数字信号控制器（DSC）是单片机和数字信号处理器（DSPs）的集合体，可视为可进行数字信号处理的单片机。

和单片机一样，数字信号控制器提供了快速中断响应和像PWM和看门狗计时器等面向控制对象的外部设备。通常使用C语言编程，但也可以用基于设备本身的汇编语言。在数字信号处理器这一方面，它们加入了绝大部分DSP都有的特征，例如单周期乘法累加器（MAC），桶形移位器和大型累加器。这个定义是由Microchip Technology在2002年提出其的6000系列数字信号处理器时提出的，被大多数厂商接受，但不是所有厂商都采用DSC的定义。比如，Infineon和Renesas就认为他们的DSC是单片机。

A digital signal controller (DSC) is a hybrid of microcontrollers and digital signal processors (DSPs). Like microcontrollers, DSCs have fast interrupt responses, offer control-oriented peripherals like PWMs and watchdog timers, and are usually programmed using the C programming language, although they can be programmed using the device's native assembly language. On the DSP side, they incorporate features found on most DSPs such as single-cycle multiply–accumulate (MAC) units, barrel shifters, and large accumulators. Not all vendors have adopted the term DSC. The term was first introduced by Microchip Technology in 2002 with the launch of their 6000 series DSCs and subsequently adopted by most, but not all DSC vendors. For example, Infineon and Renesas refer to their DSCs as microcontrollers.)