Model

Answer May 2014

1- State True or False and why?





[5 Marks]

i-
The Reset input can be considered as an external interrupt.
True. Once happened, the program forced to go to the reset vector at address
0000h.
ii-
The overall power consumption depends on the clock frequency.
True. Increasing the clock frequency increases the power consumption.
iii-
Instruction pipelining fails in case of handling an interrupt subroutine.
True. As the address of the next instruction is changed at Calling the subroutine.
iv-
The microcontroller leaves the reset state once the power supply stabilized.
False. The microcontroller leaves the reset state when power supply is stabilized,
oscillator is stabilized and any demand for Reset has been cleared.

v-
If a microcontroller uses 3 Battery cells with a nominal capacity of 800 mAh,
running at 15 A consumption leads to a battery life of over 6 years.
True. Time=800*10-3/15*10-6 = 53*103 hours = 6.08 Years

2- Discuss briefly but clearly the following topics:



[10 Marks]

i-
Major differences between microcontrollers and microprocessors.
Microprocessors
a. Main function is computing
b. CPU onto a single IC
c. memory and input/output interfacing are outside the microprocessor
Microcontrollers
d. Main function is control
e. Micro-computer on a chip
f. it must have excellent input/output capability

ii-
Different oscillator circuits supplying the clock frequency to microcontrollers.
There are two types of oscillator circuit: (1)Resistorcapacitor (2) Crystal or
ceramic (XT crystal HS high speed LP low power)

iii-
Awaking a microcontroller from the sleep mode.
In the following situations: External reset through MCLR pin - WDT wake-up -
Occurrence of interrupt.

iv-
Handling multiple interrupts for a microcontroller having only one interrupt
vector.
If more than one interrupt is enabled, it is not obvious at the beginning of an ISR
which interrupt has occurred. Therefore we should identify the source: at the
beginning of ISR- test the flags of all possible interrupts and determines from this
which one has been called.

v-
Synchronous and asynchronous serial communication.
Synchronous



Clock must be transmitted


Precise clock not a fundamental requirement

Clock bandwidth requirement may be limiting factor on data rate

Simpler hardware



Data rate defined instantaneously by transmitter
No framing bits overhead

Asynchronous
No need to transmit clock
Both TX and RX must have precise clock
Data bandwidth requirement will be limiting factor on data rate
More complex hardware
Data rate predetermined


3- Using the following circuit (Fig 1) of the 16F84A PORTB (RB4-RB7) pins, explain the
following:









[10 Marks]
i-
Configuring port pins as input:

WR TRIS=1
The data on the data bus sets the TRIS latch (TRIS =1) output. This disables the
buffer between the data latch and the pin.

RBPU=0
The NAND gate receives two 1s clearing its output and pulls up the pin to be ready
as an input pin.


Configuring port pins as output:
WR TRIS=1
The data on the data bus clears the TRIS latch (TRIS =0) output. This enables the
buffer between the data latch and the pin.

RBPU=1
The NAND gate receives zero setting its output.


ii-
Transferring data to/from the microcontroller.
Transferring data to the microcontroller
WR PORT=0
Starts reception of data from the pin to the data bus and disables the data latch. The
data passes from the pin through the TTL input buffer to the D latch.

RD Port=1
Transfers the data from the D latch to the data bus.

Transferring data from the microcontroller
WR PORT=1
Enables the Data latch so that the data are transferred through it from the data bus
out to the pin.

RD Port=0
NO flow of data from the pin to the data bus.

iii-

Checking the previous status (input or output) of the port pins.

The state of the TRIS latch can be read via the buffer controlled by the RD TRIS line.
Thus, the program can check the values previously stored there.

iv-

Enabling weak pull-up function.

Weak pull-up resistors can be switched on for all port bits used as inputs. They are
enabled for all port bits set as input by clearing the bit RBPU in the OPTION
register. The pull-up is implemented with a p-channel MOSFET.

v-
The interrupt on change facility.
Bits 4 to 7 of Port B are seen in Figure. They have a useful interrupt on change facility.
The data value is latched as input data is read.
The previous input value, from the last time the port was read, is retained on another
latch.
Its stored value is compared with the current input value.
Any difference is detected by an Exclusive OR gate, whose output can generate an
interrupt.

4- [8 Marks]

i- What is the setting of the ADCON0 and ADCON1 registers (Fig 2), if input channel 2 is
selected, and the ADC is switched on but not running?

Bit

ADCON0

Reason

7-6
5-3
2
1
0

11
010
0
X
1

internal RC oscillator selected

Select Channel 2 as input
conversion not in progress
not implemented
ADC is on

ii- Deduce a formula that determines the required ADC resolution (n bits) related to the
reference voltage of the converter, the (analog) sensor resolution and the sensor transfer
function.

OUT = ( (INP*TF)/Vref ) * 2n

For the minimum sensible value: the digital output is 1 and the INP is the sensor resolution S:
1 = ( (S*TF)/Vref ) * 2n
2n = Vref/ (S*TF)
n = log2 (Vref/ (S*TF))

iii- A temperature sensor having an output of 40mV/oC is connected to the ADC input of the
microcontroller. Use the formula deduced in (ii) to calculate the ADC resolution for a sensor
resolution of 0.1oC.
n = log2 (4.096 / (0.1 * 0.04)) = log2 ( 1024 ) = 10

iv- If the temperature is 30 oC, what will be the ADC output reading?
OUT = ( 30*0.04 / 4.096 ) * 1024 = 300
1024
0

256
1

128
0

64
0

32
1

16
0

8
1

4
1

2
0

1
0

5-

[6 Marks]
i-
How long will this code take exactly for a clock speed of 4Mhz?
MOVLW = 1, MOVWF = 1, 2 NOP = 2, DECFSZ = 1 (2),
GOTO = 2, RETURN = 2

No. of cycles= 1+1+ 99*(4) + 2+2 + 1 = 403.
Time= 403 * 1 microS = 403 microS

ii-
What is the maximum delay can you get from such subroutine? If this was nested in
another subroutine, what will be the new maximum delay?
The maximum delay is 1+1+ 254*(4) + 2+2 + 1 = 1023 microS
Nesting = 255* 1023 = 260865 microS

iii-
Explain if there is any restriction about maximizing the delay time by nesting the
subroutines.
This is restricted by the limit of nesting loops determined by the size of stack memory in
every microcontroller.

7-
[12 Marks]

i- There are many ways to answer this question. The circuit below is a possibility.













16F873A



L293D





Car battery

Power On Switch

LP2950

(12V)

Power in
Connector 1uF

tant.

100u, 10V

24k

R3
24k

uswitch 1

10k

10k

10k

(LDR2)

(LDR1)
(LDR3)

100n

1/6 'HC14 11

Motor

10

En1
In1
Out1
0V
0V
Out2
In2
VOS

VLS
In3
Out3
0V
0V
Out4
In4
En2

uswitch 2

Uswitch 3& 4

MCLR RB7
RA0
RB6
RA1
RB5
RA2
RB4
RA3
RB3
RA4
RB2
RA5
RB1
Vss
RB0
Osc1 Vdd
Osc2 Vss
RC0
RC7
RC1
RC6
RC2
RC5
RC3
RC4

C4
C5
2x30p

C10

10k

R4
24k

4MHz

+5V

LEDs

C3

100n

820R
820R

820R

Motor

20k

10k

ii) Justification of main design decisions, e.g. resistor values, oscillator selection, power supply
configuration etc
ii) This will depend on design presented. In this case,
Port A bits 0,1,3: analog input
Port A bits 2,4,5: digital output
Port B bits 4-7: digital input
Port B bits 0-3: digital output
Port C all bits: digital output
Noting unused pins should be set as output.