Embedded systems are divided into embedded hardware and embedded software.
Embedded hardware includes processors, memory, and peripheral circuitry. Now it's all about integrating all the hardware on a single chip as much as possible. There are many types of chips, including MCU chips, MPU chips, DSP chips, etc.
MCU chips.
Now the market is called MCU by default, so the MCU is only one of the embedded system hardware, the MCU is the CPU, ROM, RAM, A D conversion, I O conversion and other functional interfaces integrated on a chip.
What are the common single-chip microcomputers on the market? The common ones are 51 single-chip microcomputers, as well as PIC, MSP430, EMC, STM32, and ARV. This type of chip is generally used in sports bracelets, smart sockets, smart speakers and electric toothbrush light devices.
MPU chips.
MPU is also a kind of chip, what is the difference between it and a single-chip microcomputer?
The computing and processing power of the MPU is stronger than that of the microcontroller, and it is generally used to execute complex and diverse large-scale programs. As we mentioned above, the microcontroller integrates all the functions into a chip, so the MPU is different, and its processor is separated from other peripheral circuits. There is also a difference between the two of them, the single-chip microcomputer is from a few cents to dozens of dollars, but the MPU's is dozens to hundreds, and there are more expensive, MPU chips are generally used in smart home control.
DSP chips.
The DSP is called the Digital Signal Processor, and it is also a chip. DSP can be regarded as a super fast microcontroller, and its speed is far faster than that of microcontrollers and MPUs. Fast speed is suitable for computing, what can you think of when it comes to computing? plc。
For example, some of the CPU chips on Siemens PLC are DSPs, of course, not all, because each brand PLC and each series may be different, so what other fields can DSP chips be used in? For example, smart grids, ** capture cards, fingerprint punch cards, industrial machine tools and manipulator motion control cards.
There are many chips that are not listed one by one, in the embedded system they only belong to the hardware part, only on the basis of these hardware development can be called a complete set of embedded system.
PLC is not a single-chip microcomputer, PLC is a single-chip microcomputer or embedded hardware, don't forget that PLC it contains computer programming software, these software is the embedded software development done by various PLC brands, so can we say that PLC + programming software is equal to embedded hardware + embedded software is equal to embedded system application?