Data Transmission Protocols
Microcontroller boards need to exchanage data with other boards and components. To enable this, standard protocols have been defined to allow baords and components to work together seamlessly.
In general, protocols are sets of rules that enable devices and systems to exchange information. Protocols are used to ensure that data is sent and received consistently, accurately and securely.
There are protocols for both wired and wireless data transmission. The three wired protocols are:
- Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART)
- Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
- Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C)
Microcontroller boards generally support all three protocols while components use any one of the three. It is important to know which protocol is used for each component so that you make the right connections and include the required libraries and configuration in your code. This can be determined from the specifications or even from the pins on the component.
The two wireless data transmission protocols are: