In this tutorial we are going to discuss the Timer module of PIC18F4520.
First we will see what are timers, their working and later we will configure the PIC18F4520 timers to generate delay of 100ms and 500ms respectively. At the end we will see how to use the ExploreEmdedded Timer library.

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Timer Basics

As the name suggests these are used to measure the time or generate the accurate time delay. The microcontroller can also generate/measure the required time delays by running loops, but the timer/counter relieves the CPU from that redundant and repetitive task, allowing it to allocate maximum processing time for other tasks.

Timer is nothing but a simple binary counter that can be configured to count clock pulses(Internal/External). Once it reaches the Max value, it will roll back to zero setting up an OverFlow flag and generates the interrupt if enabled.

PIC Timer Module

PIC18F4520 has three indepenndent timer which can be used as timer,Counters or for PWM generation.
Below table provides the details of the three Timers.

Timer	Size	Control Register	Count Register	Min Delay	Max Delay
TIMER0	8-bit	OPTION_REG	TMR0	0.2usec	13.107ms
TIMER1	16-bit	T1CON	TMR1H,TMR1L	0.2usec	104.857ms
TIMER2	8-bit	T2CON	TMR2	0.2usec	819usec

Timer Calculation

PIC Oscillator frequency is divided by 4 and then fed to the controller, Now this this freq can be further divided by presacalar to generate the range of delays.
Time to increment the Timer count by one(timer tick) can be determined as below.
tick = (Prescalar/(Fosc/4)
tick = (Prescalar/(20Mhz/4))
$$tick = (Prescalar * 4)/Fosc$$

Now the Timer value for the required delay can be calculated as below.
Delay = TimerCount * tick
Count = (Delay/tick)
RegValue = TimerMax- Count
RegValue = TimerMax-(Delay/tick) = TimerMax - (Delay/((Prescalar *4)/Fosc))
$$RegValue = TimerMax-((Delay * Fosc)/(Prescalar*4))$$

Below table provides the formula for all the three Timers.

Timer	Size	Formula for delay calculation
TIMER0	8-bit	$$RegValue = 256-((Delay * Fosc)/(Prescalar*4))$$
TIMER1	16-bit	$$RegValue = 65536-((Delay * Fosc)/(Prescalar*4))$$
TIMER2	8-bit	$$RegValue = 256-((Delay * Fosc)/(Prescalar*4))$$

Timer 0

The TMR0 module is an 8-bit timer/counter with the following features:

8-bit timer/counter
Readable and writable
8-bit software programmable prescaler
Internal or external clock select
Interrupt on overflow from FFh to 00h
Edge select for external clock

Timer0 Registers

The below table shows the registers associated with PIC18F4520 Timer0 module.

Register	Description
OPTION_REG	This registers is used to configure the TIMER0 Prescalar, Clock Source etc
TMR0	This register holds the timer count value which will be incremented depending on prescalar configuration
INTCON	This register contains the Timer0 overflow flag(TMR0IF) and corresponding Inetrrupt Enable flag(TMR0IE).

OPTION_REG
7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
RBPU	INTEDG	T0CS	T0SE	PSA	PS2	PS1	PS0

RBPU: NA for Timers

INTEDG: NA for Timers

T0CS: TMR0 Clock Source Select bit
1-Transition on T0CKI pin
0-Internal instruction cycle clock (CLKO)

T0SE: TMR0 Source Edge Select bit
1-Increment on high-to-low transition on T0CKI pin
0-Increment on low-to-high transition on T0CKI pin

PSA: Prescaler Assignment bit
1-Prescaler is assigned to the WDT
0-Prescaler is assigned to the Timer0

PS2:PS0: Prescaler Rate Select bits

Note:There is only one prescaler available which is mutually exclusively shared between the Timer0 module and the Watchdog Timer. A prescaler assignment for the Timer0 module means that there is no prescaler for the Watchdog Timer and vice versa. This prescaler is not accessible but can be configured using PS2:PS0 bits of OPTION_REG.

INTCON
7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
GIE	PIE	TMR0IE	INTE	RBIE	TMR0IF	INTF	RBIF

GIE: Global Interrupt Enable bit
1-Enables all unmasked interrupts
0-Disables all interrupts

PIE: Peripheral Interrupt Enable bit
1-Enables all unmasked peripheral interrupts
0-Disables all peripheral interrupts

TMR0IE: TMR0 Overflow Interrupt Enable bit
1-Enables the TMR0 interrupt
0-Disables the TMR0 interrupt

INTE: NA for Timers

RBIE: NA for Timers

TMR0IF: TMR0 Overflow Interrupt Flag bit
1-TMR0 register has overflowed (must be cleared in software)
0-TMR0 register did not overflow

INTF: NA for Timers

RBIF: NA for Timers

Delay Calculations for 1ms @20Mhz with Prescalar as 32: $$RegValue = 256-(Delay * Fosc)/(Prescalar*4)) = 256-((1ms * 20Mhz)/(32*4)) = 256-156=100$$

Code

Below are the steps for configuring and using the Timer0 for delay generation:

Calculate the Timer Count for the required delay.
Set the Presaclar bits in OPTION_REG as per the delay calculations.
Clear the PSAbit for using the prescalar.
Select the Clock Source Internal/External using TOCS bit.
Load the timer value into TMRO register.
Enable the Timer0 Interrupt by setting TMR0IE bit
Enable the Global and Peripheral interrupts by setting GIE and PIE bits

Below is the sample code to blink the LEDs with 1ms delay.

	#include<pic16f877a.h>

	char value = 0;
	#define SBIT_PS2 2

	void interrupt timer_isr()
	{
	if(TMR0IF==1)
	{
	value=~value; // complement the value for blinking the LEDs
	TMR0 = 101; /*Load the timer Value, (Note: Timervalue is 101 instaed of 100 as the
	TImer0 needs two instruction Cycles to start incrementing TMR0 */
	TMR0IF=0; // Clear timer interrupt flag
	}
	}


	void main()
	{
	TRISD=0x00; //COnfigure PORTD as output to blink the LEDs

	OPTION_REG = (1<<SBIT_PS2); // Timer0 with external freq and 32 as prescalar
	TMR0=100; // Load the time value for 1ms delay
	TMR0IE=1; //Enable timer interrupt bit in PIE1 register
	GIE=1; //Enable Global Interrupt
	PEIE=1; //Enable the Peripheral Interrupt

	while(1)
	{
	PORTD = value;
	}
	}

view raw pic16f877a_timer0.c hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Delay measured using CRO:

Timer 1

The timer TMR1 module is an 16-bit timer/counter with the following features:

16-bit timer/counter with two 8-Bit register TMR1H/TMR1L
Readable and writable
software programmable prescaler upto 1:8
Internal or external clock select
Interrupt on overflow from FFFFh to 00h
Edge select for external clock

Timer1 Registers

The below table shows the registers associated with PIC18F4520 Timer1 module.

Register	Description
T1CON:	This registers is used to configure the TIMER1 Prescalar, Clock Source etc
TMRIH	This register holds the higher 8-bits of timer value. TMR1H and TMR1L are used in pair to increment from 0000 - FFFFh
TMRIL	This register holds the lower 8-bits of timer value. TMR1H and TMR1L are used in pair to increment from 0000 - FFFFh
PIR1	This register contains the Timer1 overflow flag(TMR1IF).
PIE1	This register contains the Timer1 Interrupt Enable flag(TMR1IE).

T1CON
7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
—	—	T1CKPS1	T1CKPS0	T1OSCEN	T1SYNC	TMR1CS	TMR1ON

T1CKPS1:T1CKPS0:Timer1 Input Clock Prescale Select bits
11 = 1:8 prescale value
10 = 1:4 prescale value
01 = 1:2 prescale value
00 = 1:1 prescale value

T1OSCEN: Timer1 Oscillator Enable Control bit
1-Oscillator is enabled
0-Oscillator is shut-off

T1SYNC: Timer1 External Clock Input Synchronization Control bit
1-Do not synchronize external clock input
0-Synchronize external clock input

TMR1CS: Timer1 Clock Source Select bit
1-External clock from pin RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI (on the rising edge)
0-Internal clock (FOSC/4)

TMR1ON: Timer1 On bit
1-Enables Timer1
0-Stops Timer1

Delay Calculations for 100ms @20Mhz with Prescalar as 8: $$RegValue = 65536-(Delay * Fosc)/(Prescalar*4)) = 65536-((100ms * 20Mhz)/(8*4)) = 3036 = 0xBDC$$

Code

Below are the steps for configuring and using the Timer1 for delay generation:

Calculate the Timer Count for the required delay.
Set the Presaclar bits in T1CON as per the delay calculations.
Select the Clock Source Internal/External using TMR1CS bit.
Load the timer value into TMR1H,TMR1L register.
Enable the Timer1 Interrupt by setting TMRIE bit
Enable the Global and Peripheral interrupts by setting GIE and PIE bits
Finally start the timer by setting TMR1ON bit

Below is the sample code to blink the LEDs with 1ms delay.

	#include<pic16f877a.h>

	char value = 0;
	#define SBIT_PS1 5
	#define SBIT_PS0 4

	void interrupt timer_isr()
	{
	if(TMR1IF==1)
	{
	value=~value; // complement the value for blinking the LEDs
	TMR1H=0x0B; // Load the time value(0xBDC) for 100ms delay
	TMR1L=0xDC;
	TMR1IF=0; // Clear timer interrupt flag
	}
	}


	void main()
	{
	TRISD=0x00; //COnfigure PORTD as output to blink the LEDs

	T1CON = (1<<SBIT_PS1) \| (1<<SBIT_PS0); // Timer0 with external freq and 8 as prescalar
	TMR1H=0x0B; // Load the time value(0xBDC) for 100ms delay
	TMR1L=0xDC;
	TMR1IE=1; //Enable timer interrupt bit in PIE1 register
	GIE=1; //Enable Global Interrupt
	PEIE=1; //Enable the Peripheral Interrupt
	TMR1ON = 1; //Start Timer1

	while(1)
	{
	PORTD = value;
	}
	}

view raw pic16f877a_timer1.c hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Delay measured using CRO:

Timer 2

The TImer2 module is an 8-bit timer/counter with the following features:

8-bit timer/counter
Readable and writable
Software programmable prescaler/PostScaler upto 1:16
Interrupt on overflow from FFh to 00h

Timer2 Registers

The below table shows the registers associated with PIC16f877A Timer0 module.

Register	Description
T2CON	This registers is used to configure the TIMER2 Prescalar, Clock Source etc
TMR2	This register holds the timer count value which will be incremented depending on prescalar configuration
PIR1	This register contains the Timer2 overflow flag(TMR2IF).
PIE1	This register contains the Timer2 Interrupt Enable flag(TMR2IE).

T2CON
7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0
—	TOUTPS3	TOUTPS2	TOUTPS1	TOUTPS0	TMR2ON	T2CKPS1	T2CKPS0

TOUTPS3:TOUTPS0: Timer2 Output Postscale Select bits
0000 = 1:1 postscale
0001 = 1:2 postscale
0010 = 1:3 postscale
•
•
•
1111 = 1:16 postscale

TMR2ON: Timer2 On bit
1-Timer2 is on
0-Timer2 is off

T2CKPS1:T2CKPS0: Timer2 Clock Prescale Select bits
00 = Prescaler is 1
01 = Prescaler is 4
1x = Prescaler is 16

Generating 1sec delay using Timer2:
As the timer2 is 8-bit and supports 1:16 prescalar, it is not possible to directly generate the delay of 1sec. The max delay with 1:16 prescaler will be:
$$Delay = 256 * (Prescaler*4)/Fosc = 256 * 16*4/20Mhz=819us$$

Now 500us can be generated using timers which will be used to increment a counter 2000 times to get 1sec delay.
Delay Calculations for 500usec @20Mhz with Prescalar as 16: $$RegValue = 256-(Delay * Fosc)/(Prescalar*4)) = 256-((500us* 20Mhz)/(16*4)) = 256-156=100$$

Code

Below are the steps for configuring and using the Timer2 for delay generation:

Calculate the Timer Count for the required delay.
Set the Prescaler bits in T2CON as per the delay calculations.
Load the timer value into TMR2 register.
Enable the Timer2 Interrupt by setting TMR2IE bit
Enable the Global and Peripheral interrupts by setting GIE and PIE bits
Finally start the Timer2 by setting TMR2ON bit

Below is the sample code to blink the LEDs with 1sec delay.

	#include<pic16f877a.h>

	#define SBIT_T2CKPS1 1

	char value = 0;
	int count = 0;


	void interrupt timer_isr()
	{
	if(TMR2IF==1)
	{
	TMR2 = 101; /*Load the timer Value, (Note: Timervalue is 101 instead of 100 as the
	Timer2 needs two instruction Cycles to start incrementing TMR2 */
	TMR2IF=0; // Clear timer interrupt flag

	if(count>=2000) //500us * 2000=1000000us=1sec
	{
	count=0;
	value=~value; // complement the value for blinking the LEDs
	}
	else
	{
	count++; // Keep incrementing the count till it reaches 2000 to generate 1sec delay
	}
	}
	}


	void main()
	{
	TRISD=0x00; //COnfigure PORTD as output to blink the LEDs

	T2CON = (1<<SBIT_T2CKPS1); // Timer2 with external freq and 16 as prescalar
	TMR2=100; // Load the timer value for 500us delay
	TMR2IE=1; //Enable timer interrupt bit in PIE1 register
	GIE=1; //Enable Global Interrupt
	PEIE=1; //Enable the Peripheral Interrupt
	TMR2ON = 1;

	while(1)
	{
	PORTD = value;
	}
	}