When it comes to microcontrollers (MCUs), the first thing that comes to mind is that they have many input/output (I/O) ports, which can be difficult to distinguish. As the core of embedded systems, they can communicate with external devices or sensors. However, the presence of I/O ports often makes learning challenging for many people. This … Read more
As the demand for battery life in terminal devices increases, low-power MCUs are becoming more widely used. So, what is a low-power MCU? Which categories have a strong demand for low-power MCUs? What trends are emerging in the development of low-power MCUs? Wide Application Scenarios “Typically, low-power MCUs utilize different design methods and processes compared … Read more
If there were no MCU, we would not deserve to be called “modern people”. MCU is not the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As a necessity for modern life, MCU (Microcontroller Unit, 微控制单元, also known as single-chip microcontroller) has long been integrated into human production and life, and is ubiquitous. Air conditioners, remote controls, smart chargers… basically … Read more
Before we begin: 1. This article will focus on Microchip’s products. I believe Microchip has the most articles on clocks among MCU companies. The terminology used by Microchip may differ from that of other companies, but the usage is the same and does not affect understanding. 2. The term “clock source” is used to distinguish … Read more
Abstract This article explores the roles of DCU, MCU, and MPU in the electronic and electrical architecture of autonomous driving, comparing the advantages of distributed and centralized architectures, as well as the development history of ADAS systems from L0 to L2+. It focuses on the differences between MCU and MPU, and their key roles in … Read more
The MCU chip refers to the Microcontroller Unit (Microcontroller Unit; MCU), also known as a microcontroller or single-chip microcomputer. It appropriately reduces the frequency and specifications of the central processing unit and integrates memory, counters, USB, A/D conversion, UART, PLC, DMA, and other peripheral interfaces, even the LCD driver circuit, into a single chip, forming … Read more
Introduction: This article introduces the MCU chips in four domains: body, chassis, power, and cockpit, from four dimensions: working requirements, performance requirements, industry landscape, and industry barriers. It also organizes the application status of domestic MCU chips for reference by practitioners. 1. Introduction to Control Chips The control chip mainly refers to the MCU (Microcontroller … Read more
Abstract：We encounter many operating systems, such as Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux, which are all types of operating systems. Microcontrollers also have their own operating systems, known as real-time operating systems. So what are the differences between these real-time operating systems and the systems we use? The operating systems we commonly use are actually non-real-time … Read more
IAP Let’s start with the most relevant topic mentioned above, IAP (In Application Programming). As the name suggests, it means that user code can erase and program the flash memory area. Different MCUs have different flash memory addresses; for example, the flash memory starting address for LPC1778 is 0x0, while for STM32 it is usually … Read more
Anyone working in information technology must have heard of embedded systems and microcontrollers. It is well known that these two terms are closely related to hardware systems. However, if you ask what embedded systems are and what microcontrollers are, and what the differences between them are, I believe most people cannot explain clearly. Today, I … Read more