University of Technology

Department of Electrical Engineering

Microprocessor Engineering
Third Class

Lecture One
Introduction to Microcomputer
and Microcontroller

Assist. Prof. Dr. Hadeel Nasrat Abdullah

What is a Computer?
A computer is an electronic machine that accepts information,
stores it until the information is needed, processes the information
according to the instructions provided by the user, and finally returns
the results to the user
The computer can store and
manipulate large quantities of data
at very high speed, but a computer
cannot think. A computer makes
decisions based on simple
comparisons such as one number
being larger than another.
Although the computer can help
solve a tremendous variety of
problems, it is simply a machine. It
cannot solve problems on its own.
Computer System

Lecture 1: Introduction to Microcomputer and Microcontroller

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 Computer Generations
Generation Technology & Architecture Software & Applications Systems

Vacuum tubes, Relay memories, Machine & Assembly

language, Single user Basic ENIAC TIFRAC
First CPU driven by PC and
I/O using programmed and IBM 701 Princeton
(1945-54) accumulator; fixed point IAS
Arithmetic Internet mode.

Discrete Transistors, Core HLL used with compilers,

Second Memories, Floating point, IBM7099
batch processing,
(1955-64) Arithmetic I/O, processors, CDC 1604
Monitoring, Libraries
Multiplexed memory access

Integrated circuits, Multiprogramming, Time IBM 360/700

Third
(1965-71) Microprogramming, Pipelining, sharing OS, Multi-user CDC 6000
Caching, Lookahead Processing applications TA-ASC PDP-8

Fourth LSI/VLSI and Semiconductor VAX 9800, Cray X-

memory, Microprocessors Multiprocessor OS,
(1971- MP, IBM 3600,
Present) technology, Multiprocessors, vector languages, Compilers Pentium Processo
super-computing

Fifth parallel processing, Cray/MPP,

(present & artificial intelligence and still in superconductors, voice TMC/CM-5, Intel
Beyond) development, recognition Appl. paragon,

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Types of Computers
The four basic types of computers are as under:
1. Supercomputer
2. Mainframe Computer
3. Minicomputer
4. Microcomputer
 Supercomputers-super large computers: supercomputers are high-
capacity machines with hundreds of thousands of processors that can
perform more than 1 trillion calculations per second. These are the most
expensive but fastest computers available. "Supers," as they are called, have
been used for tasks requiring the processing of enormous volumes of data,
such as doing the forecasting weather, designing aircraft, modeling
molecules, breaking codes, and simulating explosion of nuclear bombs.

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 Types of Computers
 Mainframe computers - large computers: The only type of computer available until the
late 1960s, mainframes are water- or air-cooled computers that vary in size from small,
to medium, to large, depending on their use. Mainframes are used by large
organizations such as banks, airlines, insurance companies, and colleges-for processing
millions of transactions. Often users access a mainframe using a terminal, which has a
display screen and a keyboard and can input and output data but cannot by itself
process data.
 Minicomputers- Midrange Computers : are used by small businesses & firms. These are
small machines and can be accommodated on a disk with not as processing and data
storage capabilities as super-computers & Mainframes. These computers are not
designed for a single user. Individual departments of a large company or organizations
use Mini-computers for specific purposes. For example, a production department can
use Mini-computers for monitoring certain production process.

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 Types of Computers
 Microcomputer - small computers: Desktop computers, laptops,
personal digital assistant (PDA), tablets & smartphones are all
types of microcomputers. The micro-computers are widely used &
the fastest growing computers. These computers are the cheapest
among the other three types of computers. The Micro-computers
are specially designed for general usage like entertainment,
education and work purposes. Well known manufacturers of
Micro-computer are Dell, Apple, Samsung, Sony & Toshiba.

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 Basic Block of a Microcomputer System
Basic microcomputer system consist of a Central processing
unit (CPU), memory (RAM and ROM), input/output (I/O) unit.
Address bus

ROM RAM I/O I/O

CPU interface devices

Data bus Control

bus

Basic Block of a computer system

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 Basic Component of Microcomputer
1. CPU - Central Processing Unit
• the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions
of a computer program
• the primary element carrying out the computer's functions. It is
the unit that reads and executes program instructions.
• The data in the instruction tells the processor what to do.

Pentium D dual core processors

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2. Memory
• physical devices used to store data or programs (sequences of instructions) on
a temporary or permanent basis for use in an electronic digital computer.
• Computer main memory comes in two principal varieties: random-access
memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM).
• RAM can be read and written to anytime the CPU commands it, but ROM is
pre-loaded with data and software that never changes, so the CPU can only
read from it.
• ROM is typically used to store the computer's initial start-up instructions.
• In general, the contents of RAM are erased when the power to the computer
is turned off, but ROM retains its data indefinitely.
• In a PC, the ROM contains a specialized program called the BIOS that
orchestrates loading the computer's operating system from the hard disk drive
into RAM whenever the computer is turned on or reset.

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3. I/O Unit
 Input/output (I/O), refers to the communication between an
information processing system (such as a computer), and the outside world
possibly a human, or another information processing system.
 Inputs are the signals or data received by the system, and outputs are the

signals or data sent from it

 Devices that provide input or output to the computer are called peripherals

 On a typical personal computer, peripherals include input devices like the

keyboard and mouse, and output devices such as the display and printer.
Hard disk drives, floppy disk drives and optical disc drives serve as both input
and output devices. Computer networking is another form of I/O.

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4. Bus Structure Of Microcomputer
The major parts of microcomputers are central processing unit
(CPU), memory, and input and output unit. To connect these parts
together through three sets of parallel lines, called buses. There
are normally three types of bus in any processor system:

1. Address Bus
2. Data Bus
3. Control Bus

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1. Address bus: It is a group of wires or lines that are used to transfer
the addresses of Memory or I/O devices. It is unidirectional. this
determines the location in memory that the processor will read data
from or write data to. The number of memory location is depends on 2
to the power N address lines. Example, a CPU with 16 address lines
can address 216 or 65,536 memory locations.
2. Data bus: As name tells that it is used to transfer data within
Microprocessor and Memory/Input or Output devices. It is bidirectional
as Microprocessor requires to send or receive data.
3. Control bus: this manages the information flow between components
indicating whether the operation is a read or a write and ensuring that
the operation happens at the right time.

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 Evolution of Microprocessor
Company 4 bit 8 bit 16 bit 32 bit 64 bit
8008 8088/6
4004 80386 80860
Intel 8080 80186
4040 80486 Pentium
8085 80286
Z8000
Zilog   Z80 Z8001    
Z8002
6800 68006 68020
Motorola   6802 68008 68030  
6809 68010 68040

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 Data Size
Nibble 4 bit

Byte 8 bit

Word 16 bit

Long word 32 bit

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 Microcontroller :
A microcontroller (sometimes abbreviated µC, uC or MCU) is a small computer on
a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable
input/output peripherals.

 A single-chip computer
 On-chip RAM, ROM, I/O ports...
 Example ： Motorola’s 6811, Intel’s 8051, Zilog’s Z8 and PIC
16X

CPU RAM ROM

A single chip
Serial Microcontroller
I/O Timer COM
Port
Port

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 Microprocessor vs. Microcontroller
Microprocessor Microcontroller
 CPU is stand-alone, RAM, • CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O and timer
ROM, I/O, timer are separate are all on a single chip
 designer can decide on the • fixed amount of on-chip ROM,
amount of ROM, RAM and
I/O ports. RAM, I/O ports
 expensive • for applications in which cost,
 versatility power and space are critical
 general-purpose • single-purpose (control-oriented)
 High processing power • Low processing power
 High power consumption • Low power consumption
 Instruction sets focus on • Bit-level operations
processing-intensive • Instruction sets focus on control
operations
and bit-level operations
 Typically 32/64 – bit
• Typically 8/16 bit
 Typically deep pipeline (5-20
stages) • Typically single-cycle/two-stage
pipeline
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Some Popular Microcontrollers…
8051
Microchip Technology PIC
Atmel AVR
Texas Instruments MSP430 (16-bit)

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Review Questions
 What are the main differences between a microprocessor and a
microcontroller in terms of
 Architecture
 Applications
 Instruction set

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 Homework
 Type of integrated circuit which consists of arithmetic unit, control unit
and some main store is called a
1.mega processor
2.micro processor
3.micro computers
4.mega computers
 A silicon piece with a circuit on it is called
1.chip
2.circuit
3.logical gate
4.circuit network
 Large computers with wide range of peripheral devices are classified as
1.mainframe computers
2.mini frame computers
3.mainframe processors
4.peripheral interface

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Homework
 A computer for which processing is used to be done with help of
microprocessors is called
1.micro processor
2.micro computers
3.mega processor
4.mega computers

 Small computers that are not microcomputers are classified as

1.micro computers
2.mini computers
3.mainframe computers
4.mega processors
 A micro controller at-least should consist of:
1.RAM, ROM, I/O devices, serial and parallel ports and timers.
2.CPU, RAM, I/O devices, serial and parallel ports and timers
3.CPU,RAM, ROM, I/O devices, serial and parallel ports and timers
4.CPU, ROM, I/O devices and timers

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