PIC16C64AT-10E/L

Embedded - Microcontrollers

Microcontrollers are a type of electronic components commonly used in embedded systems. PIC16C64AT-10E/L is a popular member of a PIC (Peripheral InterfaceController) microcontroller family designed and manufactured by the Microchip Technology Inc.

Application Field

PIC16C64AT-10E/L are used for small, dedicated projects. It is most often used in automotive, industrial and consumer applications due to its low-power and cost-effective requirements. Low-power operation makes this chip ideal for control systems where operational efficiency is of critical importance. Typical applications include sensor networks, portable medical devices and consumer electronics. This chip is also used in real-time control systems, home automation and consumer grade appliances.

Working Principle

PIC16C64AT-10E/L uses a Harvard architecture, which utilizes separate storage and memory units. This architecture allows the microcontroller to access data stored in the program memory as quickly as it can access data stored in external memory, while also providing additional programming flexibility and parallel data transfer operations. The chip has an internal core, a number of I/O ports, WatchDog timer and some read only memory. It functions under the 8-bit instruction set, giving it the capability to run up to three instructions at a time. In comparison to the original PIC16 series, the PIC16C64AT-10E/L can also operate with a reduced instruction set.

The clock speed of PIC16C64AT-10E/L is 10MHz, with a maximum power consumption of 20mA. The chip uses a modified Harvard bus to transfer data between the internal core and the periphery. This modified Harvard architecture, referred to as Enhanced Harvard Bus (EHB) architecture, is optimized for fast data manipulation.

The chip is equipped with two analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and two digital-to-analog converters (DAC). The ADC is a 12-bit resolution which converts an analog signal into a digital number and the DAC is a 10-bit resolution which converts a digital number into an analog signal. These features provide the capability to perform analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion.

The chip has an integrated DMA controller which allows data to be transferred between devices or memory locations with minimal CPU overhead. This feature increases overall system performance and significantly reduces the amount of power used. The DMA controller is also capable of multi-buffering, allowing multiple transactions to take place simultaneously.

PIC16C64AT-10E/L has an integrated high-speed oscillator (HSO) which increases the speed and accuracy of clock cycles. It also features port pin reconfiguration capabilities, allowing the user to select different pin assignments without modifying the application code. The power saving feature of PIC16C64AT-10E/L also allows the chip to enter reduced-power sleep modes.

In conclusion, PIC16C64AT-10E/L is an ideal choice for embedded applications, combining flexibility with low-power design. Its 8-bit instruction set, low power consumption and excellent pin-reconfiguration capabilities make it suitable for a wide range of applications. It is also cost-effective and provides high performance for embedded systems.