PIC microcontrollers, or programmable interface controllers, are small electronic circuits found in most electronic devices, from alarm systems, computers, and phones to machines operating large assembly lines. You can use them to perform a large variety of tasks, and if you work with electronics, you are probably well aware of what they can be programmed to do. However, one of the most powerful features available for PIC microcontrollers is interrupts. As their name suggests, these are events that require immediate attention. They stop microcontrollers from running usual tasks, or normal program execution, to perform a particularly urgent task. These interrupts can be internal or external and can originate in both hardware, at specific microcontroller pins, and software generated by a piece of code in the program. This course is designed to help you fully understand what interrupts are, why they are so important, and how to program like a professional.

This course kicks off by introducing the course instructor and Educational Engineering Team, an organization dedicated to sharing their knowledge and experience with engineering students worldwide. You will learn what interrupts are and what would happen to programs and embedded applications if interrupts did not exist. This will help you understand the significance of interrupts and the critical role they play. We will study the PIC18F features series microcontroller and the different types of interrupts available for this microcontroller. As we go along, you will become familiar with various microcontroller components, such as control bits, the microcontroller's Control Register features. The course will concentrate on explaining how to configure interrupts using the INTCON Register. This readable and writable register contains various enable and flag bits for both external and internal Interrupts. Understand what conditions need to be met for your interrupts to work correctly.

You will see a step by step video that explains how to design a circuit for the microcontroller using a computer program known as Proteus. Then, you will discover how to use a program called MikroC Pro to program an interrupt using code. Become familiar with the simultaneous use of these programs as you learn how to take the code you wrote using MikroC and run it in a simulation using Proteus. Towards the end of the course, you will study the features of the PIC16F series microcontroller and the four different types of interrupts sources available for this microcontroller. You might not have Proteus or MikroC installed on your computer, would like to download them and learn how to use them. This course will teach you how to download free versions of these programs that will allow you to practice your skills. This course is intended for anyone who works with electronic devices, such as technicians or electrical engineers, and would like to take their programming skills to the next level. Don't hesitate! Program PIC interrupts like a professional with this Step-by-Step Guide to Microcontroller Interrupts.