The AVR Microcontroller:

History and Features

???
 Microprocessors (CPU) vs Microcontrollers
(MCU) ???

 CPU vs. MCU
 Microprocessor
 No RAM, ROM, I/O Ports on chip itself
 e.g. Pentium (Intel), PowerPC (Motorola), Spark (SUN)
 Applications: Desktop, Laptop, workstations, Servers
 Microcontroller
 Microprocessor, RAM, ROM, timers, I/O Ports on a single
chip.
 8051(Intel), 68HC08 (Motorola), AVR (Atmel), Z8 (Zilog),
PIC (Microchip), ARM (Advanced RISC Machine).
 Application: TV Remote Control, video games, robots,
CPU vs. MCU
Most common MCU/CPU
 8-bit MCU
 AVR
 PIC
 8051
 16-bit MCU/CPU
 8086/186/96/196
 68HC12/16
 32-bit MCU
 ARM
 PIC32
8-bit Microcontrollers
???
 Embedded Systems ???
Embedded Systems
 An embedded system is controlled by its own
internal microprocessor (or microcontroller)
as opposed to an external controller.
 A PC is connected to various embedded
products such as keyboard, printer, modem,
disk controller, sound card, CD-ROM driver,
mouse and so on.
 a printer gets data and prints it. A mouse
takes coordinates and sends to the PC.
Embedded Products
 Computing  Cars  Communications
 PC  Anti-lock breaks  Wire-line
 Air bags Phone
 Notebook
 Engine Control  Cellular
 Laptop Phones
 Storage  Transmission
Control  PDA
 Color printer  Climate control  Pager
 Laser printer  Collusion  Fax machine
 Modem avoidance  Intercom
 Cable modem  Navigation  Cards
 Copier  Trip Computer  Banking
 Scanner  Instrumentation  Electronic
 Keyless entry Purse
 Digital camera
 Social Security
 Tolls
Embedded Products
 Consumer  Consumer  Connectivity
 VCR, CD  Toys  Cable TV
 Video games  Answering  Cable Modem
machine  Router
 DVD Player  Camcorder  Hub
 Stereo  Musical
 Smoke alarm Instruments
 Sewing
 Camera Machine
 Remote Control  Exercise
 Garage Door equipment
Opener
 Security System
Choosing a microcontroller
 Speed: What is the highest speed a microcontroller
supports?
 Packaging: Is it DIP (dual inline package) or a QFP
(quad flat package) or some other type?
 Power Consumption: Critical for battery powered
products.
 The amount of RAM and ROM on chip
 The number of timers and I/O pins on chip
 Cost per unite
 Availability of Compiler, Simulator, Debugger.
 Availability of chip in market
The AVR microcontroller Family
 The basic architecture of AVR was designed
by two students of Norwegian Institute of
Technology (NTH), Alf-Egil Bogen and
Vegard Wollan, and then was bought and
developed by Atmel in 1996.
 The AVR stands for Advanced Virtual RISC,
or Alf and Vegard RISC.
 The AVR is an 8-bit RISC single-chip
microcontroller with Harvard architecture.
RISC and CISC
 CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer)
 A large number of instructions, typically from 100 to 250
instructions
 Some instructions that perform specialized task and are used
infrequently
 A large variety of addressing modes, typically from 5 to 20
different modes
 Variable-length instruction formats

 RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer)

 Relatively few instructions
 Relatively few addressing modes
 Fixed-length, easily decoded instruction format
Harvard and von Neumann Architecture
 von Neumann (Princeton) architecture.
 The same bus is used for accessing both the code and data
 Pentium Processor is based on von Neumann Architecture
 Harvard architecture
 Separate buses are used for accessing the code and data
memory.
 That means that we need four sets of buses:
1. A set of data buses for carrying data into and out of the CPU,
2. A set of address buses for accessing the data,
3. A set of data buses for carrying code into the CPU, and
4. An address bus for accessing the code
 This is easy to implement inside an IC chip such as a
microcontroller where both ROM code and data RAM are
internal (on-chip) and distances are on the micron and millimeter
scale
The AVR microcontroller Family

The Simplified view of an AVR Microcontroller

The AVR Family
 The AVR can be classified into four groups: Classic, Mega, Tiny,
and special purpose.
 Classic AVR (AT90Sxxxx)
This is the original AVR chip, which has been replaced by newer
AVR chips. These are not recommended for new designs.
 Mega AVR (ATmegaxxxx)
These are powerful microcontrollers with more than 120
instructions and lots of different peripheral capabilities, which can
be used in different designs. Some of their characteristics are as
follows:
 Program memory: 4K to 256K bytes

 Package: 28 to 100 pins

 Extensive peripheral set

 Extended instruction set: They have rich instruction sets.

The AVR Family
The AVR Family
 Tiny AVR (ATtinyxxxx)
This group have less instructions and smaller packages in
comparison to mega family. You can design systems with low
costs and power consumptions using the Tiny AVRs. Some of
their characteristics are as follows:
 Program memory: IK to 8K bytes
 Package: 8 to 28 pins
 Limited peripheral set
 Limited instruction set: The instruction sets are limited. For example,
some of them do not have the multiply instruction.
 Special purpose AVR
The ICs of this group can be considered as a subset of other
groups, but their special capabilities are made for designing
specific applications. Some of the special capabilities are: USB
controller, CAN controller, LCD controller, Zigbee, Ethernet
controller, FPGA, and advanced PWM.
The AVR Family

Embedded Systems
AVR different groups
 Classic AVR
 e.g. AT90S2313, AT90S4433
 Mega
 e.g. ATmega8, ATmega32, ATmega128
 Tiny
 e.g. ATtiny13, ATtiny25
 Special Purpose AVR
 e.g. AT90PWM216,AT90USB1287
AVR different groups
AVR different groups
AVR different groups
Let’s get familiar with the AVR part
numbers ATmega128

Atmel group
Flash =128K

ATtiny44 AT90S4433

Atmel
Tiny Flash =4K Atmel Classic
Flash =4K
group group