廣義地說，微型計算機控制系統(tǒng)（單片機控制系統(tǒng)）是用于處理信息的，這種被用于處理的信息可以是電話交談，也可以是儀器的讀數(shù)或者是一個企業(yè)的帳戶，但是各種情況下都涉及到相同的主要操作：信息的處理、信息的存儲和信息的傳遞。在常規(guī)的電子設計中，這些操作都是以功能平臺方式組合起來的，例如計數(shù)器，無論是電子計數(shù)器還是機械計數(shù)器，都要存儲當前的數(shù)值，并且按要求將該數(shù)值增加1。一個系統(tǒng)例如采用計數(shù)器的電子鐘之類的任一系統(tǒng)要使其存儲和處理能力遍布整個系統(tǒng)，因為每個計數(shù)器都能存儲和處理一些數(shù)字。

Electronic systems are used for handing information in the most general sense; this information may be telephone conversation, instrument read or a company’s accounts, but in each case the same main type of operation are involved: the processing, storage and transmission of information. in conventional electronic design these operations are combined at the function level; for example a counter, whether electronic or mechanical, stores the current and increments it by one as required. A system such as an electronic clock which employs counters has its storage and processing capabilities spread throughout the system because each counter is able to store and process numbers.