User manual

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2.2.2 MICRCONTROLLER
A microcontroller is a highly integrated chip which performs controlling
functions. A microcontroller, or embedded controller, is similar to
a microprocessor as used in a personal computer. PIC microcontroller is a processor
with built in memory and RAM and can be use to control the input and output of the
project.
Microcontrollers are microprocessors integrated with peripherals on a single
integrated circuit. The microcontroller is essentially a microprocessor adapted for
control type applications. They are compact in size and yet retain the computational
power of traditional microprocessors, allowing them to be used in a multitude of
applications. The evolution of microprocessors into complex instruments and
machines has led to sophisticated, fast real-time control capability. Microprocessors
of 16 or 32 bit capability with associated interrupt handler chips, programmable
timer chips, ROM and RAM chips, have been replaced in many control function
instances by single chip I/O microcontrollers with all peripherals embedded on the
same chip with the microcontroller.
Microcontrollers differ from microprocessors in many ways. Microcontrollers
are independently programmable and can have a great deal of additional functionality
combined on the same integrated circuit. A typical microprocessor can access from a
megabyte to a gigabyte of memory, and is capable of processing 16, 32, or 64 bits of
information or more with a single instruction.
In this project, microcontroller is preferred because of it flexibility rather than
gate logic. If gate logic been use, this system is difficult to modified or improved. By
using microcontroller, the coding can be varied and replaced if new improvement
required.