Introduction of MCU development history and application characteristics
As cell phones, PC peripherals, remote control, to automotive electronics, industrial stepper motors, robot arm control, etc., can be seen in the figure of the MCU. In this article, we will explain the development history of MCU and its application in many fields.
The history of the emergence of microcontroller is not long, but the development is very rapid. Its generation and development and the generation and development of microprocessors are largely synchronized, since 1971, the United States Intel Corporation first introduced a 4-bit microprocessor, its development so far can be roughly divided into five stages. The following development of Intel's microcontroller as a representative to be introduced.
1971-1976
The primary stage of microcontroller development. In November 1971, Intel first designed the integration degree of 2000 transistors / piece of 4-bit microprocessor Intel 4004, and equipped with RAM, ROM and shift registers, constituting the first MCS-4 microprocessor, and then launched an 8-bit microprocessor Intel 8008, as well as other companies have introduced the 8-bit microprocessor.
1976-1980
Low performance microcontroller stage. In 1976, Intel launched the MCS-48 series as a representative, using the 8-bit CPU, 8-bit parallel I / O interface, 8-bit timer / counter, RAM and ROM, etc. integrated into a semiconductor chip on a monolithic structure, although its addressing range is limited (not greater than 4 KB), there is no serial I / O, RAM, ROM capacity is small, the interrupt system is also simpler, but the interrupt system is not as simple as it should be.
The interrupt system is also relatively simple, but the function can meet the needs of general industrial control and intelligent instruments, meters and so on.
1980-1983
High-performance microcontroller stage. This stage of the introduction of high-performance 8-bit microcontroller with a general serial port, multi-level interrupt processing system, more than 16-bit timer / counter. On-chip RAM, ROM capacity to increase, and the addressing range of up to 64 KB, the individual chip also has an A/D converter interface.
1983-80s
16-bit microcontroller stage. In 1983, Intel introduced the MCS-96 series of high-performance 16-bit microcontrollers, which utilized the latest manufacturing process to integrate up to 120,000 transistors per chip.
1990s
Single-chip microcomputer integration, functionality, speed, reliability, application areas and other aspects of the development to a higher level.
Analysis of the application characteristics of microcontrollers
Introduction of the development history and application characteristics of microcontrollers
According to the characteristics of microcontrollers, the application of microcontrollers is divided into single-computer applications and multi-computer applications. In an application system, using only one piece of microcontroller is called single-machine application.
(1) Measurement and control system. With the microcontroller can constitute a variety of less complex industrial control systems, adaptive control systems, data acquisition systems, etc., to achieve the purpose of measurement and control.
(2) Intelligent instrumentation. With microcontroller transformation of the original measurement, control instruments, promote the instrument to digital, intelligent, multi-functional, integrated, flexible direction.
(3) mechatronics products. Combination of microcontroller and traditional mechanical products, so that the traditional mechanical products to simplify the structure, control intelligence.
(4) intelligent interface. In the computer control system, especially in the larger industrial measurement and control system, with a microcontroller for the interface control and management, coupled with the parallel work of the microcontroller and the host, greatly improving the operating speed of the system.
(5) intelligent civilian products. Such as household appliances, toys, game consoles, audio and video equipment, electronic scales, cash registers, office equipment, kitchen equipment and many other products, the introduction of microcontrollers, not only to make the product features greatly enhanced, performance has been improved, but also gained a good use of the results.
(1) Functional distribution system. Multi-functional centralized system is to meet the requirements of the engineering system of a variety of peripheral functions and set up a multi-machine system.
(2) Parallel multi-machine control system. Parallel multi-computer control system mainly solves the problem of rapidity of engineering application system, in order to constitute a large-scale real-time engineering application system.
(3) Local network system.
Microcontroller according to the scope of application can be divided into general-purpose and specialized. Specialized is designed for a particular product, such as thermometers for the microcontroller, microcontroller for washing machines and so on. In the general-purpose microcontroller, and can be divided into 4-bit word length, 8-bit, 16 / 32-bit, although the computer's microprocessor is now almost 32 / 64-bit world, 8-bit, 16-bit microprocessor has tended to atrophy, but the situation of the microcontroller is different, 8-bit microcontroller is low-cost, inexpensive, easy to develop, and its performance to meet the majority of the needs only in the aerospace, automotive, robotics and other high-tech fields, the need for high-speed processing of large amounts of data. Only in aerospace, automotive, robotics and other high-tech fields, the need for high-speed processing of large amounts of data, only need to choose 16 / 32-bit, and in the general industrial sector, 8-bit general-purpose microcontroller, is still the most widely used microcontroller.
History of microcontroller development and application characteristics
Summary: So far, China's microcontroller applications and embedded systems development has gone through more than 20 years of history, with the gradual penetration of embedded systems in all aspects of social life, the teaching of the microcontroller course from the traditional 8-bit processor platform to the 32-bit advanced RISC processor platform to the trend of change, but the 8-bit machine is still difficult to be replaced. still difficult to be replaced. National economic construction, military and household appliances and other fields, especially cell phones, automotive auto-navigation equipment, PDA, smart toys, smart home appliances, medical equipment and other industries are in urgent need of microcontroller talent industry.