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[on:]

Hey all,

At this very moment I'm writing a paper about Arduino for my studies (Game Technology). I've already covered a big part about the software and the hardware, but I couldn't find any information about the system architecture of an Arduino (CPU, RAM, buses, the protocols it uses, etc.).
If there's anyone at all who can give me information about this or point me to a site/document where I can find the info myself, it'd be gladly accepted by me. I want to fill about 3 pages (Calibri, 11) with information (including images), if that's possible...

A great many thank-yous to the people who can help me in advance!

Cheers,
~Martin

[Reply #1 on:]

I couldn't find any information about the system architecture of an Arduino (CPU, RAM, buses, the protocols it uses, etc.).

Seriously?

How about here: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Hardware

[Reply #2 on:]

Or get the datasheet from atmel.com, has block diagrams of internals and everything.

[Reply #3 on:]

The "system" components are all inside the AVR chip; Atmel picked out the particular combination.
As such, there isn't much "systems design" TO an arduino, beyond picking those central AVRs.  This is one of the reasons that Arduino is criticized in some circles; it's not really much more than a breakout PCB for an AVR chip...

[Reply #4 on:]

I couldn't find any information about the system architecture of an Arduino (CPU, RAM, buses, the protocols it uses, etc.).

Seriously?
How about here: http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Hardware

I guess you didn't understand the question. The difference between hardware and architecture is a bit like this: your pc has a CPU, RAM memory, probably a graphics card, etc. Hardware is exactly these parts, architecture is how they work together (read: communicate; work as a whole).

Or get the datasheet from atmel.com, has block diagrams of internals and everything.

I've looked into those, but there's not a single bit of explanation why they made some choices, or, again, how the architecture is made up.

The "system" components are all inside the AVR chip; Atmel picked out the particular combination.
As such, there isn't much "systems design" TO an arduino, beyond picking those central AVRs.  This is one of the reasons that Arduino is criticized in some circles; it's not really much more than a breakout PCB for an AVR chip...

Ah, I see, I'll contact Atmel in that case and hope they'll be able to give some detailed information. Thanks for the help!

[Reply #5 on:]

From the inventors:

http://www.engineeringtv.com/video/ALF2
http://www.engineeringtv.com/video/ALF1-2


"AVR Instruction set"; somtimes a more general look at an architecture than the data sheet for a particular chip.

[Reply #6 on:]

I guess you didn't understand the question. The difference between hardware and architecture is a bit like this: your pc has a CPU, RAM memory, probably a graphics card, etc. Hardware is exactly these parts, architecture is how they work together (read: communicate; work as a whole).

Ah, in that case you don't seem to have understood how basic the Arduino board is. There's the Atmel AVR chip, a USB-to-serial chip to interface it to the PC, and ... that's it.

The CPU, RAM, etc. ("architecture") is exactly what's inside the AVR, no more, no less. There's nothing external. The Arduino board is really just a holder for the AVR chip. The connectors along the edges just go directly to the chip's pins.

I've looked into those, but there's not a single bit of explanation why they made some choices, or, again, how the architecture is made up.

Have you read this?

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Atmel_AVR