Microcontrollers
- In the embedded systems domain. These devices may include several features.
- First, they may include peripheral devices, such as timers, analog to digital converters, and serial communication devices, on the same IC as the processor.
- Second, they may include some program and data memory on the same IC.
- Third, they may provide the programmer with direct access to a number of pins of the IC.
- Fourth, they may provide specialized instructions for bit manipulation operations.
- A microcontroller is a device possessing some or all of these fea
- Incorporating peripherals and memory onto the same IC reduces the number of required IC’s, resulting in compact and low-power implementations.
- Providing pin access allows programs to easily monitor sensors, set actuators, and transfer data with other devices.
- Providing specialized instructions improves performance for embedded systems applications; thus, microcontrollers can be considered ASIPs to some degree.
- Many manufactures market devices referred to as “embedded processors”.
