Overview
This unit will introduce you to microcontroller basics and their real-world applications. Fundamentals of high-level structured language programming, essential for programming a microcontroller, will be taught in this unit. You will learn about different microcontroller families and their similarities and differences from an application point of view. You will also learn about microcontroller architecture, memory maps, addressing modes, interrupts, timers, counters, and hardware interfacing of a chosen microcontroller. You will learn how to program a microcontroller in a high-level language using an integrated development environment. Advance topics of reading analog inputs, implementation of Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter connections with the external world, Pulse Width Modulation, will also be covered in this unit. After learning the fundamentals of hardware interfacing you will practice them in a laboratory using a microcontroller development system based on a specific microcontroller and finally design and prototype a real-world application of the embedded system in your project using the same development system. In this unit, you must complete compulsory practical activities. Refer to the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle site for proposed dates.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: (ENEE13020 Digital Electronics AND ENEE13018 Analogue Electronics) OR ENEX12002 Introductory Electronics
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2021
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 12-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
The explanation of the C programing language and how it has been applied to the microcontroller were very clear.
This practice will be continued.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
The assessments were engaging and well designed. Also, the feedback was formative and the return time was fast.
This practice will be continued.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
The teaching team was not only well-supportive but also attended to all queries raised.
This good practice will be continued.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
Due to the nature of the course, the face to face interaction is required.
After the pandemic, face to face interaction will be resumed.
Feedback from Student Evaluation
More detail on pointers needs to be explained.
More explanation on pointers will be discussed during the lectures.
- Apply fundamental structured programming knowledge to develop software solutions
- Program a microcontroller to interface with external devices such as analog and digital sensors, actuators, and computers
- Analyse and design microcontroller-based real-time applications using a given industry standard development system and software tools
- Prototype an embedded microcontroller system for an authentic application
- Communicate professionally using relevant technical terminology, symbols, and diagrams and effectively document design and prototyped solutions
- Work autonomously and as a team member to analyse problems and present solutions.
The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Note: LO refers to the Learning Outcome number(s) which link to the competency and the levels: N – Introductory, I – Intermediate and A - Advanced.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||
| 3 - Portfolio - 50% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Portfolio - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Access to a document scanner and a software that can create pdf documents.
- A computer with 9 pin serial port or USB to serial converter, speaker & microphone, Microsoft Windows OS(7 or later) with admin rights to install software, and good internet connectivity
- Code::Blocks IDE for C programming (freeware from www.codeblocks.org )
- MPLAB IDE: MPALB X (provided by CQU on lab computers) or later and MCC18 C compiler(free download from Microchip website)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.preethichandra@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
- Introduction to Embedded Systems and Microcontrollers
- Introduction to programming languages
- Introduction to C Language Programming environment
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Programming in C language - Fundamentals
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC Microcontroller and MPLAB X - Introduction
- Programming in C language - Essentials I
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC Microcontroller and MPLAB X - Introduction
- Programming in C language - Essentials II
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC18F4321 Architecture and addressing modes
- Programming in C language - Intermediate level
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC 18F4321 hardware interfacing I - LCD Display units, Timers and Counters
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC 18F4321 hardware interfacing II - Sensors (analog and Digital)
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC 18F4321 hardware interfacing III - Motors and actuators
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC 18F4321 hardware interfacing IV - keypads, ultrasound sensors, advanced sensors
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- PIC18F4321 communication - RS232, I2C, SPI
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Introduction to Assembly Language Programming
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
- Embedded microcontroller future opportunities
Chapter
N/A
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The residential school will be held in Mackay Oorelea campus (Week 3 Mon-Wed 9:00am - 5:00pm). This is compulsory for both on-campus as well as MIX students.
1 Written Assessment
This assignment is based on C language programming. The essential C language skills needed for embedded microcontroller programming will be tested here and students should develop their own solutions to the given problems. Try to analyse the system first and develop a concept solution, develop a graphical representation of it before start coding. All evidence of your own work including a soft copy of your workbook should be provided as evidence. This is an individual assessment item and no teamwork or contribution from others are allowed.
Week 5 Friday (13 Aug 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Week 7 Friday (3 Sept 2021)
Marked assignment with feedback. However, there will be no model answers provided.
Detailed assessment criteria is in the assignment itself.
This assignment is based on C language programming skills. To obtain full marks students must provide all in detail problem solving and solution development evidences. Each student must have their unique programs developed by themselves. Answer to every problem should include a flowchart / NS-diagram or other similar graphical representation of the solution. Students should submit the complete working C language code for each question. A clean working program as the answer to a question without evidence of development of it(ex: without a soft copy of workbook pages relevant to it) will receive a maximum of 50% of the allocated marks for that question.
- Apply fundamental structured programming knowledge to develop software solutions
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
This assignment is based on essential C language programming skills needed for embedded microcontroller programming. The embedded hardware programming skills will be tested here and students should develop their own solutions to the given problems. Try to analyse the system first and develop a concept solution, develop a graphical representation of solution before start coding. All evidence of your own work including a soft copy of your workbook should be provided as evidence.
This assignment is based on CQU PIC development board provided and all programs must be developed with MPLAB X IDE and in C language. More technical details will be provided with the assignment.
Week 10 Tuesday (21 Sept 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Marked assignment with feedback. However, there will be no model answers provided.
Week 12 Tuesday (5 Oct 2021)
Detailed assessment criteria is in the assignment itself.
To obtain full marks students must provide all in detail problem solving and solution development evidences. Each student must have their unique programs developed by themselves. Answer to every problem should include a flowchart/ NS-diagram or other similar graphical representation of the solution. Students should submit the complete working C language code for each question. A clean working program as the answer to a question without evidence of development of it( ex: a soft copy of workbook pages relevant to it or explanation of your code) will receive a maximum
of 50% of the allocated marks for that question. No assembly language solutions or sub routines are allowed.
- Program a microcontroller to interface with external devices such as analog and digital sensors, actuators and computers
- Analyse and design microcontroller based real-time applications using a given industry standard development system and software tools
- Prototype an embedded microcontroller system for an authentic application
- Work autonomously and as a team member to analyse problems and present solutions.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Portfolio
Project Details
This is the major project in this unit and it is an open ended project. Student can decide the project in consultation with the lecturer and tutors and must finalize it by the end of week 3. The main hardware used is the CQU PIC Development kit and the sensor/actuator board provided by CQU. Students are free to use any additional sensors, actuators, and accessories to the project at their own cost. Students will develop a working prototype of an embedded system solution for a real world problem. Project outcome(developed prototype) will be tested towards the end of the term.
This is an individual assessment item and no teamwork or contribution from others allowed.
Portfolio Details
Portfolio is an individual submission based on their individual project. It must contain the following items and omission of any of them will result in a Fail Grade:
- Project report containing (but not limited to)
Executive summary
Problem definition
Project scope
Solution development report(concept level to programming level)
Project management report
Project development report(actual physical prototype fabrication)
Results and discussion
Lessons learnt and recommendations for future development
- Programming report (your complete programming listing of the project)
- A copy of peer review of assigned student project(format will be available in Moodle)
- Individual workbook (scanned /electronic copy of your workbook including your hand-written work)
Week 12 Friday (8 Oct 2021) 11:55 pm AEST
Will be returned with feedback after release of grades.
No Assessment Criteria
- Apply fundamental structured programming knowledge to develop software solutions
- Program a microcontroller to interface with external devices such as analog and digital sensors, actuators and computers
- Analyse and design microcontroller based real-time applications using a given industry standard development system and software tools
- Prototype an embedded microcontroller system for an authentic application
- Communicate professionally using relevant technical terminology, symbols, and diagrams and effectively document design and prototyped solutions
- Work autonomously and as a team member to analyse problems and present solutions.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
