Communications Protocols
MCUs or Microcontroller features are expanded by integrating external modules into the application. A common enhancement is to add a means of communication with the outside world to either share data, store or retrieve data, and receive commands to perform a specific function.
When designing the application, there are a number of standard protocols that can be evaluated for use, each with advantages and disadvantages. The options fall into two basic categories, namely wired and wireless.
A list of the most common protocols is provided below, and these will be discussed during the documentation. Wired protocols may be limited by the cable length and the speed at which the data can be transmitted. Wireless protocols may be limited by the range of transmission and would require a compatible receiver to collaborate with the network.
Wired
- I2C
- SPI
- RS485
- Ethernet
- Dallas 1 Wire
Wireless
- Bluetooth
- RF
- Wifi
- Zigbee
- GSM
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When considering a protocol, the wireless modules at some point may require the use of a serial, wired protocol to communicate with the module. For example, to communicate with a GSM modem, which provides wireless communication, the onboard communication between the MCU and the module is performed using RS232.
Each of the options above offers a significant improvement in capability and enhances the MCUs operational ability.
