Interfacing PIC microcontroller with 7-segment display | mikroC

Projects
In this project a PIC16F887 microcontroller is interfaced with 7-segment
display in order to build a simple 4-digit counter which counts from 0 to
9999. A push button connected to the PIC16F887 MCU is used to
increment the displayed number.

The compiler used for this project is mikroC PRO for PIC.

There are two types of the seven-segment displays: common anode and
common cathode.In the common anode type all the 7 LED anode terminals
are connected together whereas in the common cathode all cathode
terminals are connected together.

The common terminal is connected to +VCC (+5V, +3.3V …) or GND (0V)

depending on the type of the 7-segment display (common anode or
common cathode, respectively).

Basically, for each 7-segment digit there are 8 pins: one for the common
terminal (anode or cathode) and 7 pins for the 7 segments (A, B, C, D, E, F
and G). Another pin may be used for the decimal point (DP).

In multi-digit 7-segment display (for example 4-digit) all pins of the same
segment are connected together (segment A of digit 1 with segment A of
digit 2 …), and each digit has its common pin alone. This is called
multiplexing technique. This technique minimizes number of pins used.
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So, for a 4-digit display we’ll have 7 pins of the 7 segments, 4 pins of the 4
digits (common terminals) and 1 pin for the decimal point (DP) which
means a total of 12 pins.

Hardware Required:
 PIC16F887 microcontroller —-> datasheet
 4-digit common anode 7-segment display
 4 x PNP transistor (2SA1015, 2S9015, 2N3906 …)
 7 x 100 ohm resistor
 4 x 4.7k ohm resistor
 Push button
 5V source
 Breadboard
 Jumper wires

Interfacing PIC16F887 MCU with 7-segment display

circuit:
Project circuit schematic diagram is shown below.

 All the grounded terminal are connected together.

 In the circuit there are 4 transistors of the type PNP, the collector of
each transistor is connected to common anode pin of 1 digit. That
means each transistor supplies one digit segments.
The 4 transistors are used to supply the display LEDs with sufficient

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 current because the PIC16F887 microcontroller may not be able to
do that (maximum output current is 25 mA).
 Each transistor emitter pin is connected to +5V and each transistor
base is connected to the PIC16F887 through 4.7k resistor as follows:
digit 1 (most left) transistor base is connected to PIC16F887 pin RB3
(#36)
digit 2 transistor base is connected to PIC16F887 pin RB2 (#35)
digit 3 transistor base is connected to PIC16F887 pin RB1 (#34)
digit 4 (most right) transistor base is connected to PIC16F887 pin
RB0 (#33)
 Each 100 ohm resistor is used for limiting the current that passes
through the segment LED.
 The push button which is connected to PIC16F887 pin RB4 (#37) is
used to increment the displayed number.
A common anode 7-segment display is used in this example.
 In this project the PIC16F887 microcontroller runs with its internal
oscillator @ 8 MHz, MCLR pin is configured as an input pin.

Interfacing PIC16F887 MCU with 7-segment display C

code:
The following C code is for mikroC PRO for PIC compiler, it was tested
with version 7.2.0.

 Since the 4 digits are multiplexed the display must be refreshed very
quickly (display one digit at a time, others are off). For that Timer0
module (8-bit timer) interrupt with 1:16 prescaler was used; this
means Timer0 overflows every 2048 microseconds { 256/[8/(4 x 16)]
= 256 x 8 = 2048 microseconds }.

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 *******************************************************************************
*******

 Interfacing PIC16F887 with common anode 7-segment display.
 4-Digit counter example.
 C Code for mikroC PRO for PIC compiler.
 Internal oscillator used @ 8MHz
 Configuration words: CONFIG1 = 0x2CD4
 CONFIG2 = 0x0700
 This is a free software with NO WARRANTY.
 http://simple-circuit.com/

 *******************************************************************************
********/


 unsigned short current_digit;
 int count = 0;

 void disp(unsigned short number)
 {
 switch (number)
 {
 case 0: // print 0
 PORTD = 0x02;
 break;
 case 1: // print 1
 PORTD = 0x9E;
 break;
 case 2: // print 2
 PORTD = 0x24;
 break;
 case 3: // print 3
 PORTD = 0x0C;
 break;
 case 4: // print 4
 PORTD = 0x98;
 break;
 case 5: // print 5
 PORTD = 0x48;
 break;
 case 6: // print 6
 PORTD = 0x40;
 break;
 case 7: // print 7
 PORTD = 0x1E;
 break;
 case 8: // print 8
 PORTD = 0x00;
 break;
 case 9: // print 9
 PORTD = 0x08;
 }

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 }

 void interrupt()
 {
 PORTD = 0xFE; // turn off all segments

 if(current_digit == 1){
 PORTB = 0x07; // turn on digit 1 (most left)
 disp(count / 1000);
 }
 if(current_digit == 2){
 PORTB = 0x0B; // turn on digit 2
 disp((count / 100) % 10);
 }
 if(current_digit == 3){
 PORTB = 0x0D; // turn on digit 3
 disp((count / 10) % 10);
 }
 if(current_digit == 4){
 PORTB = 0x0E; // turn on digit 4 (most right)
 disp(count % 10);
 }

 current_digit = (current_digit % 4) + 1;

 T0IF_bit = 0; // clear Timer0 interrupt flag bit
 }

 void main()
 {
 OSCCON = 0x70; // set internal oscillator to 8MHz
 ANSELH = 0; // configure all PORTB pins as digital
 PORTB = 0;
 TRISB = 0xF0; // configure RB0, RB1, RB2 & RB3 as outputs
 PORTD = 0;
 TRISD = 0;
 TMR0 = 0; // reset Timer0
 OPTION_REG = 0x03; // set Timer0 prescaler to 1:16
 INTCON = 0xA0; // enable global interrupt & Timer0 overflow interrupt
 WPUB4_bit = 1; // enable RB4 internal weak pull-up

 while(1)
 {
 if(PORTB.F4 ==0)
 { // if button is pressed
 count++; // increment 'count' by 1
 if(count > 9999)
 count = 0;
 delay_ms(200); // wait 200 milliseconds
 }
 }

 }
 // end of code.