Instru CH8

Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University

  • Course: Electronics and Instruments 1 for Automotive Engineering

  • Instructor: Asst. Prof. Suree Pumrin, Ph.D.

Lecture Material

  • Sources:

    • "The 80x86 IBM PC and Compatible Computers (Volumes I&II): Assembly Language, Design and Interfacing," Mazidi, M.A. and Mazidi, J.G., Prentice Hall, 2003.

    • "Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering," Rizzoni, G., McGraw Hill, 2007.

Objectives of the Lecture

  • Understand microprocessors' functionality

  • Differentiate between microprocessors, microcontrollers, and microcomputers

  • Identify characteristics of CISC and RISC architectures

  • Explain the differences between von Neumann and Harvard architectures

Topics Covered

  • History of microprocessors development

  • Introduction to microprocessors

  • Overview of microprocessor systems

  • Internal architecture of computers

  • Overview of microcontroller systems

Brief History of Microprocessors

The Mechanical Age

  • 500 B.C.: Chinese Abacus - wooden rack with beads for calculation

  • 1642: Blaise Pascal - mechanical calculator using gears

The Electrical Age

  • 1889: Hollerith - Introduced punched cards for counting/statistics

  • 1943: Turing - First special-purpose computer (Colossus)

  • 1946: ENIAC - First general-purpose computer at UPenn

The Microprocessor Age

  • 1945: von Neumann architecture introduced, revolutionizing computer design

  • 1970s: First microprocessors developed (Intel 4004, 8008, etc.)

The Modern Microprocessor

  • Advances from 1980s to 2000s, including various Intel and Motorola processors

  • Introduction of multifunctional processors and the era of multicore processors

Moore's Law

  • Observation that the number of transistors on a microchip doubles approximately every two years

  • Illustrated through various Intel microprocessor generations from 4004 to Pentium 4

Microprocessor Systems Overview

  • Instruction Set:

    • Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC) - many complex operations (e.g., x86)

    • Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) - simpler instructions executed faster (e.g., ARM)

  • Architecture Types:

    • von Neumann (Princeton architecture)

    • Harvard architecture

  • Components of a Microprocessor System:

    • Central Processing Unit (CPU)

      • Registers, Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU), Control Unit

    • Input/Output system

    • Memory systems

    • Peripherals

    • Data path (address bus, data bus, control bus)

CISC vs RISC

  • CISC provides multiple complex instructions in one instruction set

  • RISC focuses on simplicity, enabling faster execution of commands

  • Some modern architectures combine features of both

Memory Architectures

von Neumann Architecture

  • Memory holds both program and data

  • CPU fetches and executes instructions

Harvard Architecture

  • Separate memories for program and data

  • Generally more complex but efficient for specific applications

Definition and Organization of Microprocessors

  • Microprocessors are programmable devices that execute instructions on data

  • Range varies from simple devices with few transistors to complex systems with millions

Types of Data Handled by Microprocessors

Data Types

  • Signed and Unsigned Binary Integers

  • Binary Coded Decimal (BCD)

  • ASCII

  • Floating-point Numbers

Terminology

  • Bit, nibble, byte, word, kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte

Microcontroller Overview

  • Special-purpose microprocessor-based system designed for specific tasks

  • Typically includes peripherals like timers and communications

  • Differentiates from microcomputers due to its embedded nature

Automotive Instrumentation

  • Microcontroller manages signal processing for various automotive measurements

  • Analog signals converted to digital by ADC

Interrupt Handling in Microcontrollers

  • ADC signals processor for task execution via interrupt request

Microcontroller Applications in Automotive Systems

  • Example of an automotive engine controller architecture

Exercise Questions

  1. What are the advantages of Harvard architecture?

  2. What’s the difference between CISC and RISC architecture?

  3. What’s the difference between a microprocessor, microcomputer, and microcontroller?

  4. How do you interface sensors to a microprocessor?