Embedded Processor

Embedded processor is the core of the embedded system is control of the system operation, the auxiliary hardware unit. Range extremely broad, from initial 4 processor, are still at large scale application 8-bit microcontroller, the latest widely favored 32-bit, 64-bit embedded CPU.

Embedded processor

Now the world has embedded function characteristics processor has more than 10 kinds, popular architecture including MCU, MPU and so on more than 30 series. In view of the embedded system wide development prospects, many semiconductor manufacturers are embedded processors, and mass production the company independent design processors have also become a trend of future embedded fields, including from MCU, DSP to FPGA had assorted varieties, faster, performance is more and more strong, the price also more and more low. Present embedded processor addressing space can from 64kB to 16MB processing speed fastest, can achieve 2000 the MIPS, encapsulation from 8 pins to 144 ranging from pins.

classification

According to the current situation, embedded processor can be divided into the following several categories:

Embedded microcontroller processor

Micro Processor embedded microcontroller Processor (MPU) Unit,

Embedded microcontroller processor is by general computer evolved from the CPU. Its characteristic is a 32-bit processor, has high above the performance, of course, the price also corresponding higher. But with computer processor is different, in actual embedded application, retain only and the function of embedded application, closely related to remove the other hardware part redundancy function, thus to the lowest power consumption and resources to achieve the special requirements of embedded application. And industrial control computer embedded microcontroller processor, compared with small volume, light weight, low cost, high reliability advantages. At present the main embedded processor types have Am186/88, 386EX, SC - 400, Power PC, 68000, the MIPS, ARM/StrongARM series, etc. One Arm/StrongArm is designed for handheld devices development embedded microprocessors, belong to middle-grade price.

Embedded microcontroller controller

Embedded Microcontroller controller Unit (MCU), Microcontroller

The typical representative of embedded microcontroller controller is a single-chip microcomputer, from the late 1970s microcontroller appear to today, although has over 20 years of history, but the eight electronic components currently in embedded devices are still extremely extensive application. Single-chip microcomputer chip inside integrated ROM/an EPROM, RAM, bus, the bus logic, timing/counters, the watchdog, the I/O and serial port, pulse width modulation output, A/D and D/A, Flash RAM, EEPROM, etc. Various kinds of necessary function and peripherals. Compared with embedded microcontroller processor, the biggest characteristic is to micro controller using a single chip, much smaller, so that power consumption and cost reduction, reliability. Micro controller is present embedded system industrial mainstream. Micro controller of peripherals resources is compared commonly is rich, suitable for control, thus says micro controller.

Due to the low price, high MCU, so have the function of the varieties and number and more representative including the 8051, MCS - 251, MCS - 96/196 / P51XA, C166/296, 68K series and MCU 167, 8XC930/931, C540, C541, and support the I2C Bus, LCD, CAN - and numerous special MCU and compatible series. Now accounts for about 70% of MCU embedded system of market share. Atmel produce of Avr microcontroller lately because of its integrated devices such as the FPGA, so the high ratio of performance to price which will promote the development of microcontroller higher.