Timers
MPC8260 PowerQUICC II Family Reference Manual, Rev. 2
Freescale Semiconductor 18-3
The restart gate mode performs the same function as normal mode, except it also resets the counter on the
falling edge of TGATEx. This mode has applications in pulse interval measurement and bus monitoring as
follows:
Pulse measurement—The restart gate mode can measure a low TGATEx. The rising edge of
TGATEx completes the measurement and if TGATEx is connected externally to TINx, it causes the
timer to capture the count value and generate a rising-edge interrupt.
Bus monitoring—The restart gate mode can detect a signal that is abnormally stuck low. The bus
signal should be connected to TGATEx. The timer count is reset on the falling edge of the bus
signal and if the bus signal does not go high again within the number of user-defined clocks, an
interrupt can be generated.
The gate function is enabled in the TMR; the gate operating mode is selected in the TGCR.
NOTE
TGATEx is internally synchronized to the system clock. If TGATEx meets
the asynchronous input setup time, the counter begins counting after one
system clock when working with the internal clock.
18.2.1 Cascaded Mode
In this mode, two 16-bit timers can be internally cascaded to form a 32-bit counter. Timer 1 may be
internally cascaded to timer 2, and timer 3 can be internally cascaded to timer 4. Because the decision to
cascade timers is made independently, the user can select two 16-bit timers or one 32-bit timer. TGCR is
used to put the timers into cascaded mode, as shown in Figure18-2.
Figure 18-2. Timer Cascaded Mode Block Diagram
If TGCR[CAS] = 1, the two timers function as a 32-bit timer with a 32-bit TRR, TCR, and TCN. In this
case, TMR1 and/or TMR3 are ignored, and the modes are defined using TMR2 and/or TMR4. The capture
is controlled from TIN2 or TIN4 and the interrupts are generated from TER2 or TER4. In cascaded mode,
the combined TRR, TCR, and TCN must be referenced with 32-bit bus cycles.
18.2.2 Timer Global Configuration Registers (TGCR1 and TGCR2)
The timer global configuration registers (TGCR1 and TGCR2), shown in Figure 18-3 and Figure 18-4,
contain configuration parameters used by the timers. These registers allow simultaneous starting and
stopping of a pair of timers (1 and 2 or 3 and 4) if one bus cycle is used.
Timer1 Timer2
Timer3 Timer4
Capture
Capture
Clock
Clock
TRR, TCR, TCN connected to D[16–31] TRR, TCR, TCN connected to D[0–15]
TRR, TCR, TCN connected to D[0–15] TRR, TCR, TCN connected to D[16–31]