ECE 372A

Microprocessor Organization

Usually offered: Fall, Spring

Required course: Yes

Course Level

Undergraduate

Units

4

Instructor(s)

Dale Hetherington, Professor of Practice

Prerequisite(s)

Advanced Standing: Engineering. Major: ECE. ECE 201 (ECE 207 or 220) and ECE 274A (concurrent enrollment in ECE 201 okay).

Course Texts

Required Texts:

  • There are no required textbooks. We will be using datasheets for the microcontroller. You will also be using datasheets for components such as the LCD, Motor Driver and Accelerometer and Matrix LED display. Links to the datasheets will be provided in the lectures and lab.

Required Special Materials:

  • You will need to order and purchase an ATMEGA 2560 development board and kit of parts. Source 1: REXQualis Mega 2560 Kit - Complete Starter Kit for Arduino Mega2560. ($56).

Schedule

Two 75-minute lecture sessions per week, T/TH 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM. One 170-minute laboratory session per week.

Course Description

Specific Course Information: 
2021-2022 Catalog Data: This course is an introduction to microcontroller organization, hardware interfacing, and system design. Topics include, but are not limited to C Programming for Microcontrollers, Memory Organization and Addressing Modes, Interrupts, Timers, Parallel and Serial Interfacing, Analog-to-Digital Conversion, Overview of Common Peripheral Components, Event-driven Software Development, and Motor Control. In addition to lectures, students will have hands-on lab assignments that provide them with the opportunity to build and utilize the PIC24F platform. Students will also have a course project in which they will propose, design/implement, and present a self-selected project, subject to approval by the instructor.

Learning Outcomes

Specific Goals for the Course:
Outcomes of Instruction: By the end of this course the student will be able to:

  1. Explain the basics of an embedded computer system. 
  2. Design C programs for microcontrollers using state machines, memory manipulation with special function registers and bit operations, and common microcontroller peripherals. 
  3. Evaluate a microcontroller-based embedded system design while considering many types of realistic constraints and requirements. 
  4. Interface with hardware components using a microcontroller. 
  5. Have knowledge of common hardware serial communication protocols. 
  6. Design and implement laboratory-assigned microcontroller-based systems projects in a small team with different skills and abilities.

Course Topics

A brief list of topics to be covered:

  1. LEDs - Use SFR Macros and bit operations to manipulate several LEDs as well as use a switch to change the rate at which the LEDs blink.
  2. Timer - Control the rate at which several LEDs blink. Switch uses interrupts.
  3. LCD - Interface with an LCD to display various characters.
  4. PWM-ADC (Group Lab) - Control DC motor using PWM, ADC, Potentiometer and External Interrupt.
  5. I2C (Group Lab) - Use I2C to interface with the MPU 6050 accelerometer. Program a threshold piezo alarm and push button interrupt alarm silence. Use SPI to interface with LED matrix array.
  6. Group Project – Develop your unique project idea and solution using concepts learned in class. 

Relationship to Student Outcomes

ECE 372A contributes directly to the following specific electrical and computer engineering student outcomes of the ECE department:

2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.

Syllabus Prepared By

Syllabus updated on 3/29/2022

Contact Undergraduate Advisor: undergradadvisor@ece.arizona.edu

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