Microcomputer Trainer Kit

ABSTRACT

The microcomputer revolution in electronics is spreading so rapidly it is difficult to educate enough people quickly and thoroughly in the new technology. Lawrence Livermore Laboratory’s MST-80B was developed as a way to speed learning in our in-house training courses, and it is now being widely used outside LLL. The MST-80B trainer is a complete, self-contained, microcomputer system housed in a briefcase. The trainer uses the Intel 8080A* 8-Bit Microprocessor (CPU) , and it has its own sol i d-state memory, a built-in keyboard, input and output ports, and a display for visual output. The trainer is furnished with a permanent “Monitor” Program (in Read-Only Memory) that allows users to easily enter, debug, modify, and run programs of their own.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

COVER PAGE

TITLE PAGE

APPROVAL PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWELDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

• OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT
• PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT
• APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT
• PROBLEM/LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

• OVERVIEW OF MICROCOMPUTER
• ORIGINS OF MICROCOMPUTER
• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

• SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM
• HARDWARE FEATURES OF THE TRAINER
• TRAINING MUDULE SUSSECTION USING SEVEN SEGMENT DISPLAY
• SYSTEM PICTURE
• FEATURES OF THE SYSTEM
• DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTION OF SEVEN SEGMENT DISPLAY

CHAPTER FOUR

TESTING AND RESULTS

• MONITOR PROGRAM
• SYSTEM KEYS FUNCTION
• MONITOR SUBROUTINES AS A CALL FROM A USER PROGRAM

CHAPTER FIVE

• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                           INTRODUCTION

Microcomputer trainer system is a complete microcomputer system self-contained in a briefcase for portability and easy usage. The microcomputer was designed as a training device for LLL’ s Technology Training Program (TTP), a1 lowing students to explore the hardware and software capability of a typical microcomputer.

The trainer uses the Intel 8080A microprocessor and supporting integrated circuits. It has its own set of solid-state memory elements so no external memory is required. Both random-access read/write memory (RAM) and programmable read-only memory (PROM) are provided. The MST-80B has a 24-key keyboard and a 3-digit numerical display for the student to communicate with the microcomputer. This input/output (I/O) combination eliminates the need for expensive and bulky 1/0 such as a teletypewriter. The keyboard and numerical display can be used with either the octal (base 8) number system or the hexadecimal (base 16) number system. Either number system can be selected by simply depressing a control key. The trainer includes a breadboard socket so that experiment can be interfaced to the microcomputer through an 8-bit input port and an 8-bit output port. This allows the student to learn hardware Interfacing techniques as well as software programming. The MST-80B also has ten uncommitted light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that can easily be connected to display the state of any desired signals (address lines, data lines, and status). These can be used when operating the trainer in the single-step mode or the normal operating mode.

1.2                                             OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

This objective of this work is study microcomputer training modules which display its output via seven segment display.  It is a versatile microcomputer trainer used as an instructional aid in colleges and universities.  It is a complete single board micro computer used for software and hardware development in research institutions.

1.3                                              PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

A microcomputer is a complete computer on a small scale, designed for use by one person at a time.  Smaller than a mainframe or minicomputer, a microcomputer uses a single integrated semiconductor chip for its central processing unit (CPU). This kit really had only one purpose – to wire up a little microprocessor that had a tiny bit of RAM and a very small instruction set built-in to a clock, LED displays, a keypad, speaker, and, of course, power, which was supplied by six AA batteries.

1.4                                         SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT

Microcomputer trainer is designed to provide further and more extensive studies about some important computer circuits. Microcomputer trainer wide range of most common computer application circuits that are used in computer.

Microcomputer training modules is a tool to allow Students and developers to have more knowledge of computers.  It is a powerful and flexible system that provides a user friendly environment to carry out a large variety of programming application tasks. This module help students to understand the architecture and programming of computer.

With this trainer, Students edit and make a assembly program codes from PC and observe instant results after they download and execute programs from system memory.  Debug functions are also available via PC or system keypad interface.

1.5                                          APPLICATION OF THE PROJECT

Microprocessor training module is used in:

• Design student programming projects
• Familiarize components used in microcomputer
• Learn the art of programming in machine language
• Design application oriented equipment

1.6                                           LIMITATION OF THE PROJECT

Microcomputer trainer system to do more work per unit time is to accept that they generate more heat, and somehow this power needs to be got in and then got out again. It is the latter which is causing the greater problems.