Abstract:
The timing system includes a plurality of timing units interconnected to perform a count operation. Software programmable registers interconnect the plurality of timing units, and a control circuit generates a clock signal for the plurality of timing units. The control circuit includes an interface for connection to an external bus to receive and transmit data.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates in general to timing circuits, and, more particularly, to a timing system having a plurality of timing units interconnected via software configurable registers.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Timing systems for microcomputers are well known in the art. They are particularly used in the field of digital devices for cars, for carrying out complex timing functions, such as event counting in a timing window, or for having different timing functions with different resolution. To perform these functions, timing units (which have standard characteristics) are connected among them in different ways to form a timing system. For instance, if only 16 bit timing units are available (that may count up to 65,535) and the events to be counted are more numerous than 65,535, two or more timing units may be connected such that the end count pulse of a first timing unit is sent to a second timing unit. These connections may be done via software, hardware or a combination thereof.  
           [0003]    The software connection includes a routine installed in the microprocessor that uses the timing system. The microprocessor receives the count signals for its calculations and signals produced by each timing unit, recognizes the nature thereof (if it is an end count signal or another kind of signal), and sends it to a certain input of another timing unit. It is evident that with this technique, it is possible to change the interactions among timing units at any time, thus using the same timing units for many different functions. On the other hand, the microprocessor is overloaded, because it must intervene each time a timing unit generates a signal to be input to another timing unit.  
           [0004]    The hardware approach includes connecting the timing units of the timing system in a fixed manner. This approach allows fast computations and it does not overload the microprocessor, but the chosen configuration cannot be modified, thus it is not possible to reuse the same timing units for many different purposes.  
           [0005]    Mixed approaches include using a dedicated coprocessor only for managing all interactions among timing units, is disclosed in the European Patent Application EP 355, 363 by B. F. Wilkie et al. This approach does not burden the microprocessor and ensures a complete flexibility of use of timing units, which can be reconfigured and reused for other applications. Unfortunately, the realization of the dedicated coprocessor is costly in terms of the amount of silicon area occupied.  
           [0006]    A different approach, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,045 and EP 773, 491 by V. B. Goler et al., contemplates using software configurable structures having channels that communicate by way of independently partitioned timer buses and pin/status buses. Unfortunately these structures are complex to be managed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a Configurable Timing System (CTS) that is not affected by the above mentioned drawbacks.  
           [0008]    Drawbacks of prior art timing systems are overcome by forming a CTS interconnecting the timing units with software programmable registers that can be programmed to connect or disconnect a connection between inputs or outputs of the timing units of the CTS. Therefore, the architecture of the CTS of the invention is preferably the same for each application, and the interconnections among the timing units may be formed at any time via software depending on the required application. Moreover, a CTS of the invention may be reused for other applications simply by reprogramming the registers, thus connecting the timing units in a different way.  
           [0009]    More precisely, a timing system of the present invention includes N timing units interconnected to perform a certain count operation, a control circuit generating at least one clock signal for the timing units, and an interface for the control circuit adjacent an external bus for receiving and transmitting data. The timing system of the invention may be programmed via software and be used in many different applications because the timing units are interconnected by software programmable registers.  
           [0010]    According to another innovative aspect of the invention, the timing system has two distinct orders of parallel lines crossing each other. The first and the second orders of parallel lines comprise groups of parallel lines. Each group includes a number of lines equivalent to the number of inputs and outputs, respectively, of the respective timing unit to which they are connected. This structure of the CTS of the invention is particularly convenient because it makes interconnections among timing units possible by disposing software programmable registers at crossing points between the lines of groups belonging to the first and the second order, respectively.  
           [0011]    Another aspect of the invention is a timing unit to be interconnected with other timing units to form a configurable timing system as described above. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The different aspects and advantages of the invention will appear even more evident through a detailed description referring to the attached drawings wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating the basic interconnections of timing units of a configurable timing system in accordance with the invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an interconnection scheme of four timing units of a configurable timing system of the invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a timing unit of the invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the structure of a timing unit of the invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the basic structure of a configurable timing system of the invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interconnections of two timing units of FIG. 4 for realizing a configurable timing system of the invention generating a 32 bit PWM signal;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit TIMER Low of FIG. 6;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit TIMER HIGH of FIG. 6;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interconnections of two timing units of FIG. 4 of a configurable timing system of the invention operating as a continuous pulse accumulator for counting external pulses during a defined time window;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIGS. 10 and 11 are schematic diagrams illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing units of FIG. 9;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interconnections of two timing units of FIG. 4 of a configurable timing system of the invention for performing a frequency measurement of a PWM signal;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 13 and 14 are schematic diagrams illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing units FIG. 12;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 when performing 16 bit duty cycle/period measurement of a PWM input signal;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 when operating as a very high speed PWM modulator;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 when operating as a 16-bit PWM modulator generating two PWM signals outphased of 180°;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interconnections of two timing units of FIG. 4 of a configurable timing system of the invention for performing 32 bit duty cycle/period measurements of a PWM signal;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 19 and 20 are schematic diagrams illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing units of FIG. 18;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 of a configurable timing system of the invention for generating a digital signal whose trailing edge is delayed of a certain time from the trailing edge of a digital input signal;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interconnections of two timing units of FIG. 4 of a configurable timing system of the invention for storing the instant of detection of a trailing or a falling edge of four digital signals;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIGS. 23 and 24 are schematic diagrams illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing units of FIG. 22;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram illustrating the interconnections of two timing units of FIG. 4 of a configurable timing system of the invention for 32 bit storing the instant of detection of a falling edge of an input digital signal and generating a pulse when the number of counted pulses is equal to a 32 bit number;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIGS. 26 and 27 are schematic diagrams illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing units of FIG. 25; and  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram illustrating in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 when performing 16 bit duty cycle/period measurements of a PWM signal. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    [0036]FIGS. 1A and 1B depict the basic connections among four timing units  50  of a Configurable Timing System (CTS)  40  of the invention and a way to connect two timing units for increasing the maximum number of pulses that may be counted. The CTS  40  of the invention has input and output pins (which are not necessarily proportional to the number of timing units) and lines for communicating with external peripherals (for instance another set of timing units, an analog/digital converter, etc.).  
         [0037]    A detail of a preferred embodiment of the CTS  40  of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 2. The timing units  50  are interconnected through two orders of parallel lines  52 ,  54  each subdivided in a number of subgroups of parallel lines equal to the number of timing units. Each input of a timing unit is hardwired to a line of a subgroup  52  of the first order, and each output of a timing unit is hardwired to a line of a respective subgroup  54  of the second order. On the crossing points of lines of different orders there are programmable registers (indicated with a white circle)  56 , that may be programmed to connect or disconnect an input of a timing unit  50  and an output of another timing unit. A multiplexer  58  is used for selecting lines for communicating with external peripherals (for instance another set of timing units, an analog/digital converter, etc.).  
         [0038]    Of course, timing units  50  are designed to receive signals from other timing units, from a pin of the CTS or from other peripherals, and to output signals toward other timing units or toward the pin of the CTS and other peripherals. FIG. 3 depicts a general architecture of a timing unit  50  of the invention especially designed to satisfy these requisites. The timing unit  50  of FIG. 3 has, like many known timing units, a counter  60 , a first circuit or first circuit means  62  generating pulses to be counted by the counter, a second circuit or second circuit means  64  generating start, stop and reset commands for the counter, a third circuit or third circuit means  66  coupled to the counter and to the data bus for generating a digital signal, and an output stage  68  receiving the digital signal and outputting it on at least an input/output pin of the timing unit.  
         [0039]    The peculiarity of the timing unit  50  of FIG. 3 is that it has a first capture and compare register  70  and a second capture and compare register  72  coupled to the data bus, that are destined to store the number of counted events or other values such as the period and the duty cycle of a PWM signal to be generated. In other embodiments, just one register or more than two registers may be present. Also, a fourth circuit or fourth circuit means  74  generate enabling signals for loading values in the capture and compare registers  70 ,  72 , and a pair of comparators  76  each compare the value of a respective capture and compare register with the value of the counter or an external counter value provided to the timing unit, and generate respective first and second comparison signals. A logic circuit  78  (FIG. 4) generates a digital signal from the comparison signals.  
         [0040]    The output stage  68  or OUTPUT PIN MANAGEMENT is used to generate digital signals, i.e. an active (0) or inactive (1) logic signal, pulses or PWM signals on one or both the pins (in phase or 180° shifted), on the input/output pins P 0  and P 1  (when available) according to the selected function and the signals OCO_EVENT and OC 1 _EVENT.  
         [0041]    A detailed view of a preferred embodiment of the timing unit of the invention is depicted in FIG. 4. In the cited figure there are two arrows originating from the pins P 0  and P 1  representing lines of a digital signal applied on these pins to carry out measurements of timing characteristics thereof. This optional feature of the timing unit of the invention will be described in detail hereinafter.  
         [0042]    The inputs of the timing units  50  are: the capture inputs CH 0 _IN and CH 1 _IN; the count pulse input CK_IN; the reset input RST_IN and the start/stop count input ST/SP_IN; the input pins of the value of another timing unit CNT_IN. The output signals are: the output compare signals CH 0 _OUT and CH 1 _OUT; the end count signal EOC_OUT; the reset signal RST_OUT and the start count or the stop count signal ST/SP_OUT; the signal representing the value of the timing unit CNT_OUT.  
         [0043]    In the ensuing description the case in which the start/stop signals are associated to the same input or output line is considered, but it is clear that the invention is applicable even with timing units in which the start and stop signals are associated to distinct input or output lines. The timing unit  50  of FIG. 4 may count both the pulses on the count pulse input CK_IN as well as the pulses of a system clock signal. The block PRESCALERS is a frequency divider that is input with the system clock signal (which is at high frequency, for instance at 40 MHz) and generates a low frequency local clock signal (for instance at lMHz or also at 100 kHz). In this way, it is possible to let the timing units  50  of a timing system operate with different clocks having only one clock generator for the whole system.  
         [0044]    The counter  60  counts the pulses of the signal CK, which is generated by a multiplexer  80  input with the low frequency clock signal generated by either the block PRESCALERS or by the signal CK_IN or the signals coming from the input/output pins. The value of the block PRESCALERS is the value by which the high frequency system clock must be divided to generate the low frequency local clock signal. The count may be reset, started or stopped via commands RST and ST/SP, which may be forced active by a command SW provided by a control circuit of the timing unit or by the reset, start/stop inputs of the timing unit  50 .  
         [0045]    The capture and compare registers  72  store values to be compared with the number of pulses counted by the internal counter or the number provided on the input pins CNT_IN. These values are provided through an external data bus DATA BUS, to which the timing unit  50  is coupled, or also through the input pins CNT_IN, depending on the logic state of a binary signal IC/OC, and are stored in the registers  72  when the respective enabling signals IC 0 _EVENT and IC 1 _EVENT are active. The comparators  76  output comparison signals OC 0 _EVENT and OC 1 _EVENT when the number of events counted by the internal counter or input through the bus CNT_IN is equal to the value stored in the respective register  72 . A pair of AND gates  78  generate active signals when the respective input capture signal and comparison signal are active, and input it to the OUTPUT PIN MANAGEMENT section  68  that conditions and transfers the signals to the input/output pins P 0  and P 1  of the timing unit  50 .  
         [0046]    The timing unit  50  of FIG. 4 has a pair of edge selection circuits  82  each coupled to a respective input/output pin, generating pulses on the trailing or the falling edges of a digital signal input on the respective input/output pin P 0  or P 1 . The pulse generated by the edge selection circuit  82  connected to the pin P 0  may be counted by the internal counter. In this way the timing unit  50  of the invention is capable of performing measurements of timing characteristics of digital input signals, such as duty cycle or period measurements of PWM signals.  
         [0047]    Of course, a CTS  40  may include any number of timing units  50 , but considerations of design optimization suggest that it is not preferable to realize CTSs with less than four and more than sixteen timing units. Preferably, the timing units  50  are organized in a hierarchical structure to reduce configuration and management complexity. For instance, a CTS  40  of the invention may have sixteen timing units  50  organized in four subgroups of four timing units. All the inputs and outputs of the timing units of a same subgroup are connectable among them by way of programmable registers  56 , but timing units belonging to two different subgroups may exchange only a reduced number of signals. The timing units  50  of the sample subgroup of FIG. 2 may exchange only three signals with timing units of another subgroup, through the three lines SUBGROUP A, SUBGROUP_B and SUBGROUP_C.  
         [0048]    Looking at the embodiment represented in FIG. 2, each line at the bottom of the figure is coming from one of the other subgroups. At the same time, the multiplexer  58  on the right side of the figure is used to select one line to be connected to the other subgroups. It is possible to realize configurable timing systems  40  of the invention in which the any number of interconnection lines between subgroups.  
         [0049]    A sample realization of a CTS  40  of the invention having timing units organized in subgroups is depicted in FIG. 5. Each subgroup TIMING BLOCK is composed of a certain number of timing units  50 , for instance four, that may operate in stand-alone mode or connected to other timing units by software programmable registers schematically represented with the block Programmable Interconnections  42 . The CTS  40  also comprises a control circuit CONTROL LOGIC that generates the clock signal Main Clock, the command SW and other control signals for the timing units  50 , and an interface BUS INTERFACE for exchanging signals with an external bus.  
         [0050]    It is noted that the connections among timing units may be changed at any time via software, thus a same CTS may be easily reconfigured and reused for carrying out other functions simply by re-programming its software programmable registers. Another advantage of the CTS of the present invention is that a same CTS with non-programmed registers may be configured for many different applications. In fact the registers are programmed via software according to the need of the customer in the last step of fabrication. This simplifies the design of the CTS, the number of masks for realizing it and the standardization of functionality tests.  
         [0051]    The timing unit  50  of FIG. 4 may perform many different functions in stand alone mode or interconnected with other similar timing units. Examples of the different functions will be described with reference to FIGS.  6 - 28 .  
         [0052]    For example, the CTS  40  of the invention needs to generate a 32 bit PWM signal but there are only two 16 bit timing units  50 , each with two capture and compare registers  70 ,  72 . The timing unit TIMER Low compares the 16 least significant bits of the period and duty cycle of the PWM signal and the timing unit TIMER HIGH compares the relative  16  most significant bits and outputs the 32 bit PWM signal on the pin P 0 . To obtain this PWM signal, it is necessary to connect the timing units as depicted in FIG. 6, wherein the solid black circles indicate fixed connections (hardwirings)  58 , the X circles indicate software programmed connections via programmable registers  56 P and the non-X circles indicate non-programmed registers  56 N.  
         [0053]    The solid lines indicate lines  52 ,  54  that are effectively used in this example, while the dashed lines indicate lines that are not used. Similarly, in FIGS. 7 and 8 the circuit blocks of the timing units TIMER Low and TIMER HIGH, respectively, that are effectively used are depicted with solid lines, while the non-used blocks are depicted with dashed lines.  
         [0054]    The end count signal EOC_OUT of the timing unit TIMER Low is connected to the input CK_IN of the timing unit TIMER HIGH by the programmed register on the crossing point between the lines EOC_OUT_A and EOC_IN_B. Therefore, at each end count event of the TIMER Low, the timing unit Timer High is increased by 1 (thus the count has been extended from 16 to 32 bits). The start/stop output of the timing unit TIMER Low is connected to the respective input ST/SP_IN of the timing unit TIMER HIGH and the reset input of the first timing unit TIMER Low is connected to the reset output RST_OUT of the second timing unit TIMER HIGH. In this way the two timing units are started and stopped by a control circuit of the CTS only providing the command SW to the timing unit TIMER Low.  
         [0055]    The capture and compare registers  70 ,  72  of the timing unit TIMER Low contain the least significant bits of the period and of the duty cycle of the PWM signal to be generated. The registers on the crossing points of the lines CH 0 _OUT_A and CH 0 _IN_B, and of the lines CH 1 _OUT_A and CH 1 _IN_B are programmed so that the timing unit TIMER Low outputs the compare signals CH 0 _OUT and CH 1 _OUT toward the capture inputs of the timing unit TIMER HIGH.  
         [0056]    When an output compare signal CH 0 _OUT or CH 1 _OUT is asserted, the number of counted pulses of the internal clock signal MAIN CLOCK is equal to the least significant bits of the period or the duty cycle, respectively, of the PWM signal to be generated. The second timing unit TIMER HIGH counts the end count pulses (on the pin EOC_OUT) output by the first timing unit and compares the number of counted pulses with the number stored in its capture and compare registers, representing the most significant bits of the period and of the duty cycle of the PWM signal to be generated. When the number of counted pulses is equal to the number corresponding to the most significant bits of the period or of the duty cycle, the relative comparator  76  generates an active logic signal. If at the same time the respective input capture signal CH 0 _IN or CH 1 _IN is also asserted, the AND gates  78  generate a signal fed to the OUTPUT PIN MANAGEMENT section  68 , that generates the desired PWM signal on the output pin P 0 . Of course these configurations may be easily extended to generate  32 ,  48 , or greater bit PWM signals using 16 bit timing units.  
         [0057]    Another way of connecting two 16 bit timing units for realizing a CTS functioning as a continuous pulse accumulator is illustrated in FIGS.  9 - 11 . The first timing unit TIME BASE GENERATOR generates one pulse over a pre-established number, stored in a capture and compare register  70 , of pulses of the prescaled clock. The second timing unit PULSE COUNTER counts the input events (rising edges in the example) on one input/output pin (P 0 ) and captures the number of counted events when the first timing unit asserts the signal CH 0 _OUT. The unused inputs and outputs are represented with dashed lines, while the used signals are represented with solid lines. In this case, the input/output pin P 0  of the second timing unit PULSE COUNTER is used as input pin of the signal whose trailing edges must be counted. The timing unit of FIG. 4 may be used for many applications. The schemes of connections are not described in detail but may be appreciated by the skilled artisan.  
         [0058]    A detail of a configurable timing system for performing a frequency measurement of a PWM signal is illustrated in FIG. 12. The circuit blocks of the timing units effectively used are illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 with solid lines. FIG. 15 illustrates in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 when performing 16 bit duty cycle/period measurement of a PWM input signal. FIG. 16 illustrates in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 when operating as a very high speed PWM modulator. It should be noted the block PRESCALERS does not perform any division (PRESCALERS=1) of the high frequency system clock to generate the local clock signal of the timing unit.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIG. 17 illustrates in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 when operating as a 16-bit PWM modulator generating two PWM signals outphased of 1800 on the input/output pins P 0  and P 1 . Detail of a configurable timing system of the invention for performing 32 bit duty cycle/period measurements of a PWM signal illustrated in FIG. 18. The circuit blocks of the timing units effectively used are illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 21 illustrates in detail the circuit blocks effectively used of the timing unit of FIG. 4 of a configurable timing system of the invention for generating a digital signal whose trailing edge is delayed of a certain time from the trailing edge of a digital input signal on the pin P 0 . Detail of a configurable timing system of the invention for storing the instant of detection of a trailing or a falling edge of four digital signals is depicted in FIG. 22. The circuit blocks of the timing units effectively used are illustrated in FIGS. 23 and 24.  
         [0061]    A configurable timing system of the invention for 32 bit storing the instant of detection of a falling edge of an input digital signal and generating a pulse when the number of counted pulses is equal to a 32 bit number is illustrated in FIG. 25. The circuit blocks of the timing units effectively used are illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27. FIG. 28 illustrates a configurable timing system of the invention for performing 16 bit duty cycle/period measurements of a PWM signal.