What is a Microcontroller?

Computer on a Chip
Microprocessor
Input / Output
RAM and/or ROM
Signal Processing
Microcontrollers Are Everywhere

 Automotive
 Manufacturing
 Robotics
 Medical
 Aeronautics
 Mobile Devices
ECE 251 – Microprocessors
 Taught with a
Freescale
Microcontroller
 MC68HC12
Development Board
 $80 Per Board
 $30 Covered By ECE
Department
 $50 Cost to Students
Texas Instruments MSP430
 Popular TI Microcontroller
 Low Cost ~ $20
 Portable
 USB Interface
 Same Relevant Features
as the Freescale Product
 Superior Development
Software For Students
Why Switch?
Freescale TI MSP430
 $80 Per Student  $20 Per Student
 Aging RS232  Commonplace USB
Interface Interface
 CISC Architecture  RISC Architecture
 Lots of instructions  Few Instructions
 Text Based  Windows Style
Development Visual Development
Interface Interface
Development of Labs
 Group redesigned labs 3-10 of ECE 251
for use with TI-MSP430
 Miguel completed labs 3, 7, 8 & 9
 We completed 4, 5, 6 & 10
 Also 2 practical exams
 We revised Miguel’s labs extensively
and wrote solutions
 Made the labs ready for student use
ECE 251 MSP430 Labs
 Lab 3 – Introduction to the MSP430
 Lab 4 – Addressing Modes
 Lab 5 – Subroutines and the Stack
 Lab 6 – BCD Math
 Lab 7 – Parallel I/O
 Lab 8 – Interrupts
 Lab 9 – Timer Module
 Lab 10 – A/D Converter
Working With Students
 All inexperienced as TAs
 Had to learn to communicate with
students
 Being clear about required assignments
 Different perspective when writing labs
 Had to learn to teach effectively
Issues We Faced
 No keyboard/console capability (Lab 4)
 RISC vs. CISC architecture (Lab 6,
Lab 10)
 Clock inaccuracy (Lab 9)
 Fewer I/O pins (Lab 10)
 USB tool only worked on installed
computer
Solutions to Issues
 Focused on what MSP430 does have
 Provided subroutines to students
 Experimented with different ways to
output to 7-segment display
 Considered ways to integrate labs
What Didn’t Go So Well
 Miscommunication
 Meeting times
 When assignments were due
 Students had trouble being responsible
for both microcontrollers
What Went Well
 Gained experience with the MSP430
which will be applied to design project
 Students enjoyed flexibility of USB
 Able to use material from the 68HC12
labs
 Completed lab set if transition is made
(course needs textbook)
What Went Well (Cont.)
 Interest from Rice University
 More intuitive development tool
 Invitation to present at TI developers
conference session on Education
 Working with Dr. Eads
Future Plans
 Design of a self-setting clock which
makes use of the WWVB radio signal
 Located in Ft. Collins
 Transmits to entire US including Alaska and
Hawaii
 Makes use of several ECE concepts
 Analog Design
 Communications
 Microcontrollers
WWVB
 Broadcast signal cycles every minute
 Signal contains the following time information
 Time
 Date
 Daylight savings
 Leap year warning
 Leap second warning
Design Phase Overview
TI-MSP430

Receiver/
Decoder Clock Display
Amplifier

Extras, Time permitting

Solar Local RF remote

Alarm
Power Temperature Temperature
Capabilities
Generation Sensing sensing
Design Phase Details
 Build receiver circuit for pulse width
modulated 60kHz signal
 Program MSP430
 Decode data signal
 Set clock
 Control clock time during normal operation
 Allow for manual setting and time zone
adjustment
 Output to display
Budget
 Had no operating costs during semester
 Approximate donation of $700 from Texas
Instruments in microcontrollers and
development kits
 Still have $300 remaining in budget for
design phase
Acknowledgements
 Thanks to Texas Instruments for the
hardware donations
 Miguel Morales
 Help getting started
 Gave assistance when needed
 Dr. Bill Eads
 Provided guidance and practical perspective
 Burgers, brats, beer, fishing & kayaking