MCU Microconrollers or microcontroller units (MCUs) offer a computer's complete functionality on a chip. Microcontroller is a system on a chip (SOC) that contains an embedded memory, an ALU (arithmetic logic unit), serial and parallel I / O ports, timers, counters, and oscillators. Serial or parallel interfaces, memory and ALU, and other specifications vary among different microcontrollers.

Microcontroller I / O ports

All the microcontrollers contain input and output ports. Serial ports or interface option include SPI (serial peripheral interface), SCI (serial communication interface), CAN (controller area network), UART (universal asynchronous receiver transmitter), USART (universal synchronous / asynchronous receiver transmitter), USB (universal serial bus), and inter-integrated circuit (IIC). I / O parallel ports serve as 4-bit, 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit, 64-bit, or even 128-bit data bus.

Microcontroller Memory

Microcontroller memory refers to internal and external memory. Internal is RAM and ROM while Flash refers to external storage. RAM and ROM also vary among different microcontrollers. ROM contains the code that us burnt on it using a device programmer. RAM is used for processing. External memory can also be attached with the microcontrollers. In short RAM, ROM sizes, and ROM types such as EPROM, PROM are important to consider in microcontrollers.

Microcontroller Performance

Performance of a microcontroller unit depends upon power characteristics, clock speed, operating temperature, operating range, life cycle, and interrupts. Power characteristics refer to supplied current, voltage, and power dissipation. Operating range refers to the environments suitable for a specific microcontroller. For example some microcontrollers are designed to work in industrial, automotive, or commercial applications. Some are suitable for military specifications. Clock speed varies depending upon the maximum frequency or baud rate. Interrupts handling is different among various microcontroller units. Numbers of interrupts that can be used within a microcontroller also vary. Life cycle of microcontroller begins with introduction, rapid growth, and then maturity to saturation. At the end decline, phase out, and removal.

Microcontroller Extra Features

Extra features in various microcontrollers include direct memory access (DMA) channels, pulse width modulation (PWM) channels, low frequency auxiliary oscillators (LFAO), oscillator safeguards (OSG), low voltage detectors (LVD), liquid crystal display (LCD) drivers, watchdog timers, and power saving modes. Some microcontrollers contain ADC (analogue to digital converter) and DAC (digital to analogue converter).

Microcontroller IC packaging

There is a great deal of variety for microcontroller IC packages. These include basic IC packages and their variants. BGA (ball grid array) is basic IC package. PBGA (plastic BGA), TBGA (tape BGA), and MCM-PBGA (multi chip module plastic BGA) are its variants. Other packages are PGA (pin grid array) with PPGA (plastic PGA) and CPGA (ceramic PGA) variants. DIP (dual inline package) is basic with CDIP and PDIP variants. QFP (quad flat package) comes in LQFP (low-profile QFP) and TQFP (thin QFP). Some other basic IC packages include LGA (land grid array), CSP (chip scalable package), SIP (single inline package), and SOP (small outline package).