ECE265 1

ECE 265

Introduction to Microcontroller Based Systems

(A first course in computer architecture)

9/28/2010
 Lecture Overview
2

 Outline of the course

 Syllabus

 General guidelines and policies

 A basic overview of computer architecture
 The Von Neumann Architecture
 The Harvard architecture

 Microprocessors and Microcontrollers

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 The Syllabus
3

 This is ECE 265 – Introduction to Microprocessor

Based Systems
 Objective – A basic understanding of computer
architecture, specifically microcontrollers, along with
an understanding of the uses and application of
microcontrollers.

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 General guidelines and policies
4

 Generally a quiz each week. Typically on Wednesday.

Quiz will not necessarily be announced each week. Lowest
Grade dropped.
 NO MAKEUP QUIZZES
 Homework due two classes after assigned. NO LATE
HOMEWORKS will be accepted. Homework will be
delivered to a dropbox in CARMEN. Dropbox will not close
but no submissions after due date will be graded.
 Midterm exam will be announced one week prior.
 Final exam is during Finals Week
 Monday March 12 11:30-1:18 in this room.
 Other details on syllabus

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 A Basic Overview of Computer
5
Architecture
 For your reference you can find much of this
information on Wikipedia.
 But can you trust wikipedia?

 When was the first computer created?????

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 Early computing technology
6

 Early computing could be traced back to the abacus.

When was the abacus in use?
 Around 2700 B.C.

 In the mid 1600’s Blaise Pascal designed and

implemented a mechanical calculator.

 Note: Today we use voltage level to represent a logical

TRUE and FALSE. There is no reason that the physical
position of a mechanical component cannot do the same
thing.

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 A little more modern
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 Charles Babbage 1792-1871

 The Difference Engine
 The Difference Engine 2
 Basically a programmable calculator
 Calculated artillery tables
 The Analytic Engine – a more advanced machine
 Used punch cards for input
 A precursor to the modern computer

 Boole 1815-1864
 Boolean Algebra

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 Still, a little more modern
8

 The von Neumann

architecture – 1940s
and 50s
A stored-program
computer that uses a
central processing unit
and a single separate
storage structure that
hold both instructions
and data.

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 Basic operation of architecture
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 Instructions are executed in

sequence
 First step during execution
 MEM(PC)  IR
 Send contents of PC (Program
counter) to memory
 Memory responds with the
contents at that address placing
it on the data bus.
 Increment the PC
(PC+1->PC)
 The values on the data bus are
loaded into the instruction
register

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 Decode Instruction and execute
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 Say the instruction was a

load immediate
 This means that the next
word in the instruction
stream is the data that
we want loaded into the
accumulator
 Operation is now
 MEM(PC) Accum
 Also increment the PC

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 More von Neumann
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 Earliest computers had fixed programs – such as a desk

calculator
 The von Neumann architecture introduced the concept
of a stored program. In fact, in early computers, they
often wrote programs that self modified.
 Self-modifying code is now seen as a very bad
programming practice (also, it really isn’t needed).
 von Neumann’s was very familiar with Alan Turing’s
(1912-1954) work – the Turing Machine (1936).
 Both von Neumann and Turing wrote papers on stored
program computers.

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 Some Early von Neumann architectures
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 ORDVAC (U of Ill) - 1951

 IAS machine (Princeton) - 1952
 MANIAC I (Las Alamos) - 1952
 ILLIAC (U of Ill) - 1952
 AVIDAC (Argonne National Labs) – 1953
 ORACLE at Oak Ridge Ntl Lab– 1953
 JOHNNIAC at RAND Corp – 1954
 BESK in Stockholm – 1953
 PERM in Munich - 1956
 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010
 Early Microprocessors
13

 The Intel 4004 – 1971

 16-pin DIP package
 92,000 instructions per sec
 10.8 microseconds per instruction
 Processor had a small address space for data and a small
address space for instructions
 Designed for use in calculators
 Was the core element for the early electronic calculators –
early calculators did basic arithmetic.
 Early microprocessors were often programmed in assembler
or machine code. Compilers and many modern high level
programming languages just didn’t exist.

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 The Harvard Architecture
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 In the traditional von Neumann architecture memory

holds both programs and data
 In the Harvard Architecture you have separate
memory spaces for data and programs. (term that
came into use during the late 1990s)

 This is not really a new concept as the 4004 had

separate data and program memory address
spaces.
 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010
 Microprocessor vs. Microcontroller
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 Basically a features issue.

 Microprocessor – (the physical processor chip)
 Composed of control unit, register, arithmetic and logic units
 NO Memory, MaybeTimers, No direct external I/O ports
 Does have pins for a data bus and an address bus
 When implemented in a PC, add a keyboard for input, a monitor, a mouse, a
printer, etc.
 Mircocontroller
 Central core of microprocessor but limited capabilities in regards to registers,
memory size, and speed.
 On board memory
 Several Timers
 I/O configurable ports
 In implementation, may or may not have a keyboard, rather a keypad/switches
for input or other types of control, often does not have monitor

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 Lecture summary
16

 Have covered
 What will be covered by this course and how the course
will operate
 The syllabus, general guidelines and policies

 An introduction to the history of computing – computer

are not new
 The von Neumann architecture

 Other architecture focuses

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010

 Assignment
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 What is a Turing machine?

 HW1 - Write up what a Turing machine is and how
a Turing Machine executes a program. (submit to
dropbox HW1) Write 2/3 to 1 ½ pages.
 Due dates on web page.
 There are many sources for this assignment
 Google web search
 Wikipedia

 Library

 Joanne E. DeGroat, OSU ECE265 9/28/2010