Engineering:Motorola MC14500B
The MC14500B Industrial Control Unit (ICU) is a CMOS one-bit microprocessor designed by Motorola for simple control applications in 1977.[1]
Overview
MC14500B (ICU) is well-suited to the implementation of ladder logic, and thus could be used to replace relay systems and programmable logic controllers, also intended for serial data manipulation.[2] The processor supports 16 commands, operating at a frequency of 1 MHz.[2] The MC14500B unit does not include a program counter (PC); instead, a clock signal drives a separate PC chip; therefore the size of supported memory is dependent on the implementation of that chip. It was still in production in 1995.[2]
The ICU architecture is similar to that of the DEC PDP-14 computer.
Developers
The ICU was conceived by Vern Gregory in the mid-1970s while working as an engineer in a marketing / applications group of Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector in Phoenix, AZ; Brian Dellande originated circuit and sub-routine designs, and co-wrote the manual; Ray DiSilvestro was the bench technician; Terry Malarkey provided management support.[citation needed]
In the CMOS Logic Division in Austin, TX (where it was made) Phil Smith was the chip designer; Mike Hadley provided product applications support.[citation needed]
Derivatives
A form of the design served as an embedded controller in a custom automotive chip made for NipponDenso by Motorola—Japan. I.P.R.S. Băneasa manufactured a clone of the MC14500B with the designation βP14500 in IIL technology (rather than the original CMOS).[3]
Notable uses
One of the computers known to be based on this processor is the educational WDR 1-bit computer (512 bits of RAM, LED, I/O, keyboard).[4]
See also
- WDR paper computer
- WDR Computerclub
References
- ↑ Motorola MC14500B Industrial Control Unit Handbook - Theory and Operation of a CMOS one-bit processor compatible with B series CMOS devices. Motorola Semiconductor Products Inc.. 1977. 33-B78/8.0. http://tinymicros.com/mediawiki/images/e/ec/MC14500B_Handbook.pdf. Retrieved 2017-05-20. (NB. Also available in German language under the title "Motorola MC14500B Industrial Control Unit Handbuch - Theorie und Anwendung eines Ein-Bit-CMOS-Prozessors".)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Industrial Control Unit MC14500B. Semiconductor Technical Data (revision 3 ed.). Motorola. 1995. pp. 306–313. http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/retrocomputing/motorola/mc14500b/mc14500brev3.pdf. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
- ↑ Dumitru Cracea; Dan Raiu (1990). Full Line Condensed Catalog 1990. I.P.R.S. Băneasa. http://yo3kxl.netxpert.ro/docs/cataloage_IPRS/FULL_LINE_CONDENSED_CATALOG%201990%20IPRS.pdf.
- ↑ (in German) Fast alles über den WDR-1-Bit-Computer. Neuss, Germany: DATANorf. 1986. http://wdr-1-bit-computer.talentraspel.de/documents/wdr_1-40.pdf. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
Further reading
- Vernon C. Gregory, "Industrial control processor", US patent 4153942A, published 1979-05-08, assigned to Motorola, Inc. (also: US 05/761,738; DE2801853A1)
- Remmelmann, Alexander, ed. (in German), Bit und Byte - Wir bauen einen Computer, WDR-Schulfernsehen
- "The famous/infamous MC14500". 2005. http://www.6502.org/users/dieter/m14500/m14500.htm.
- "MC14500 and arithmetic". 2008. http://www.6502.org/users/dieter/a3/a3_5.htm.
- "A MC14500 modification". 2008. http://www.6502.org:80/users/dieter/a3/a3_6.htm.
External links
- "WDR-1-Bit Computer". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM. http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=834.
- "MC14500 - Motorola". Wikichip. https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/motorola/mc14500.
- "MC14500B - Motorola". Wikichip. https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/motorola/mc14500/mc14500b.
- "MC14500 ISA - Motorola". Wikichip. https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/motorola/mc14500/isa.
- Shirriff, Ken (February 2021). "A one-bit processor explained: reverse-engineering the vintage MC14500B". http://www.righto.com/2021/02/a-one-bit-processor-explained-reverse.html.
- Gregory, Vern; Dellande, Brian (1977). "Motorola MC14500B Industrial Control Unit Handbook". http://www.bitsavers.org/components/motorola/14500/MC14500B_Industrial_Control_Unit_Handbook_1977.pdf.
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