Embedded controller: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Circuit handling system tasks in computers}}

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{{more footnotes needed|date=June 2014}}

{{unreliable sources|date=June 2014}}

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An '''Embedded Controller''' ('''EC''') is a [[microcontroller]] in [[computer]]s that handles various system tasks. Now it is usually merged with '''SuperI[[Super I/O''']], especially on mobile platforms (such as laptoplaptops).

== Tasks ==

An embedded controller can have the following tasks:

*Receiving and processing signals from the keyboard<ref name="ps2kbc">{{Cite web | url=http://www.computer-engineering.org/ps2keyboard/ | title=The PS/2 Keyboard Interface |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080022/http://www.computer-engineering.org/ps2keyboard/ | archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref> and the touchpad (including touchpad disable)

*Other buttons and switches (e.g., power button, laptop lid switch (received from hall sensor))<ref name="amikey">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ami.com/ami_downloads/Embedded_Controller_Data_Sheet.pdf |title=ArchivedAMI copyEmbedded Controller (EC) Firmware Solution |access-date=2014-12-28 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032338/http://www.ami.com/ami_downloads/Embedded_Controller_Data_Sheet.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

*Controlling access to the [[A20 line]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/linux/kbd/A20.html|title=A20 - a pain from the past}}</ref>

*Thermal measurement (CPU, GPU, Motherboard) and response including [[fan control]], [[Dynamic frequency scaling|CPU and GPU throttling]], and emergency shutdown in response to rising temperatures

*Power management, including control [[voltage regulator module]]

*Controlling indicator [[Light-emitting diode|LED]]s (e.g. caps lock, scroll lock, num lock, battery, ac, power, wireless LAN, sleep)

*Managing the [[Battery (electricity)|battery]] charger and the battery<ref name="amikey"/>

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*System Management Interrupt (entry to [[System Management Mode]])

*[[Bluetooth]] toggle

*Controlling display brightness (built-in LCD or OLED)

*Display backlight toggle

*[[USB]] OC (overcurrent) (USB disable)

*ControlsControlling RGB lighting

*Display power toggle

*Controls RGB lighting

*eSATA toggle

*[[Wake-on-LAN]]

*Debug Card Interface (Enables repair centers to monitor the boot process with a special device in an attempt to fix problems)

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== Common Brands ==

* [[Nuvoton]]<ref>{{cite web |title=EC (Embedded Controller) |url=https://www.nuvoton.com/products/cloud-computing/ec/ |website=Nuvoton |access-date=19 October 2023}}</ref>

* Nuvoton Technology

* Winbond Electronics (Now merged into Nuvoton)

* ITE tech. Inc.

* [[Microchip Technology]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Embedded Controllers and Keyboar Controllers |url=https://www.microchip.com/en-us/products/embedded-controllers-and-super-io/embedded-and-keyboard-controllers |website=Microchip Technology |access-date=19 October 2023}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Super I/O]]

* [[Low Pin Count]] (LPC)

* [[Serial Peripheral Interface]] (SPI)

== References ==