

same chip as the processor, to be precise. This requirement paved way for integrating the minimum hardware required for complete functioning of a Processor on to a single chip i.e. The emphasis here is not on the computational power of the Microprocessor but rather on a control mechanism with less complex hardware and increased reliability. In the beginning itself, the Microprocessors ability to control other electronic equipment like Photocopiers is realized. The hardware includes memory, ICs for peripheral devices, etc. Since then, the computational power, complexity and power consumption kept on increasing in order to provide ultimate performance (Power Consumption must be discussed separately due to developments such as Low Power VLSI etc.).įor a Microprocessor to work, it needs a bunch of supporting hardware that can be found on a mother board. The earliest known Microprocessors are the Intel’s 4004 and the Texas Instruments’ TMS1000. A Microprocessor is an Integrated Circuit (IC) that contains the Central Processing Unit (CPU). Microprocessor, the invention that took the field of computation by storm. The above definitions of the Microcontroller might seem complicated or confusing to newbies in Electronics or Embedded Systems but the concept will become clear as we move forward.įirst, we will see the Rise of Microcontrollers, where you can find how the development to the Microcontroller took place. You can also find microcontrollers near your desktop computer like Printers, Routers, Modems, Keyboards, etc. Microcontrollers are also used in test and measurement equipment like Multimeters, Oscilloscopes, Function Generators, etc. Microcontrollers are a part of Digital Cameras, Video Camcorders, CD and DVD Players, Washing Machines, Ovens, etc. You can find many more Microcontrollers for controlling additional systems.Ĭonsumer Electronics is another area which is loaded with Microcontrollers. Almost every car that comes out of the assembly factory contains at least one Microcontroller for the purpose of engine control. The biggest user of Microcontrollers is probably the Automobiles Industry. Let us see some of the areas where microcontrollers are used. If a device or an application involves measuring, storing, calculating, controlling or displaying information, then device contains a Microcontroller in it. Since the Microcontroller and its supporting circuitry are often embedded in the device it controls, a Microcontroller is also called as an Embedded Controller.

Sometimes, a Microcontroller is also called as a Computer-on-a-Chip or a Single-Chip-Computer. Umesh is also a founder and first author of Microcontroller is a VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) Integrated Circuit (IC) that contains electronic computing unit and logic unit (combinedly known as CPU), Memory (Program Memory and Data Memory), I/O Ports (Input / Output Ports) and few other components integrated on a single chip. Umesh Lokhande holds a Master degree in Scientific Instrumentation from University of Applied Sciences Jena, Germany. The fastest instructions require one machine cycle (12 crystal pulses), many others require two machine cycles (24 crystal pulses), and the two very slow math operations require four machine cycles (48 crystal pulses). Since we know the crystal is pulsing 11,059,000 times per second and that one machine cycle is 12 pulses, we can calculate how many instruction cycles the 8051 can execute per second. That is to say, if an instruction takes one machine cycle to execute, it will take 12 pulses of the crystal to execute. Thus, the program can be easily modified by itself since it is stored in read-write memory. Therefore, it is impossible for program contents to be modified by the program itself.
#MICROCONTROLLER 8051 BASIC INTERVIEW QUESTIONS PDF CODE#
Typically, code (or program) memory is read-only and data memory is read-write. It is possible to access program memory and data memory simultaneously. The most obvious characteristic of the Harvard Architecture is that it has physically separate signals and storage for code and data memory. It is important to note that although there are different flavors of the 8051 in terms of speed and amount of on-chip ROM, they are all compatible with the original 8051 as far as the instructions are concerned. This has led to many, versions of the 8051 with different speeds and amounts of on-chip ROM marketed by more than half a dozen manufacturers.
