AVR Introduction
© Atmel Norway 2005
AVR Microcontrollers
[Link] AVR Introduction 1
The Growing AVR Family
• TINY
TheAVR family AVR Family
Growing
• 8 - 32 pin general purpose microcontrollers
• 16 family members
• MEGA AVR family
• 32 - 100 pin general purpose microcontrollers
• 23 family members
• ASSP AVRs
• USB, CAN and LCD
• Motor Control and Lighting
• Automotive
• Battery Management
• 8 family members
[Link] AVR Introduction 2
Scalable
• Devices range from 1 to 256KB
• Pin count range from 8 to 100
• Full code compatibility
• Pin/feature compatible families
• One set of development tools
[Link] AVR Introduction 3
AVR Architecture
• RISC architecture with CISC instruction set
• Powerful instruction set for C and Assembly
• Scalable
• Same powerful AVR core in all devices
• Single cycle execution
• One instruction per external clock
• Low power consumption
• 32 Working Registers
• All Directly connected to ALU!
• Very efficient core
• 20 MIPS @ 20MHz
• High System Level Integration
• Lowest total system cost
[Link] AVR Introduction 4
Single Cycle Execution
Register File
Register operations
take ONE clock pulse
on the EXTERNAL clock ALU
input
20MIPS @ 20MHz
[Link] AVR Introduction 5
High Code Density
• Architecture designed for C
• 32 general registers
• C-like addressing modes
• 16- and 32-bit arithmetic support
• Linear address maps
[Link] AVR Introduction 6
AVR Influenced by IAR
• Architecture and Instruction Set co-designed with IAR systems
through several iterations:
• Compiler development project initiated before architecture and instruction
set frozen
• Compiler experts’ advice implemented in hardware
• Potential HLL bottlenecks identified and removed
Auto Increment/Decrement Example:
C Source:
unsigned char *var1, *var2;
*var1++ = *--var2;
Generated assembly code:
LD R16,-X
ST Z+,R16
[Link] AVR Introduction 7
Example: A Small C Function
/* Return the maximum value of
a table of 16 integers */
int max(int *array)
{
char a;
int maximum=-32768;
for (a=0;a<16;a++)
if (array[a]>maximum)
maximum=array[a];
return (maximum);
}
[Link] AVR Introduction 8
Code Size and Execution Time
Max Speed Code Size Execution Time
Device [MHz] [Bytes]
Cycles [uS]
ATmega16 16 32 227 14.2
MSP430 8 34 246 30.8
T89C51RD2 20 57 4200 210.0
PIC18F452 40 92 716 17.9
PIC16C74 20 87 2492 124.6
68HC11 12 59 1238 103.2
• MSP430 and AVR are running a close race
• But max speed on MSP430 is only 8MHz
• The C51 would have to run at 296 MHz to match the 16 MHz AVR
• PIC18 seems fast but require 3 times as much code space.
[Link] AVR Introduction 9
Benchmark: Real-life Applications
• Complete navigation application
• C bitfields
• Car Radio control
• DES encryption / decryption
• Three different modules from analog telephones
• Reed-Solomon (error correction) encoder/decoder
• Pager protocol
• Refridgerator control
• Battery charger
• Embedded web server
• Label/recite printer
[Link] AVR Introduction 10
Benchmark – Code size
ST five
COP8
PICmicro® 16, 17
68HC16
PICmicro® 18
MAXQ
c80xx251
8051
68HC08
78K4
H8/300
SAM8
TMP68HC11
eZ80
M16C/1x-3x, M16C/6x
ST7
68HC12
MSP430
mega128
0,0 % 50,0 % 100,0 % 150,0 % 200,0 % 250,0 % 300,0 %
[Link] AVR Introduction 11
High Integration
NV-memory
Analog
AVR core
Serial
Interfaces
Digital
[Link] AVR Introduction 12
AVR – Single-Chip Solution
TWI USART SPI
EEPROM
Analog Hardware
OTP Memory
Reference Multiplier
Analog
CPU CORE SRAM
Temperature Comparator
Sensor
A/D Converter Register File I/O pins
Brown Out
Detector Output
Driver
Watchdog
Many uC
In- Circuit only give you this
Emulator Programming
Circuitry
Test LCD driver
Fixtures
[Link] AVR Introduction 13
AVR – Single-Chip Solution
TWI USART SPI
Hardware
Flash EEPROM
Multiplier
Analog
CPU CORE SRAM
Temperature Comparator
Sensor
A/D Converter Register File I/O pins
Brown Out Analog Pull-Ups
Detector Reference On Demand
Reset High Current Output
Circuitry Outputs Driver
Programmable Calibrated
Watchdog Oscillator
On-Chip In System
Debug Programming
Boundary LCD
JTAG
Scan Interface
LCD driver
AVR Integrates Much More!
[Link] AVR Introduction 14
Highest System Level Integration
[Link] AVR Introduction 15
In-System Development
• In-System Programming
• In-System Debugging
• In-System Verification
[Link] AVR Introduction 16
AVR Self-Programming
• Redefining ISP Self-Programming
• The AVR reprograms itself
• Any existing communication interface
• Any voltage
• Any frequency
• Critical functions still operating
• Run code during programming (Read-While-Write)
• Software controlled programming
• Firmware updates
• Parameter updates
[Link] AVR Introduction 17
Boot Loader and Application Section
• The Flash program memory
• is divided into two sections
• Application Section
• Boot Loader Section
• The two sections enables the AVR to
handle two independent applications
• The Application section contain the main
application
• The Boot Loader section contain a Flash
programming application
• Note that small AVRs does not divide
the Flash
• The whole Flash can be considered as a Boot
Loader
• Only on devices with 4K Flash or less
[Link] AVR Introduction 18
Self-Programming Flexibility
• AVR Self-Programming is controlled by SW
• SPM instruction controls self-programming
• SPM is an AVR core feature
• Not a hard-coded firmware, but a part of the customer application
• The AVR updates its own Flash while running
• Similar to AVR EEPROM access
• Critical functions in the customers application can be maintained
• The upgrade data can be received from any interface
• No restricted communication protocol or interface
• No external hardware
• No restrictions to Vcc or Clock frequency
[Link] AVR Introduction 19
All AVRs have In System Debugging
• JTAG interface • debugWIRE interface
• On High pin-count devices • On Low pin-count devices
• Uses 4 general I/O pins • Uses only Reset pin
Compared to JTAGs four pins, debugWIRE uses only one; Reset.
This is a big advantage on low pin count devices
[Link] AVR Introduction 20
Development Tools
• AVR Studio - front end for all AVR tools
• Free
• Starter kits and evaluation boards
• From $19
• On-Chip Debuggers and Emulators
• From $299
[Link] AVR Introduction 21
Support
• Fully updated product web
• Highly skilled Field Application Engineers
• Support mail handled by AVR experts
• Reference designs
• Application notes
• AVRfreaks community website
[Link] AVR Introduction 22
Summary
• High performance
• Low power consumption
• High code density
• Advanced memory technology
• High integration
[Link] AVR Introduction 23
