MIcro-processors & Micro-controllers-The context

As discussed here couple of days back, I have uploaded the first part of the course, named "The context". This is a set of about a dozen slides that talks about the context in which following topics will be discussed. By the very nature of these presentations, not many problems and real-life projects could be discussed in this or the following presentations (yes, I plans to update the existing presentations on the slideshare site). For that kind of coverage a coaching on-line, as discussed below will be suitable.

We discuss typical system environments and the system characteristics of systems using micro-processors and micro-controllers. The real major difference of a microprocessor with a microcontroller  is that a microprocessor is just the processor part of a system on a chip.You need external memory, I/O controllers and other resources to put together a system. The micro-controller on the other hand is a complete processor on a chip with some amount of non-volatile memory and a small amount of volatile memory. Depending on the resources available on the chip, you could implement a control processor on just a chip. These are ideal for low cost and minimal systems.

The design of these systems involve both hardware to designed and software to be developed. Obviously, you have to test the integrated system to make sure no problems pass on to your end customers.

If you would like to learn the microprocessor and microcontroller based designs, you could join the courses conducted by Debasis and benefit from personal interactions as well as the extensive examples and problem solving done on the Google hang-out sessions. Do feel free to contact me at Gmail: ddas15847@gmail.com or Skype: debasis.das1

Updated presentations of Microprocessors Course
I have a set of presentations on Microprocessors and Micro-controllers course I used to take at a 4 year degree engineering college here in India. But, this was in the old classical style. I am going o upgrade the presentations, based on what I said here. The first set should appear in couple of days. Watch my page at Slideshare. More than 30, 000 readers visited my page so far! Thank you readers!!!

I am starting coaching sessions this semester for Engineering college students. There is no need to travel. This will be conducted over Google hangout/Google classrooms. Please contact me at ddas15847@gmail. com

I plan to do a lots of problem solving, answering questions and give you examples of solved test questions.

Study of Microprocessors

Most often the courses prescribed at these technical universities use one particular microprocessor product.  8085 from Intel has been a very common example used to illustrate the microprocessors for the students. However, that is not a very appropriate one. It is so very old! Besides, it took some design shortcuts due to the packaging available (and the number of pins available on them). Thus, the architecture is unlike any classical processor and has the strange arrangements like the multiplexed address bus.It often complicates the understanding unnecessarily.

What I feel should happen is introduce a common template for the study. This template would fit most of the processors available and there are many available! The teacher then can introduce the details with reference to any particular processor and explain how it operates in each of the specific areas. For example, one could start with a high level description of how any processor integrates with rest of the hardware to work as a processor system together. One could then get into the bus and its details, how it integrates with memory system, how it works with the I/O system, instruction set and so on. More than one example should be looked into so that students get a very good feel of the tool that is being used just about anywhere! What do you think?

Microprocessors and Micro-controllers

Four year degree engineering colleges offer a course on Microprocessors and micro-controllers. This is offered  in Computer Science as well as Electrical   engineering  undergraduate courses. That makes sense as, way things are, even mechanical engineering graduates need to understand about this wonderful devices that can let you do  many things easily.

The problem is these courses and the recommended text books use the venerable Intel 8085 as the example.The 8085 is one of the early microprocessors and has atypical bus structure. This is not representative of a standard micro. Being an early device it is not even very representative of most other microprocessors.

The difficulty for teachers is that many of them are nor very familiar with microprocessor devices. Their knowledge  is gleaned from the text books rather than from practical use and experience with these devices. What is needed here is a mix of practical experience coupled with computer science background they typically have.