Introductory lecture on Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

1. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
February 11, 2014
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

2. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Table of contents
1
General Definitions
2
Evolution of Microprocessors
3
Intel 4004
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

3. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
Microcomputer: The term microcomputer is generally
synonymous with personal computer, or a computer that
depends on a microprocessor
Microcomputers are designed to be used by individuals,
whether in the form of PCs, workstations or notebook
computers
A microcomputer contains a CPU on a microchip (the
microprocessor), a memory system (typically ROM and RAM),
a bus system and I/O ports, typically housed in a
motherboard.
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

4. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
Microprocessor: A silicon chip that contains a CPU. In the
world of personal computers, the terms microprocessor and
CPU are used interchangeably
A microprocessor(sometimes abbreviated µP) is a digital
electronic component with miniaturized transistors on a single
semiconductor integrated circuit (IC).
One or more microprocessors typically serve as a central
processing unit (CPU) in a computer system or hand-held
device.
Microprocessors made possible the advent of the
microcomputer
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

5. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
At the heart of all personal computers and most working
stations sits a microprocessor.
Microprocessors also control the logic of almost all digital
devices, from clock radios to fuel-injection systems for
automobiles.
Three basic characteristics differentiate microprocessors:
Instruction set: The set of instructions that the
microprocessor can execute.
Bus width :The number of bits processed in a single
instruction
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

6. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
Clock speed :Given in megahertz (MHz), the clock speed
determines how many instructions per second the processor
can execute.
In both cases, the higher the value, the more powerful the
CPU. For example, a 32 bit microprocessor that runs at
50MHz is more powerful than a 16-bit microprocessor that
runs at 50MHz.
In addition to bus width and clock speed, microprocessors are
classified as being either RISC (reduced instruction set
computer) or CISC (complex instruction set computer)
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Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

7. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
Supercomputer: A supercomputer is a computer that
performs at or near the currently highest operational rate for
computers.
A supercomputer is typically used for scientific and
engineering applications that must handle very large databases
or do a great amount of computation (or both).
At any given time, there are usually a few well-publicized
supercomputers that operate at the very latest and always
incredible speeds
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Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

8. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
The term is also sometimes applied to far slower (but still
impressively fast) computers.
Most supercomputers are really multiple computers that
perform parallel processing.
In general, there are two parallel processing approaches:
symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) and massively parallel
processing (MPP).
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

9. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
Microcontroller: A highly integrated chip that contains all
the components comprising a controller.
Typically this includes a CPU, RAM, some form of ROM, I/O
ports, and timers.
Unlike a general-purpose computer, which also includes all of
these components, a microcontroller is designed for a very
specific task - to control a particular system.
A microcontroller differs from a microprocessor, which is a
general-purpose chip that is used to create a multifunction
computer or device and requires multiple chips to handle
various tasks.
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

10. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
A microcontroller is meant to be more self-contained and
independent, and functions as a tiny, dedicated computer.
The great advantage of microcontrollers, as opposed to using
larger microprocessors, is that the parts-count and design
costs of the item being controlled can be kept to a minimum.
They are typically designed using CMOS (complementary
metal oxide semiconductor) technology, an efficient fabrication
technique that uses less power and is more immune to power
spikes than other techniques.
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

11. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
General Definitions
Micro Controller
It is a single chip.
Consists Memory, I/O ports.
Micro Processor
It is a CPU.
Memory, I/O ports to be connected externally.
Figure: Microcontroller and Microprocessor
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Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

12. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Word Length
word is a term for the natural unit of data used by a particular
processor design
A word is basically a fixed-sized group of digits (binary or
decimal) that are handled as a unit by the instruction set
and/or hardware of the processor.
The number of digits in a word (the word size, word width, or
word length) is an important characteristic of any specific
processor design or computer architecture.
Modern processors, including embedded systems, usually have
a word size of 8, 16, 24, 32, or 64 bits, while modern general
purpose computers usually use 32 or 64 bits
Special purpose digital processors, such as DSPs for instance,
may use other sizes and many different sizes have been used
historically, including 8, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 39, 40, 48, and 60
bits
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

13. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Evolution of Microprocessors
The first microprocessor, Intel 4004, a 4-bit PMOS
microprocessor was introduced in the year 1971 by Intel
Corporation, U.S.A.
After this a 4-bit microprocessor Intel 4040, an enhanced
version of Intel 4004 was developed. Many other companies
also made 4-bit Microprocessor like Rockwell International’s
PPS-4, Toshiba’s T3472 etc.
In 1973 Intel introduced the first 8-bit microprocessor , Intel
8008 which also used PMOS technology.
The 8008 was the precursor to the very successful Intel 8080
(1974), which offered much improved performance over the
8008 and required fewer support chips
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Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

14. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Evolution of Microprocessors
8-bit microprocessors of other manufacturers are Zilog’s Z80
and Z800, national semiconductor’s NSC800, Motorola’s
MC6800 and MC6809.
8-bit Microprocessor are widely used in instrumentation,
industrial control applications, etc.
In 1978 Intel introduced a 16-bit microprocessor , Intel 8086
Other 16-bit microprocessors are: Intel 80186, Intel 8088,
Intel 80188, Intel 80286, Zilog’s Z8000, Motorola’s 6800 etc.
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Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

15. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Evolution of Microprocessors
The 80186 and 80188 are integrated microprocessors. Besides
CPU they contain some additional components like
programmable interrupt controller, DMA channels, 3 16-bit
timer/counters,clock generator, programmable memory etc.
In 1985 Intel introduced a more powerful 32-bit
microprocessor, Intel 80386 which became very popular and
was widely used in desktop computers.
Pentium series namely Pentium III and Pentium IV were also
32-bit microprocessor.
A number of 64-bit microprocessor have also been developed.
Examples are : SUN’s SPARC and ULTRASPARC, AMD’s
Athlon 64 and Opetron.
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Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

16. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Microprocessors now a days
Now a days multicore processors have been developed. Two,
four eight or more CPUs are placed on a single-chip IC.
Examples of multicore processors having 2 CPUs on a single
chip (i.e in an IC) are : Intel Core 2 Duo 8500, Intel core 2
duo E6850, Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800.
Examples of multicore processors having 4 CPUs are Intel core
2 extreme QX9700, Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550, Intel i7 965XE
No. of transistors used in 4004 were 2300, in 8086 were 29000
, in pentium 4 were 5 millions, 582 millions in Intel core 2
Extreme Q6850 and 820 millions in Intel QX9770.
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

17. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Intel 4004
The Intel 4004 was a 4-bit central processing unit (CPU)
released by Intel Corporation in 1971 by Intel engineers
Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stanley Mazor.
It was the first complete CPU on one chip and also the first
commercially available microprocessor.
This was made possible by the use of then-new silicon gate
technology allowing a higher number of transistors and a
faster speed than was possible before.
The Intel 4004 chip took the integrated circuit down one step
further by placing all the parts that made computer
think(CPU, memory, I/O controls) on one small chip.
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

18. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Figure: Intel 4004
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

19. General Definitions
Evolution of Microprocessors
Intel 4004
Maximum clock speed 740 kHz.
8 clock cycles/ instruction cycle
Instruction execution time 1 or 2 instruction cycles(10.8 or
21.6 µs
It uses a single multiplexed 4-bit bus for transferring: 12-bit
addresses . 8-bit instructions and 4-bit data words.
Instruction set contained 46 instructions (of which 41 were 8
bits wide and 5 were 16 bits wide)
Register set contained 16 registers of 4 bits each
Internal subroutine stack 3 levels deep.
CSE Department, THDC-IHET
Microprocessors and Microcontrollers