A single-board microcomputer (abbreviated as single-board computer) is a type of microcomputer that integrates a microprocessor, memory, and simple peripherals onto a single printed circuit board. This concept originated in 1976. Early models used 8-bit microprocessors, and in the 1980s, they transitioned to 16-bit architectures, mainly applied in industrial control, automation equipment, teaching experiments, and smart household appliances. A typical representative is China’s first practical single-board computer TP801A (in 1981), developed by a team from Beijing University of Technology based on the Z80 processor. Its memory was four times that of the American prototype, and it was mass-produced through a cooperation between the university and the enterprise and promoted with teaching materials [1].
The hardware of a single-board computer includes a microprocessor (such as 8080, Z80), ROM, RAM, programmable interface adapters, and bus systems. The storage capacity is 4000-64000 bytes, supporting internal bus standards such as S-100 and Multibus, and IEEE 488 industrial interfaces. The monitoring program is fixed in ROM, and the software includes debugging and compilation tools, enabling program-controlled equipment. It adopts a modular design. Some models are equipped with simple input devices or expansion slots, and can be upgraded to multi-processor systems. Compared with single-chip microcontrollers, single-board computers are in a multi-chip assembly form, with advantages of high reliability, strong anti-interference ability, and low cost.