Hardware Reference
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microcontroller. In 1995, Atmel was one of the i rst companies to license the
ARM architecture, giving it access to advanced processor technology.
Atmel didn't use only ARM technology, it also created its own processor, the
AVR, in 1996 (see Figure 1-2). What does AVR stand for? Well, that is one of the
many mysteries of Atmel. Designed by Alf-Egil Bogen and Vegard Wollan, some
say it stands for Alf and Vegard's RISC processor. We will never know, and at the
time, people were not interested in understanding the name, but rather getting
their hands on this advanced piece of technology. Today, more and more people
are curious as to the origin of this curious processor, Atmel continues to tease
the public with videos of the inventors explaining the name, only to have the
big reveal scrambled by mobile telephone interference.
Figure 1-2: Atmel AVR Microprocessor
Previously, programming the read-only memory of a device required some
tedious tasks, like subjecting the chip to UV light, or complicated erase techniques.
This all changed with Atmel's 8-bit AVR. The AVR was the i rst microcontroller
family to use on-chip l ash memory for program storage. It also included Random
Access Memory (RAM) directly on the chip, essentially containing everything
needed to run a microcontroller on a single chip. Suddenly, all the complicated
design could be replaced with a single component. Even better, programming
the chip could be done in minutes, using minimal hardware. Some Atmel
designs allowed users to plug the microcontroller directly into a USB port and
to program it using Atmel's software. From compilation to program execution
took less than a minute.
Several learning platforms existed: Parallax's BASIC Stamp and PIC devices
were in use, but Atmel's AVR made its appearance and added another alternative
for electronics enthusiasts. Previously, on digital systems, the logic was dei ned
before creating the board. Inputs and outputs were connected to logic gates,
and the functionality was designed into the product. Now, with the AVR series,
enthusiasts and engineers had a new possibility. Instead of designing functionality
electronically, systems could be designed to interact with the outside world using
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