ECT 206

COMPUTER
ARCHITECTURE AND
MICROCONTROLLERS
Module 2 Part 1
Microcontrollers and Embedded
Processors.
 Module 2
8051 Architecture
• Microcontrollers and Embedded Processors.
Architecture – Block diagram of 8051, Pin
configuration, Registers, Internal Memory, Timers,
Port Structures, Interrupts. Assembly Language
Programming - Addressing Modes, Instruction set
(Detailed study of 8051instruction set is required).

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 2
 Microcontroller

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 3
 Microcontroller
• A programmable digital IC
• A small, low-cost and self contained
computer-on-a-chip that can be used as an
embedded system
• First microcontroller: TMS1000
• Microcontroller families: 8051, PIC, AVR,
ARM etc.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 4
 MICROCONTROLLERS AND EMBEDDED
PROCESSORS

Microcontroller versus general-purpose microprocessor

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 5
 MICROCONTROLLERS AND EMBEDDED
PROCESSORS

Microcontroller versus general-purpose microprocessor

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 6
 MICROCONTROLLERS AND EMBEDDED
PROCESSORS
Microcontroller versus general-purpose microprocessor
1) Computer System & Embedded System
2) Architecture
3) Memory and I/O Components
4) Circuit Size and its Complexity
5) Cost
6) Power Consumption
7) Power Saving Feature
8) Processing Capabilities
9) Processing Speed
10) Clock Speed
11) Instruction Throughput versus Interrupt Latency
12) Bit Manipulation
13) External Memory Address Space
14) Multifunctional Pins
15) Real-time applications
16) Examples
17) Uses

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 7
 MICROCONTROLLERS AND EMBEDDED
PROCESSORS

• Microprocessors are general-purpose processors.

• Intel's x86 family (8086, S0286, 80386. 80486, and
the Pentium) or Motorola's 680x0 family (68000,
68010. 68020. 68030, 68040, etc.) are few popular
microprocessors.
• Microprocessors contain no RAM, no ROM, and no
I/O ports on the chip itself.
• Commonly referred to as general-purpose
microprocessors.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 8
Microcontroller versus general-purpose
microprocessor

• A system designer using a general-purpose

microprocessor must add RAM, ROM, I/O ports, and
timers externally to make them functional.

• Disadvantage:
– System becomes bulkier and expensive

• Advantage:
• Versatility – The system designer can decide the amount of RAM,
ROM,I/O ports and timer to be added on a single chip.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 9
Microcontroller versus general-purpose
microprocessor

• A microcontroller has a CPU (a microprocessor) in

addition to a fixed amount of RAM, ROM, I/O ports, and
a timer all on a single chip.
• The processor, the RAM, ROM, I/O ports, and timer are
all embedded together on one chip.
• The fixed amount of on-chip ROM, RAM, and number of
I/O ports in microcontrollers makes them ideal for many
applications in which cost and space/chip area are critical.
• Designer cannot add any external memory, I/O ports or
timers.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 10
 Microcontrollers for embedded
systems
• Microprocessors and microcontrollers are widely
used in embedded system products.
• An embedded product uses a microprocessor (or
microcontroller) to do one task and one task only.
• A printer is an example of embedded system since the
processor inside it performs one task only; namely,
getting the data and printing it.
• Contrast this with a Pentium-based PC A PC can be
used for any number of applications such as word
processor, print-server, video game player, network
server, or internet terminal.
Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 11
 Microcontroller Applications

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 12
 Choosing a microcontroller

• There are four major 8-bit microcontrollers.

• They are: Motorola's 6811, Intel's 8051, Zilog's Z8,
and PIC 16X from Microchip Technology.
• Each of the above microcontrollers has a unique
instruction set and register set; therefore, they are not
compatible with each other.
• Programs written for one will not run on the others.
• There are also 16-bit and 32-bit microcontrollers
made by various chip makers.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 13
 Choosing a microcontroller

• Three criteria in choosing microcontrollers are

as follows:
(1) meeting the computing needs of the task at hand
efficiently and cost effectively,
(2) availability of software development tools such
as compilers, assemblers, and debuggers, and
(3) wide availability and reliable sources of the
microcontroller.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 14
 Choosing a microcontroller-
Criteria 1
• A microcontroller must meet the task at hand
efficiently and cost effectively.
• The designer must see whether an 8-bit, 16-bit, or
32-bit microcontroller can best handle the
computing needs of the task most effectively.
• Several other factors also contribute to selecting a
microcontroller for a particular task.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 15
 Choosing a microcontroller-
Criteria 1
(a) Speed: What is the highest speed that the
microcontroller supports?
(b) Packaging: Dual Inline Package(DIP) or Quad Flat
Package(QFP). Important in terms of
spacing, assembling etc.

Dual Inline Package Quad Flat Package

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 16
 Choosing a microcontroller-
Criteria 1
(c)Power consumption: This is especially critical
for battery-powered
products.
(d) The amount of RAM and ROM on chip.
(e) The number of I/O pins and the timer on the
chip.
(f) How easy it is to upgrade to higher-performance
or lower power-consumption versions.
(g) Cost per unit.
Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 17
 Choosing a microcontroller-
Criteria 2
• The second criterion in choosing a
microcontroller is how easy it is to develop
products around it.
• Key considerations include the availability of an
assembler, debugger, a code-efficient C language
compiler, emulator, technical support, and both
in-house and outside expertise.

Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 18
 Choosing a microcontroller-
Criteria 3
• The third criterion in choosing a microcontroller is
its ready availability in needed quantities both now
and in the future.
• For some designers this is even more important
than the first two criteria.
• Currently, of the leading 8-bit microcontrollers, the
8051 family has the largest number of diversified
(multiple source) suppliers. By supplier is meant a
producer besides the originator of the
microcontroller.
Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051 microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition. 19
 ECT 206
• Reference : Muhammed Ali Mazidi & Janice
Gilli Mazidi, R.D. Kinley, The 8051
microcontroller and Embedded System,
Pearson Education, 2nd edition.

• Kenneth J. Ayala, The 8051 Microcontroller,

Cengage learning, 3/e.

Subrata Ghoshal, Computer Architecture an 20

d Organization: From 8085 to Core2Duo an