What Is A Microcontroller?

A microprocessor is a computer. All computers - whether it's a personal desktop computer, a large computer, or a microcontroller - have many things in common:

All computers have a CPU (central processing unit) used to execute programs. If you are sitting in front of a desktop computer reading this article, the CPU of that computer is currently executing a program, which is the web browser used to display this webpage.

The CPU loads a program from a device. On your desktop computer, the browser program is loaded from the hard drive.

Computers have some RAM (random access memory) used to store "variables".

In addition, the computer also has some input and output devices, so that it can exchange information with users. On your desktop computer, the keyboard and mouse are input devices, while the monitor and printer are output devices. A hard drive is an input and output device - it can both input and output.

The desktop computer you are using is a "general-purpose computer" that can run thousands of various programs. Microcontrollers are "specialized computers" used for special purposes. It focuses on doing one thing. Microcontrollers also have many common characteristics. If a computer possesses most of the following characteristics, you can call it a "microcontroller":

Microcontrollers are 'embedded' within other devices (usually a consumer product) to control the functionality and operation of the product. Therefore, microcontrollers are also known as "embedded controllers".

A microcontroller runs a specific program to complete a specialized task. This program is stored in ROM (Read Only Memory) and is generally not modified.

Microcontrollers are usually low-power devices. The power plug of a desktop computer is almost always plugged into a wall socket, with a power output of approximately 50 watts. The power of a battery powered microcontroller is approximately 0.05 watts.

The microcontroller has a dedicated input device, usually (but not always) with a light-emitting diode or liquid crystal display screen for output. The microcontroller also obtains input signals from the device it controls and controls the device by sending signals to different parts of the device.