How to select a microcontroller

A set of guidelines for the designer to use as a checklist for evaluating candidate devices is given. The first decision examined is the level of performance required, that is, on the word size of the controller. The second step is to identify the quantity, frequency, and type of all input/output (I/O) signals, as well as any other special requirements, including those imposed by mechanical aspects of the system. The third consideration is the application´s memory requirements, which should be further broken down into program memory and data memory. Mapping I/O peripherals and the choice of single-chip or expanded are discussed. The feature-selection process is addressed, stressing that an absolute match between requirements and features is not necessary, since minor alterations to the requirements or the addition of a peripheral chip could create the most cost-effective solution from a less-than-perfect pairing.<>