Microprocessors

Module 1
Introduction to
Microprocessors
1. Orient the students on what a microprocessor is.
2. Orient the students on what a microcontroller is.
3. Identify the different classification of
microprocessors.
The microprocessor is an electronic chip that functions
as the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer.

In other words, the microprocessor is the brain of any

computer system.
Microprocessor can be found in almost all consumer
electronic devices such as computer printers, washing
machines, microwave ovens, mobile phones, fax
machines, and photocopiers and in advanced
applications such as radars, satellites, and flights.
Typically, basic microprocessor chips have arithmetic
and logic functional units along with the associated
control logic to process the instruction execution.

Almost all microprocessors use the basic concept of

stored-program execution.
Programs or instructions to be executed by the
microprocessor are stored sequentially in memory
locations.

The microprocessor, or the processor in general, fetches

the instructions one after another and executes them in
its arithmetic and logic unit.
A microprocessor can be programmed to perform any
task that can be written and programmed by the user.

Without a program, the microprocessor unit is a piece of

useless electronic circuit.
The programmer must take care of all the resources of
the microprocessor and use them efficiently for
implementing required functionality.

So to work with the microprocessors, it is necessary for

the programmer to know about its internal resources and
features.
The programmer must also understand the instructions
that a microprocessor can support.

Even microprocessor has its own associated set of

instructions; this list is given by all microprocessor
manufacturers.
The instruction set for microprocessors is in two forms –
one in mnemonic, whish is comparatively easy to
understand and the other in binary machine code, which
the microprocessor works with and is difficult for us to
understand.
Generally, programs are written using mnemonics called
assembly-level language and then converted into binary
machine-level language.
In general, programs are written by the user for
microprocessor to work with real world data.

Data are available in many forms and from many

sources. to input these data to the microprocessor, the
microprocessor-based systems need some input
interfacing circuits and ports.
The semiconductor manufacturing technology for chips
has developed from transistor-transistor logic (TTL) to
complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS).

Microprocessor manufacturing also has one through

these technological changes.
The other semiconductor manufacturing technology
available is emitter-coupled logic (ECL).

TTL technology is most commonly used for basic digital

integrated circuits; CMOS is favoured for portable
computers and other battery-powered devices because
of its low power consumption.
Classification of
microprocessors
Microprocessors can be classified based on their
specifications, applications and architecture.

Based on the size of the data that the microprocessor

can handle, they are classified as:
• General-purpose processors
• Microcontrollers
• Special-purpose processors
General-purpose microprocessors are those that are
used in general computer system integration and can be
used by the programmer for any application.

Common microprocessors from Intel 8085 to Intel

Pentium are examples of general-purpose
microprocessors.
Microcontrollers are microprocessor chips with built-in
hardware for the memory and ports.

These chips can be programmed by the user for any

generic control application
Special-purpose microprocessors are designed
specifically to handle special functions required for an
application.

Digital signal processors are examples of special-

purpose processors; these have special instructions to
handle signal processing.
Simon Monk (2016), Programming Arduino:Getting
Started with Sketches , Second Edition, Mc-Graw Hill
Education
S. Mathur(2016), Microprocessor and Microcontrollers,
PHI Learning and Private Limited
http://playground.arduino.cc/
Taylor and Francis Group. Essentials of Computer
Architecture. CRC Press, Comer, D. (2017).
Jones and Bartlett Learning, Computer Organization And
Architecture (10th Ed.), Stallings, (2016)