Top microcontroller stories of 2017

Here are the microcontroller features that got the most interest from readers in 2017.

 

What is an open drain?
Open-collector and -drain devices sink current when controlled to one state and have no current flow (i.e., output a high impedance state) in the other state. It is fairly common to use open-drains (open-collectors) together with a pull-up resistor.

What are compilers, translators, interpreters, and assemblers?
Translators, compilers, interpreters and assemblers are all software programming tools that convert code into another type of code, but each term has specific meaning. All of the above work in some way towards getting a high-level programming language translated into machine code that the central processing unit (CPU) can understand.

MOSFETs: What is RDS(on)?
Besides these inherent structural contributors to R_DS(on), imperfect contact between the source and drain metal and even the wiring that connects the die to the leads on the package can also contribute to R_DS(on).

Debouncing switches in hardware and software
When an MCU is polling a digital input several times a second it can very easily register that the switch or button has changed state rapidly between 0 and 1 a few times within a few milliseconds. This can cause the switch to register an on/off status for which the total count of status changes would be grossly incorrect.

RISC architecture and instruction architecture
The difference between architectures can be found in how tasks are completed, such as how a specific architecture handles registers, interrupts, memory addressing, external inputs and outputs, and so forth.

What is differential signaling?
Differential signaling is more immune to noise and it is faster. The difference in voltage level between the two signals is what determines whether the pulse is a 1 or a 0. There is still a rise and a fall time associated with each signal, but differential signaling can have lower voltages and a faster switching time.

What is an embedded bootloader?
 A bootloader is necessary for starting processors at the lowest level before starting an operating system (e.g., a computer) or presenting a command line (e.g., an MCU). 

Teardown: Inside the Anki Overdrive racecar set
Removing the top of a car exposes the circuit board, the chassis, and a large ballast weight. The PCB sits in the chassis sandwiched between the two halves of the car shell so it comes out easily.

ADAS developers contemplate sensor fusion
Vision is an increasingly important facet of vehicle technology. Vision sensors now support active safety features that include everything from rear-view cameras to forward-looking and in-cabin ADAS.

What is I²C, a.k.a. “I-squared-C”?
Integrated chips that integrate I²C capability cover many different applications and devices. For instance, a majority of sensor ICs incorporate I²C communication into their circuitry, as long as I²C data transfer rates are sufficient for a control loop’s purposes.