PIC16F88 Simultaneous SPI and RS-232 comms

[phil_sch]

Completely new to this, never posted before and just testing out really but I do have a question if someone would oblige. Using the PIC16F88, I would like to know if it's possible to use the RS-232 comms as well as SPI simultaneously.

I haven't looked at the datasheet too intensely yet but I think that the pins are shared between the two.

I also need to design a PCB for development testing of the PIC16F88 which I have never attempted before, basically it will be 2 generic boards, one with an RS-232 plug-in comms directly to PC and an RF module communicating to another RF module on the other board. The other board will use SPI through the RF module only whilst the "main" board has comms to/from PC and to/from SPI via RF module.

Thus the need to do RS-232 and RF comms simultaneously. Also not sure as to minimum requirements of laying out the PICs on each board.

Any pointers would be great!

 

[millwood]

it depends on what you mean by "simultaneously".

in theory, with one cpu, it can process one instruction at any given point in time. so as far as the cpu is concerned, it is either running spi code or rs-232 code and can never do both.

However, if you allow some slack in your definition of "simultaneously", you can have the mcu process the spi for a short period of time (like sending / receiving a byte), and then let it process the rs232 for a short period of time, to the user, it is almost as if the mcu is functioning simultaneously.

as to sharing the pins: you can always bit bang either one of them and don't worry about shared pins.