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Microcontroller Basics
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Microcontroller (MCU)
A compact integrated circuit designed to govern a specific operation in an embedded system.
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The brain of the microcontroller which performs arithmetic and logic operations.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
Volatile memory used by the microcontroller for temporary data storage during operation.
Read-Only Memory (ROM)
Non-volatile memory where the microcontroller's firmware is often stored.
Flash Memory
A type of non-volatile memory used in microcontrollers for program storage that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed.
Input/Output (I/O) Ports
Interfaces through which the microcontroller connects to other peripherals for data exchange.
Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)
A microcontroller peripheral that converts analog signals to digital values.
Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC)
A microcontroller peripheral that converts digital values to analog signals.
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
A technique used to encode a message into a pulsing signal by varying the width of pulses.
Interrupt
A signal that pauses the CPU's current activities to execute a function, allowing for real-time processing.
Register
A small amount of storage located on the CPU used to quickly access the most frequently used data or instructions.
Oscillator
A circuit that generates a constant clock signal to synchronize the microcontroller's operations.
Clock Speed
The speed at which a microcontroller processes instructions, often measured in MHz or GHz.
Timers/Counters
Microcontroller components used for time-related functions, such as generating delays or counting events.
Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
A communication protocol used for short-distance communication, mainly in embedded systems.
Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C)
A multi-master, multi-slave, packet-switched, single-ended, serial communication bus.
Instruction Set
A set of commands that a microcontroller's CPU is designed to execute.
Peripheral
A device or unit that is connected to the microcontroller to enhance its capabilities or performance.
Embedded System
A dedicated system with a combination of hardware and software designed to perform a specific task.
Flash Programming
The process of uploading the microcontroller's code into its non-volatile flash memory.
General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO)
Digital pins on a microcontroller that can be programmed as input or output to interface with other devices.
Bit
The most basic unit of data in computing and digital communications, which can have a value of 0 or 1.
Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
A software application that provides comprehensive facilities to computer programmers for software development.
Bootloader
A small program that loads the main software or operating system on the microcontroller.
Harvard Architecture
A microcontroller architecture where the program code and data are stored in separate memory blocks.
Von Neumann Architecture
A microcontroller architecture where program instructions and data share the same memory space.
Watchdog Timer
A hardware timer that resets the system to avoid a crash when software becomes unresponsive.
Power-on Reset (POR)
A microcontroller feature that resets the system to a known state upon powering on.
Brown-out Reset (BOR)
A reset that occurs when the microcontroller's supply voltage falls below a certain threshold.
Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)
An integrated circuit that can be configured by a customer or a designer after manufacturing.
System on a Chip (SoC)
An integrated circuit that integrates all components of a computer or other electronic system into a single chip.
Real-Time Operating System (RTOS)
An operating system intended to serve real-time application requests within a specified timing constraint.
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
A feature that allows certain subsystems within the microcontroller to access system memory independently of the CPU.
Memory-mapped I/O
A method where peripheral devices are accessed using regular memory addresses, as if they were part of the main memory.
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