108 Flashcards
What is a microcontroller? (5)
> Computer on a single chip
Used in embedded systems
Contains the CPU, Memory and peripherals
Software is programmed on a separate computer and then compiled into a list of instructions which are copied to the microcontroller. This is called firmware
Microcontrollers execute instructions
What are the different types of microcontroller architecture? (4)
> Instruction set architecture
Microarchitecture
System architecture
Load store architecture
What is ISA?
> Instruction Set Archetecture
> Instructions that the microcontroller can execute
What is microarchitecture?
This is the way that the ISA is implemented
What is system architecture?
The overall design of the system
What is load store architecture?
The way that data is moved around the system
What is a CPU?
This executes the data
What is memory?
This stores data and instructions
What are the different parts of a CPU?
> Program counter > Incrementor > Memory address register > Memory buffer register > Instruction register > Control unit
What is the program counter?
Contains the address of the next instruction to be counted
What is the incrementor?
Increases the value stored in the Program counter
What is the memory address register?
Stores the address of the memory being used
What is the memory buffer register?
Stores data that has just been read from memory or data that is to be written
What is the instruction register?
Stores the instruction that currently being executed
What does the control unit do?
Controls the CPU