Okey , for this week we are just looked and do it survey about microcontroller
After meeting with our adviser and having discussion of our project, we decided to start developing . Why..?
Because using the Arduino Uno will make us easier to do the code programming for the alarm clock system .
Because our supervisor recommended by the lecturer to use the Arduino so that to develop and study more on new components and suitable in the modern era.
To AVOID any damages on all the component that been use in the circuit .
The circuit also makes it look like it’s not using a large space on the design structure and making the project lighter.
The improvement in this circuit is, since the circuit doesn’t have a motor to drop of the food, we added the circuit with a stepper motor so that is compatible with our objective for this project. The arduino that we will be using is the latest model of Arduino Uno . The Arduino Uno specification is much more .
Problem Statement
When studying the circuit from the figure 2, the problem that we encounter is that all the PWM pins on the arduino uno have been used for driving the IC 74HC595 for the output 7- segment 4digit.
What is a Micro-controller?
From our research microcontroller (abbreviated μC or MCU) is essentially an entire computer system on a single, tiny microchip! While not as fast or powerful as your desktop or laptop computer, a microcontroller excels at being very small, very inexpensive, and can operate on very little power (great for battery-powered devices).Microcontrollers are the heart of what's called "Embedded Computing" - a term used to describe using these tiny computers inside everyday things to make them "smart" - things like microwaves, cars, cellphones, TVs, and so on.
A microcontroller has many subsystems on board it's tiny little chip. The central part is the microprocessor core - it's the brain of the computer that carries out program instructions. Other subsystems include:
· RAM (Random Access Memory) - where the software can store data temporarily. This memory is lost when the power is turned off, so it's usually used to store information that the program generates as it runs through it's instructions.
· Flash memory - where the software program is stored. This memory is not lost when the power goes off. It is similar to the SD card in your smartphone or digital camera .
· EEPROM (Electroniclly Eraseable Programmable Read Only Memory) - a special type of memory that can retain data after the power is turned off. This is a good place to store things like configuration settings, that need to be remembered for next time the system is powered up. It only stores data, not program code.
· IO (Input/Output) Systems - this is how the microcontroller communicates with the outside world. There's many different types of I/O, such as digital (1s and 0s), analog (variable voltage), PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) which falls somewhere between digital and analog, and many types of computer protocols like Serial, I2C, Parallel, CAN, 2WI, and more.
You don't need to worry about all these just yet. As we start to look into different brands and variations of microcontrollers, you'll notice that the reason there are so many different microcontroller choices is that they all come packaged with different combinations of subsystems, or are made to run with different power requirements or at different speeds. So in a daily life
PIC microcontrollers ( Programmable Interface Controllers), are electronic circuits that can be programmed to carry out a vast range of tasks. They can be programmed to be timers or to control a production line and much more. They are found in most electronic devices such as alarm systems, computer control systems, phones, in fact almost any electronic device. Many types of PIC microcontrollers exist, although the best are probably found in the GENIE range of programmable microcontrollers. These are programmed and simulated by Circuit Wizard software.
PIC Microcontrollers are relatively cheap and can be bought as pre-built circuits or as kits that can be assembled by the user.You will need a computer to run software, such as Circuit Wizard, allowing you to program a PIC microcontroller circuit. A fairly cheap, low specification computer should run the software with ease. The computer will need a serial port or a USB port. This is used to connect the computer to the microcontroller circuit.
Software such as, Genie Design Studio can be downloaded for free. It can be used to program microcontroller circuits. It allows the programmer to simulate the program, before downloading it to a PIC microcontroller IC (Integrated Circuit). Simulating the program on screen, allows the programmer to correct faults and to change the program. The software is quite easy to learn, as it is flow chart based. Each ‘box’ of a flow chart has a purpose and replaces numerous lines of text programming code. This meansthat a program can be written quite quickly, with fewer mistakes.
A USB lead connects the computer to the programmable circuit, allowing the transfer of the program to the PIC microcontroller IC.
THE GENIE MICROCONTROLLER CIRCUIT (ABOVE) BEING PROGRAMMED USING CIRCUIT WIZARD SOFTWARE . When the program has been simulated and works, it is downloaded to the PIC microcontroller circuit. The USB lead can be disconnected and the microcontroller circuit can be used independently. The diagram below, shows a GENIE Project Board being programmed by Circuit Wizard software (recommended software for programming microcontroller circuits).
CIRCUIT WIZARD SOFTWARE
Circuit Wizard software has major advantages over free downloads. It is a ‘simple to use’ electronics software package. Basic up to complex circuits, can be built on screen and simulated. This means that circuits can be tested before they are manufactured.Circuit Wizard also allows a range of GENIE Microcontroller circuits/project boards, to be ‘dragged’ on to the screen, from a menu. Inputs and outputs can be added using further menus. Then, the GENIE microcontroller circuit/project board can be programmed, using Circuit Wizard’s flow charting menu. It can be fully tested/simulated on screen and faults corrected or alterations made. This software is strongly recommended, when designing and manufacturing microcontroller programmable circuits.
THE GENIE MICROCONTROLLER CIRCUIT
What's an Arduino? Isn't that a Microcontroller?
An excellent question! Many people have heard about the Arduino (pronounced arr-duee-no) and may have heard them called a microcontroller, but actually, Arduinos encompass much more than that.The Arduino is a full development system, or prototyping system. It includes a complete circuit board and support hardware to help make using the microcontroller easier. Some things that the Arduino provides to help you out:
- Voltage regulators: help provide clean, stable power.
- Timing oscillators: There is a 16MHz quartz crystal oscillator to give the USB controller an accurate, stable time base; and a 16MHz ceramic oscillator for the main microcontroller clock .
- USB interface: allows you to plug the Arduino into your PC to download your programs. It can also provide power to the Arduino. Includes the USB connector, a USB controller (which is a separate microcontroller), transmit/receive status LEDs, and the 16MHz timing crystal.
- Power Plug - to plug into a wall adapter for power.
- Reset switch, and a test output LED: Convenient items to include on a prototyping board.
- Stackable "headers": these rows of connectors make it easy to plug in additional add-on daughter boards (called "Shields"). These allow you to easily expand and customize the features of the Arduino.
