This document provides an introduction to AVR microcontrollers. It discusses the history of microcontrollers beginning in 1971 and components like CPU, ROM, RAM and I/O. AVR microcontrollers were introduced in 1996 and range from 1 to 256KB with 8 to 100 pins. They are cheaper and slower than microprocessors but are useful for specialized applications. The document outlines the AVR architecture and family as well as development tools and support for AVR microcontrollers.
2. OUTLINE:
• Microcontroller ? (History ,Components, Advantages, Applications)
• Hardware VS. Software
• Microcontroller Vs. Microprocessor.
• Major market players.
• AVR Microcontroller.
• References.
3. • Microcontroller ?
• A microcontroller is a single chip, self-contained
computer.
4. History.
1. 1971 Texas Instrument calculator-on-a-chip TMS 1000, which
was a 4-bit microcontroller with built-in ROM and RAM.
2. 1976 Intel 8048 was one of Intel's first microcontrollers.
3. 1980 Intel 8051 followed in and became one of the most
popular microcontroller families.
4. 1996 Atmel AVR was one of the first microcontroller families
to use on-chip flash memory for program storage.
5. Components.
A Microcontroller has seven main components:
1-Central processing unit (CPU)
2-ROM
3-RAM
4-Input and Output
5-Timer
6-Interrupt circuitry
7-Buses
8-Oscillatory circuits
6. Advantages.
1. Cheap.
2. Very small in size.
3. Programming of Microcontrollers is simple to learn (c language or
Assembly).
4. Ability to simulate project before implementation.
8. Hardware VS. Software
Hardware Software
# Hardware Software
Design Cost High Medium
Speed High Medium
Modifications Hard Easy
Maintainability Hard Easy
Time to market Long short
Cost High Low
9. Microcontroller Vs. Microprocessor
# Micro-controller Micro-processor
Cost Cheap Expensive
Speed Slow (in MHz Range) Fast (in GHz Range)
Purpose Special General
Dependency Single Chip has almost
all components
Need external
components to be able
to interact.
Resources Limited Unlimited
11. AVR Microcontroller
The AVR architecture was conceived by two students at the
Norwegian Institute of Technology Alf-Egil Bogen and Vegard
Wollan
• Devices range from 1 to
256KB
• Pin count range from 8 to
100
• Full code compatibility
• Pin/feature compatible
families
12. AVR Family
• TINY AVR family
8 -32 pin
16 family members
• MEGA AVR family
32 -100 pin
23 family members
• XMEGA AVR family
32 -100 pin
• Application-specific AVRs
USB, CAN and LCD
Motor Control and Lighting
Automotive
Battery Management
8 family members
13. AVR Architecture
• RISC modified Harvard architecture
Powerful instruction set for C and Assembly
• Scalable
Same powerful AVR core in all devices
• Single cycle execution
One instruction per external clock
Low power consumption
• 32 Working Registers
All Directly connected to ALU!
• Very efficient core
20 MIPS @ 20MHz
• High System Level Integration
Lowest total system cost
17. Real-life Applications
1. Complete navigation application
2. Car Radio control
3. DES encryption / decryption
4. Reed-Solomon (error correction)
encoder/decoder.
5. Pager protocol
6. Refrigerator control
7. Battery charger
8. Embedded web server
9. Label/recite printer
18. Development Tools
• AVR Studio -front end for all AVR tools
• Win AVR
• Code Vision (Evaluation version with limited code
size)
Free
• Starter kits and evaluation boards
From $19
• On-Chip Debuggers and Emulators
From $299
19. Support
• Fully updated product web
• Highly skilled Field Application
Engineers
• Support mail handled by AVR
experts
• Reference designs
• Application notes
• AVRfreaks community website
