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CP3BT26
Counter Clock Source Select
There are two clock source selectors that allow software to
independently select the clock source for each of the two
16-bit counters from any one of the following sources:
No clock (which stops the counter)
Prescaled System Clock
External event count based on TB
Pulse accumulate mode based on TB
Slow Clock (derived from the low-frequency oscillator or
divided from the high-speed oscillator)
Prescaler
The 5-bit clock prescaler allows software to run the timer
with a prescaled clock signal. The prescaler consists of a 5-
bit read/write prescaler register (TPRSC) and a 5-bit down
counter. The System Clock is divided by the value contained
in the prescaler register plus 1. Therefore, the timer clock
period can be set to any value from 1 to 32 divisions of the
System Clock period. The prescaler register and down
counter are both cleared upon reset.
External Event Clock
The TB I/O pin can be configured to operate as an external
event input clock for either of the two 16-bit counters. This
input can be programmed to detect either rising or falling
edges. The minimum pulse width of the external signal is
one System Clock cycle. This means that the maximum fre-
quency at which the counter can run in this mode is one-half
of the System Clock frequency. This clock source is not
available in the capture modes (modes 2 and 4) because
the TB pin is used as one of the two capture inputs.
Pulse Accumulate Mode
The counter can also be configured to count prescaler out-
put clock pulses when the TB input is high and not count
when the TB input is low, as illustrated in Figure 99. The re-
sulting count is an indicator of the cumulative time that the
TB input is high. This is called the “pulse-accumulate”
mode. In this mode, an AND gate generates a clock signal
for the counter whenever a prescaler clock pulse is generat-
ed and the TB input is high. (The polarity of the TB signal is
programmable, so the counter can count when the TB input
is low rather than high.) The pulse-accumulate mode is not
available in the capture modes (modes 2 and 4) because
the TB pin is used as one of the two capture inputs.
Figure 99. Pulse-Accumulate Mode
Slow Clock
The Slow Clock is generated by the Triple Clock and Reset
module. The clock source is either the divided fast clock or
the external 32.768 kHz crystal oscillator (if available and
selected). The Slow Clock can be used as the clock source
for the two 16-bit counters. Because the Slow Clock can be
asynchronous to the System Clock, a circuit is provided to
synchronize the clock signal to the high-frequency System
Clock before it is used for clocking the counters. The syn-
chronization circuit requires that the Slow Clock operate at
no more than one-fourth the speed of the System Clock.
Limitations in Low-Power Modes
The Power Save mode uses the Slow Clock as the System
Clock. In this mode, the Slow Clock cannot be used as a
clock source for the timers because that would drive both
clocks at the same frequency, and the clock ratio needed for
synchronization to the System Clock would not be main-
tained. However, the External Event Clock and Pulse Accu-
mulate Mode will still work, as long as the external event
pulses are at least the size of the whole slow-clock period.
Using the prescaled System Clock will also work, but at a
much slower rate than the original System Clock.
Idle and Halt modes stop the System Clock (the high-fre-
quency and/or low-frequency clock) completely. If the Sys-
tem Clock is stopped, the timer stops counting until the
System Clock resumes operation.
In the Idle or Halt mode, the System Clock stops completely,
which stops the operation of the timers. In that case, the tim-
ers stop counting until the System Clock resumes operation.
26.2 TIMER OPERATING MODES
Each timer/counter unit can be configured to operate in any
of the following modes:
Processor-Independent Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
mode
Dual-Input Capture mode
Dual Independent Timer mode
Single-Input Capture and Single Timer mode
At reset, the timers are disabled. To configure and start the
timers, software must write a set of values to the registers
that control the timers. The registers are described in
Section 26.5.
Prescaler
Output
TB
Counter
Clock
DS083