Fundamentals of Microcomputers/Microcontrollers classes

There have been discussions among various members about the need or desire for a series of classes about the fundamentals of microcomputers and microcontrollers.

What I envision is a multi-part series:

  1. Digital Electronics. Digital versus analog electronics. Signal levels. Logic Gates. Flip Flops. Decoders.

  2. Computer Architecture. Memory. How a stored program machine works. Registers, Instruction Sets and Machine language. Computer arithmetic.

  3. Microcomputers and Microcontrollers. A survey of parts. Processors and Busses. Input and Output devices.

  4. Programming. How to tell that machine what to do. Bootstrapping. Assemblers, Interpreters and Compilers. Linkers and Loaders.

This is just a very preliminary outline. Some of these categories may need to be further broken down and any of them can use classes to go into further detail or hands-on lab work.

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I’d be very interested in these series of classes. This is one area of electronics and programming that I want to learn more of.

I am interested, too.

This area of EE evolves so fast, I can’t keep up. So count me in on this discussion.

I’m interested in a class or series like this!

I would be very interested. I need a good refresher on much of the topics listed above. It has been 20 years since I in computer science and programming like crazy back when I had free time… :slight_smile:

Clearly there is interest in these classes. Is there a need for a general electronics or electricity class before the digital one or is that too elementary?

I guess it depends on the complexity of your definition of “General Electronics.”

I’m working on a project that has an AC > DC supply, a 4G connected arduino board, a LiPoly Battery, and then an inverter back to AC… I can program the board and figure out a lot of the rest but I’m struggling with what I think are “basic” EE concepts like what the difference is between a line regulator and a DC/DC converter or how a wound transformer works in practice (like how can it output different voltages?).

I’m way interested in the Microcontroller class, but I wonder if I can jump in without a basic one first…

Simply yes. I can’t imagine it wouldn’t be hugely popular.

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Something along the lines of:

Conventional versus electron current.
Reading a schematic diagram.
Batteries and power supplies. Voltage and current sources.
The resistor and Ohm’s Law.
Capacitors and inductors and why you may want to use them.
Switches and relays.
Diodes and transistors.
Light bulbs and LEDs.
Small motors.

Understanding these are not directly needed to understand the microprocessor or microcontroller, but will be necessary to do much with them.

I am thinking one new installment every other or third Tuesday night, to be repeated once more within the following week on a Sunday, Monday or Friday night, starting maybe as soon as May.

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@artg_dms Art, this is the place.

I’m sorry for the late notice, but I will not be able to teach the Digital Electronics class on Tuesday. It will be rescheduled soon.