Contents
What is UART?
UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) is a communication protocol commonly used for serial communication between electronic devices. It allows different devices, such as microcontrollers, computers, and sensors, to exchange data in a simple and efficient manner.
UART is a popular choice for communication in embedded systems due to its simplicity and low overhead. It is widely supported in various microcontrollers and integrated circuits.
How does UART work?
UART uses two signal lines for communication:
- Transmit (TX) line: This line is used to transmit data from the sender to the receiver. It carries the binary representation of the data.
- Receive (RX) line: This line is used to receive data by the receiver. It reads the binary data and converts it into a usable format.
UART operates in an asynchronous mode, which means that data is transmitted one bit at a time without a clock signal. Instead, it uses the start and stop bits to frame each data byte. Here’s how it works:
- Start bit: The sender sets the TX line to low for one bit duration to indicate the start of a data byte.
- Data bits: The sender transmits each data bit, starting from the least significant bit (LSB) to the most significant bit (MSB).
- Stop bit: The sender sets the TX line to high for one or more bit durations to indicate the end of a data byte.
The receiver detects the start bit and then samples the data bits at the middle of each bit duration. It can reconstruct the transmitted data using the start and stop bits, along with the data bits.
Benefits and Applications of UART
UART offers several benefits for serial communication:
- Simplicity: The UART protocol is straightforward to implement and understand, making it a popular choice for communication in embedded systems.
- Flexibility: UART supports a wide range of data transmission rates, ranging from a few bits per second to several megabits per second.
- Compatibility: UART is widely supported in various microcontrollers, making it easy to interface with different devices.
Some common applications of UART include:
- Communicating between a microcontroller and a computer for programming or debugging purposes.
- Transferring data between IoT devices and a central control system.
- Interfacing with peripheral devices, such as sensors, displays, or actuators.
In conclusion, UART is a widely used communication protocol for serial data transmission in electronic devices. Its simplicity, flexibility, and compatibility make it a popular choice for various applications in the embedded systems domain.
Reference Articles
Read also
[Google Chrome] The definitive solution for right-click translations that no longer come up.