UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter)

Overview

UART (pronounced you-art) is a widely used serial communication protocol for simple and efficient point-to-point data transfer between two devices. It is commonly employed in embedded systems and electronics.

Key Features

Two-Wire Protocol

  • Uses one line for transmission (TX) and one line for reception (RX), enabling full-duplex communication.

Point-to-Point Communication

  • Designed for direct communication between two devices.
  • Not expandable to multiple devices.
    • Need two new wires and another UART peripheral

Frame Structure

  • Includes start, stop, and optional parity bits for error detection.
    • Can be configured by the MCU

Speed and Performance

  • Baud rate determines the transmission speed.
  • General use speed is around 100 kbps.
  • Some devices support speeds up to 10 Mbps.
    • Higher speeds used for different protocols

Applications

  • Supports short runs off-board communication.
  • Commonly used for communication with devices like the Nextion Display.

Considerations

  • Simple setup but limited to point-to-point connections.
  • Transmission quality is affected by noise and line length.

Benefits

  • Easy to implement with minimal wiring.
  • Reliable for short-distance, low-speed communication.