What is an MCU?

SCM is going to be out of

date?
MCU micro-control unit is also called single-
chip microcomputer or single-chip
microcomputer. MCU is the single-chip
microcomputer we usually talk about. The core
component for embedded development, and
embedded system is a very broad concept. It is
a special type with limited power consumption
and limited size. Computers, from smart
bracelets to smart phones, can be collectively
referred to as embedded development systems.

In fact, the IoT node is an embedded system,

but the embedded system does not have to have
communication capabilities and does not
require access to the network. This is the
biggest difference from the IoT node. The 8051
single-chip microcomputer (MCU) was born at
the end of the 20th century. The most used
single-chip microcomputer before 2000 was the
Intel 8051 series single-chip microcomputer.
Since then, the 51 single-chip microcomputer
is a compulsory course for almost every
electronic major. The microcontroller based on
the 8051 core is an 8-bit processor with a
relatively low operating frequency and a very
limited processing capacity. However, in the
past, it can fully cope with most embedded
applications.

With the advancement of technology, the ARM

company officially launched the Cortex-M3 chip
in 2005. Cortex-M3 has higher processing
capabilities and a lower price than 51 single-
chip computers. At present, MCUs based on
Cortex-M series ARM cores have gradually
replaced 51 microcontrollers in applications.

In the foreseeable future, it will not be

outdated, and still has a strong vitality.

First of all, what is a single-chip

microcomputer? A single-chip microcomputer is
a type of micro-controlling MCU. It is a chip-
level computer, including cup memory (memory),
counter (TImer), USB, A / D conversion, UART
and other peripherals.

According to the number of digits, there are

currently 4-bit microcontrollers, 8-bit, 16-
bit, 32-bit, and even 64-bit. There was one
earliest.

First of all, 4-bit microcontrollers are now

uncommon. But we still use it in places we
don't think we can see, such as Geely shavers,
Toshiba 4-bit CPUs used in home appliances.
Generally for large customers, and because
there is no technical freshness, generally no
one pays attention.

8-bit microcontrollers are currently the most

common, such as 51 series, as well as AVR,
pic, Freescale 8-bit series, nec and other
companies, domestic sst, etc., its versatility
is very good, suitable for a very broad
control field .
16-bit microcontroller, more typical is
MSP430, as well as Freescale's 16-bit series,
32-bit single chip, the current stm32.

If the microcontroller is outdated, what will

replace it?

(1) Advanced microprocessor, such as ARM-A

series. That is more commonly used in mobile
phones. This is seen by many people as the
most likely to replace a microcontroller.

Add a note here, arm is strictly an

architecture, and then manufacturers use this
architecture to start producing their own
products. ARM is divided into three series
after arm11. The "A" series is aimed at
cutting-edge virtual memory-based operating
systems and user applications. Many mobile
phones and only handheld devices are now used.
"R" series is for real-time systems; "M"
series is for microcontrollers, that is,
single-chip microcomputers. Taiwan's Nuvoton
is producing 32-bit single-chip microcomputers
based on m0, and stm32 is 32-bit single-chip
microcomputers based on m3.

(2) DSP digital signal processing

(3) FPGA programmable logic gate circuit, this

is a kind of hardware. Not cpu, can be made
cpu.

(4) SoC system-level chip, generally speaking,

is an integrated circuit with a special
purpose, such as a mobile phone chip,
including a CPU, such as the Cortex-A8
architecture, GPU, RAM (running memory), Modem
(communication module), ISP (Image
Processing), DSP (Digital Signal Processing),
Codec (Encoder), etc.

(5) PC CPU

At present, the technology of single-chip

microcomputers has been improving, and it is
impossible to become obsolete in the
foreseeable future.

Large market space for future

microcontrollers

The market for microcontrollers is huge.

Household appliances, toys, and various
instruments, wireless fields, electronic
switches, automotive electronics, and various
controllers for industrial equipment can be
seen around us, aerospace systems, defense
military, and advanced weapons. It is widely
used. In the foreseeable future, many
mechanical things will continue to be
intelligent. In the foreseeable future, the
demand for such products will increase, and
the market space for microcontrollers is huge.

So will the single-chip microcomputer be

replaced by a similar mobile phone chip
Cortex-A series or a specific SOC in the
future?
The answer is no.

1. The development of single-chip

microcomputer is enough to meet the high-end
demand, 32-bit single-chip microcomputer is
gradually growing

At present, 32-bit microcontrollers are very

hot, and they can handle more complex programs
in many places. Many places have begun to
replace 8-bit microcontrollers. stm32 has a
very high price / performance ratio. In the
application of the Internet of Things, many
occasions not only need to realize the
transformation of mechanization to
electromagnetic and intelligent, but also
consider reliable connectivity, security and
protection. The realization of all these
functions requires 32-bit MCUs. The mainstream
of IoT applications in the future.

So the single-chip microcomputer itself will

also gradually improve, in 32-bit MCU can run
real-time operating systems such as μClinux,
μC / OS-II. It will also be more top-level in
development.

2. The demand for basic products is still

relatively large, 8-bit microcontrollers are
still in great demand

(1) Use 8 in basic field, lower cost

In the foreseeable future, due to the

advantages of low cost and software
complexity, 8-bit microcontrollers with fewer
pins and memory will still attract market
attention in the future. In the future, there
is also a lot of room for growth, which is
more suitable for individual product use. It
is still used in a large space, such as
holtek, which specializes in touch design. At
present, each quarter's shipments are 1000kk,
and 45% are applied to induction cookers and
range hoods
(2) Using 8-bit microcontroller, low
development cost

8-bit microcontroller, which has very high

ease of use, simple program, short debugging
time, and low requirements for programmers.
Very low development costs, which is also a
very important factor

So now mainstream manufacturers are 8-bit and

32-bit MCUs at the same time. And still
optimistic about 8-bit cpu. The above
conclusions are selected from the voices of
several mainstream microcontroller
manufacturers such as Freescale, atmel,
holtek, microchip, Renesas, Shengquan, Acer,
and Shanghai Haier. microchip made it clear in
the next 15 years that it would increase
productivity

3. Some single-chip microcomputers have

always been required by specific needs in
some special industries.
In many industries, there are specific
requirements for program chips, such as
cracking, anti-interference, small, low power
consumption, and good real-time performance.
Such requirements are difficult to achieve in
some large chips. Because high-bit muc or arm
Cortex-A pays more attention to the
enhancement of program functions, and many MCU
manufacturers have been paying attention to
this specific requirement. And high-bit muc or
Cortex-A chips are mainly used to run the
system. However, in applications where anti-
interference, low power consumption, and real-
time performance are more important, the best
solution is to run the system without running
the program.

There are also some new-function

microcontrollers that are developing rapidly,
such as wireless transceiver MCUs.
4. Can the development of chips such as
Cortex-A and SoCs replace single-chip
computers?

(1) The cost of A has dropped significantly

Cortex-A and other chips are more concerned

about the improvement of computing
performance. In terms of cost, it can not be
compared with a large number of low-end MCUs.
Especially in low-end applications, many MCUs
directly adopt OTP. When they are generated,
The program is directly burned in and cannot
be changed. The SoC and the like are
originally aimed at AND calculations, and
there are some high-end function integrations.
The cost is difficult to reduce, and the usage
cannot be compared with the low-end MCUs. Not
cost.

(2) The society's demand for intelligence is

getting higher and higher, which stimulates
the growth of microcontrollers.
It has been said just now that 32-bit single-
chip microcomputers will play a major role in
the consideration of more interconnected and
visualized intelligence. But all kinds of
conventional intelligence are indeed a bigger
part. For example, a switch does not need to
add these functions, and an electric vehicle
does not need reversing images and navigation.
The demand for high intelligence cannot weaken
the production and demand for low
intelligence.

In the highly intelligent production process,

the method of high-level intelligent single-
chip microcomputer + low-level otp single-chip
microcomputer is often used, because various
components are obtained from different
manufacturers, and various manufacturers need
to split functions in order to increase
versatility. . Such as washing machines, the
control chip of the washing machine itself
will not change, add a communication with
another highly intelligent chip Cortex-A such
as dialogue. It is also a solution to increase
stability. Will not affect basic use because
of damage or program running.

(3) The highly customized SoC system is

difficult to have universality.

SOC is often regarded as a direction of

progress for single-chip microcomputers, which
is indeed true, but this is different from
conventional single-chip microcomputers, that
is, microcontrollers are still in various
directions. In the market, soc is generated
for a "uniform solution" , Such as mobile
phone chips, drone chips, smart TV chips, and
so on. It has high intensity integration. It
is not universal, nor is it the field of focus
and control. And because of this industry
bias, it is unlikely that it will have a very
strong price drop.
(4) Cortex-A adds some external devices to
make integrated chips

There are some control devices that need to be

added with more intelligence. For example, the
original robotic arm that operated
automatically required a series of single-chip
computers. Now it needs to add visualization
and networking control. Visualization,
networking and other functions are performed
by separate devices, whether Cortex-A or PC.
Interconnect with the original single chip
computer through communication protocol. The
advantages of this method are the development
cost and the safety and stability of the
equipment.

The second way is to integrate the control

module into the Cortex-A CPU and control the
device directly through the integrated chip.
If it can be very versatile, the quantity will
be huge and the price will be reduced.
But what I want to say is-isn't this Cortex-R?
A 32-bit microcontroller?

So the one-chip computer still has very strong

application prospect in the foreseeable
future. High-intelligence microcontrollers
will develop, and low-function, high-
performance microcontrollers will already
occupy a large market.
More good articles about MCU

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release RX72T series MCU