People will sometimes use the term “microprocessor” or "MPU" when referring to a microcontroller,  but these two devices are not necessarily the same. Both microprocessors and microcontrollers function as small, highly integrated computer systems, but they may serve different purposes. The term “processor” is used to identify a system that consists of a central processing unit and (optionally) some memory; a microprocessor is a device that implements all of a processor’s functionality within a single integrated circuit. Microcontrollers, by comparison, place greater emphasis on additional hardware modules that allow the device to control a system rather than simply execute instructions and store data.