A single-chip microcomputer is a major branch of a microcomputer. The biggest feature of the structure is that the CPU, memory, timer and various input/output interface circuits are integrated on a very large-scale integrated circuit chip. In terms of its composition and function, a single chip is a computer.
The basic structure of a single-chip microcomputer typically consists of a central processing unit (CPU), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), input/output (I/O) ports, and an interrupt controller. The CPU is the brain of the microcomputer, responsible for carrying out the instructions of a program.
From this point of view, the single-chip microcomputer has the function which the microprocessor does not have, it has intelligent control functions which the modern industry control request separately. And this is the single-chip microcomputer's biggest characteristic. II. Some Basic Concepts
Thus, a microcomputer system can be anything from a large computer system having hard disks, ̄oppy disks and printers, to single chip computer systems. In this book we are going to consider only the type of microcomputers that consist of a single silicon chip. Such microcomputer systems are also called microcontrollers.
Single-chip microcomputer is widely used in various instruments and meters to make instrumentation intelligent, and can improve the automation degree and precision of measurement, simplify the hardware structure of instrumentation and improve its performance and price ratio. (2) The application of single-chip microcomputer in mechatronics
The particular microprocessor-based systems that happen to be used as a computer are called microcomputers. The additional circuits required for a computer can be built into the same integrated circuit giving rise to a single chip microcomputer. This is a complete microprocessor-based control system built onto a single chip.