engine 2


Basically a programmable calculator


Calculated artillery tables


The Analytic Engine
–

a more advanced machine


Used punch cards for input


A precursor to the modern computer



Boole 1815
-
1864


Boolean Algebra

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Still, a little more modern


The von Neumann
architecture
–

1940s
and 50s


A stored
-
program
computer that uses a
central processing unit
and a single separate
storage structure that
hold both instructions
and data.

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Basic operation of architecture


Instructions are executed in
sequence


First step during execution


MEM(PC)


IR


Send contents of PC (Program
counter) to memory


Memory responds with the
contents at that address placing
it on the data bus.


Increment the PC
(PC+1
-
>PC)


The values on the data bus are
loaded into the instruction
register

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Decode Instruction and execute


Say the instruction was a
load immediate


This means that the next
word in the instruction
stream is the data that
we want loaded into the
accumulator


Operation is now


MEM(PC)


Accum


Also increment the PC

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More von Neumann


Earliest computers had fixed programs
–

such as a desk
calculator


The von Neumann architecture introduced the concept
of a stored program. In fact, in early computers, they
often wrote programs that self modified.


Self
-
modifying code

is now seen as a
very bad
programming

practice (also, it really isn’t needed).


von Neumann’s was very familiar with Alan Turing’s
(1912
-
1954) work
–

the Turing Machine (1936).


Both von Neumann and Turing wrote papers on stored
program computers.


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Some Early von Neumann architectures


ORDVAC (U of Ill)
-

1951


IAS machine (Princeton)
-

1952


MANIAC I (Las Alamos)
-

1952


ILLIAC (U of Ill)
-

1952


AVIDAC (Argonne National Labs)
–

1953


ORACLE at Oak Ridge
Ntl

Lab
–

1953


JOHNNIAC at RAND Corp
–

1954


BESK in Stockholm
–

1953


PERM in Munich
-

1956

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Early Microprocessors


The Intel 4004
–

1971


16
-
pin DIP package


92,000 instructions per sec


10.8 microseconds per instruction


Processor had a small address space for data and a small
address space for instructions


Designed for use in calculators


Was the core element for the early electronic calculators
–

early calculators did basic arithmetic.


Early microprocessors were often programmed in assembler
or machine code. Compilers and many modern high level
programming languages just didn’t exist.

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The Harvard Architecture

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
In the traditional von Neumann architecture memory
holds both programs and data


In the Harvard Architecture you have separate
memory spaces for data and programs. (term that
came into use during the late 1990s)



This is not really a new concept as the 4004 had
separate data and program memory address
spaces.

Microprocessor vs. Microcontroller

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
Basically a features issue.


Microprocessor
–

(
the physical processor chip
)


Composed of control unit, register, arithmetic and logic units


NO Memory,
MaybeTimers
, No direct external I/O ports


Does have pins for a data bus and an address bus


When implemented in a PC, add a keyboard for input, a monitor, a mouse, a
printer, etc.


Mircocontroller


Central core of microprocessor but limited capabilities in regards to registers,
memory size, and speed.


On board memory


Several Timers


I/O configurable ports


In implementation, may or may not have a keyboard, rather a keypad/switches
for input or other types of control, often does not have monitor

Lecture summary

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
Have covered


What will be covered by this course and how the course
will operate


The syllabus, general guidelines and policies


An introduction to the history of computing
–

computer
are not new


The von Neumann architecture


Other architecture focuses

Assignment

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
What is a Turing machine?


HW1
-

Write up what a Turing machine is and how
a Turing Machine executes a program. (submit to
dropbox HW1) Write 2/3 to 1 ½ pages.


Due dates on web page.


There are many sources for this assignment


Google web search


Wikipedia


Library