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Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: dcole07 on November 02, 2007, 08:52:24 PM

Title: Chips programming chips
Post by: dcole07 on November 02, 2007, 08:52:24 PM
I don't know exactly what I'm asking, but can a microprocessor program a micro-controller. If so would that have benefits. Such as having a one microprocessor program ten micro-controllers to do tasks. This would then give the illusion of ten microprocessors, as long as the ten micro-controllers didn't need to switch to new tasks within a short period of time.

This would be like a boss teaching ten works to do a tasks, then teach them something else when that job is over and another needs to get done. This compared to just one boss and no workers like computers today or having ten bosses (microprocessors), which costs a lot more.
Title: Re: Chips programming chips
Post by: frank26080115 on November 02, 2007, 09:00:06 PM
are you talking about multiple cores?
check out the propeller chip
http://www.parallax.com/propeller/index.asp
Title: Re: Chips programming chips
Post by: dcole07 on November 03, 2007, 11:13:49 AM
I don't really understand what is at that page. It goes into this eight core processor, but then it sells t-shirts and quotes people saying that they wouldn't use it because it hasn't been tested. As for the diagrams, they are all designed to speed up one task by putting it through eight processors. It may be a waste though, because I think the same data is going through each processor. The inputs for the processors are from the same wire and the outputs are tied together with OR gates.

I'm talking about a processor that assigns tasks and programs other (cheaper) processors to do tasks. Processors that are in computers cost $500, so have many of them would cost a lot. On the other hand, using micro-controllers limits the size and number of tasks that can be done. Some I'm wondering about one smart processor reprogramming lesser processors/micro-controllers to do tasks. This means there would be one task per CPU (the ten cheaper chips), but it wouldn't be like one CPU handling ten task, or ten $500 processors each doing one task.

What is the price of a reprogrammable micro-controller?
Title: Re: Chips programming chips
Post by: paulstreats on November 03, 2007, 12:52:12 PM
wouldnt the time it takes to program ten microprocessors be longer than actually doing the task itself?
Title: Re: Chips programming chips
Post by: dcole07 on November 03, 2007, 02:46:34 PM
I see what you mean for small tasks, but what if it was a task that never ends, such as follow the red ball or drive around without leaving the light.

How long does it normally take for a micro-controller have a task programmed into it? I know electric (vs something like UV) can be clear in around a second.
Title: Re: Chips programming chips
Post by: paulstreats on November 03, 2007, 04:31:58 PM
you would probably find that programming on the fly like you are suggesting is too inefficient, not to mention that physical limitations also stop you from changing the program ie. if pin a1 is connected to a motor driver, you can only use that pin to drive a motor no matter what program you put into it.

I generally have several mcu's preprogrammed which are controlled by a master mcu. you could pre program lots of different tasks into each mcu, then the master one just sends a signal to run a preprogrammed task or change its running parameters.

If you really do want to program on the fly, you would probably want to look for mcu's that support bootloaders letting them be easily programmed by an onboard uart.
Title: Re: Chips programming chips
Post by: frank26080115 on November 03, 2007, 04:59:47 PM
bootloader or normally program, it will take seconds to do