CHAPTER-1

The 8051 Microcontrollers

References Books:
1.The 8051 Microcontroller and Embedded Systems Using Assembly
and C, 2/e by Muhammad Ali Mazidi, Janice Gillispie Mazidi and
Rolin McKinlay ( Second Edition , Pearson Education ).
2. The 8051 Microcontroller & Embedded Systems using Assembly
and C By K. J. Ayala, D. V. Gadre (Cengage Learning , India Edition).
3. 8051 Microcontrollers: MCS51 family and its variants by Satish
Shah, Oxford University Press.

Unit:1
8051 Microcontrollers:
Microcontrollers and embedded processors, Overview of
the 8051 family

What is Microcontroller?
Microcontroller VS Microprocessor
Microcontrollers for embedded systems

Some Embedded Products

Criteria For Choosing A Microcontroller
Key features of 8051
Types of ROM
Types of RAM
8051 block diagram
Different versions of 8051
Different 8051 chips

A smaller computer
On-chip RAM, ROM, I/O ports...
ExampleMotorolas 6811, Intels 8051,
Zilogs Z8 and PIC 16X

CPU

I/O
Port

RAM ROM
Serial
Timer COM
Port

A single chip
Microcontroller

General-purpose microprocessor
CPU for Computers
No RAM, ROM, I/O on CPU chip itself
ExampleIntels x86, Motorolas 680x0
CPU
GeneralPurpose
Microprocessor

Data Bus

RAM

ROM

Address Bus

I/O
Port

Timer

Serial
COM
Port

Microprocessor vs. Microcontroller

Microprocessor
CPU is stand-alone, RAM,
ROM, I/O, timer are separate
designer can decide on the
amount of ROM, RAM and
I/O ports.
expansive
versatility
general-purpose

Microcontroller
CPU, RAM, ROM, I/O and
timer are all on a single chip
fix amount of on-chip ROM,
RAM, I/O ports
Highly bit addressable
for applications in which cost,
power and space are critical
single-purpose

Microcontrollers from different

manufacturersMotorola

Atmel
ARM
Intel
8-bit
8XC42
MCS48
MCS51
8xC251
16-bit
MCS96
MXS296
National Semiconductor
COP8
Microchip
12-bit instruction PIC
14-bit instruction PIC
PIC16F84
16-bit instruction PIC
NEC

8-bit
68HC05
68HC08
68HC11
16-bit
68HC12
68HC16
32-bit
683xx
Texas Instruments
TMS370
MSP430
Zilog
Z8
Z86E02

Home appliances
Air conditioners, microwaves etc.

Security systems
Camcorder
Fax machine
Printers
Air bag
Engine control
ATM

1st criterion
Speed : highest speed supported
Packaging : DIP or QFP
Power consumption
Amount of RAM & ROM on the chip
No. of I/O pins & the timers on the chip
Up gradation facility
Cost per unit

2nd Criterion
Ease of developing products
Availability of an assembler, debugger, a
code efficient C-compiler, emulator,
simulator & technical support

Wide availability and reliable sources of the

Microcontroller
The 8051 family has the largest number of
diversified (multiple source) suppliers
Intel (original)
Atmel
Philips/Signetics
AMD
Infineon (formerly Siemens)
Dallas Semiconductor/Maxim

The 8051 is an 8-bit processor

The CPU can work on only 8 bits of data at a time
The 8051 has
16-bit address bus & 8-bit data bus
128 bytes of RAM
4K bytes of on-chip ROM ( max. 64K bytes
achieved)
Two timers
One serial port
Four I/O ports (each 8 bits wide)
6 interrupt sources

Mask Programmed ROM (MROM) :

Programmed at the factory.

Programmable ROM (PROM) :

Can be custom-programmed by the user (once)

using special circuitry.

Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM) :

Can also be programmed and erased by the user

using ultraviolet light and special circuitry external
to the computer.

Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM) :

Can be erased and reprogrammed by special

circuitry within the computer.

8751 microcontroller
UV-EPROM
PROM burner
UV-EPROM eraser takes 20 min to erase
AT89C51 from Atmel Corporation
Flash (erase before write)
ROM burner that supports flash
A separate eraser is not needed
DS89C4x0 from Dallas Semiconductor, now part of Maxim
Corp.
Flash
Comes with on-chip loader, loading program to on-chip
flash via PC COM port