
2009 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS39636D-page 129
PIC18F2X1X/4X1X
13.2
Timer3 16-Bit Read/Write Mode
Timer3 can be configured for 16-bit reads and writes
(T3CON<7>) is set, the address for TMR3H is mapped
to a buffer register for the high byte of Timer3. A read
from TMR3L will load the contents of the high byte of
Timer3 into the Timer3 High Byte Buffer register. This
provides the user with the ability to accurately read all
16 bits of Timer1 without having to determine whether
a read of the high byte, followed by a read of the low
byte, has become invalid due to a rollover between
reads.
A write to the high byte of Timer3 must also take place
through the TMR3H Buffer register. The Timer3 high
byte is updated with the contents of TMR3H when a
write occurs to TMR3L. This allows a user to write all
16 bits to both the high and low bytes of Timer3 at once.
The high byte of Timer3 is not directly readable or
writable in this mode. All reads and writes must take
place through the Timer3 High Byte Buffer register.
Writes to TMR3H do not clear the Timer3 prescaler.
The prescaler is only cleared on writes to TMR3L.
13.3
Using the Timer1 Oscillator as the
Timer3 Clock Source
The Timer1 internal oscillator may be used as the clock
source for Timer3. The Timer1 oscillator is enabled by
setting the T1OSCEN (T1CON<3>) bit. To use it as the
Timer3 clock source, the TMR3CS bit must also be set.
As previously noted, this also configures Timer3 to
increment on every rising edge of the oscillator source.
13.4
Timer3 Interrupt
The TMR3 register pair (TMR3H:TMR3L) increments
from 0000h to FFFFh and overflows to 0000h. The
Timer3 interrupt, if enabled, is generated on overflow
and is latched in interrupt flag bit, TMR3IF (PIR2<1>).
This interrupt can be enabled or disabled by setting or
clearing the Timer3 Interrupt Enable bit, TMR3IE
(PIE2<1>).
13.5
Resetting Timer3 Using the CCP
Special Event Trigger
If either of the CCP modules is configured to use Timer3
and to generate a special event trigger in Compare mode
(CCP1M3:CCP1M0 or CCP2M3:CCP2M0 = 1011), this
signal will reset Timer3. It will also start an A/D conversion
The module must be configured as either a timer or
synchronous counter to take advantage of this feature.
When used this way, the CCPR2H:CCPR2L register
pair effectively becomes a period register for Timer3.
If Timer3 is running in Asynchronous Counter mode,
the Reset operation may not work.
In the event that a write to Timer3 coincides with a
special event trigger from a CCP module, the write will
take precedence.
TABLE 13-1:
REGISTERS ASSOCIATED WITH TIMER3 AS A TIMER/COUNTER
Note:
The special event triggers from the CCP2
module will not set the TMR3IF interrupt
flag bit (PIR1<0>).
Name
Bit 7
Bit 6
Bit 5
Bit 4
Bit 3
Bit 2
Bit 1
Bit 0
Reset
Values
on page
INTCON
GIE/GIEH PEIE/GIEL TMR0IE
INT0IE
RBIE
TMR0IF
INT0IF
RBIF
PIR2
OSCFIF
CMIF
—
BCLIF
HLVDIF
TMR3IF
CCP2IF
PIE2
OSCFIE
CMIE
—
BCLIE
HLVDIE
TMR3IE
CCP2IE
IPR2
OSCFIP
CMIP
—
BCLIP
HLVDIP
TMR3IP
CCP2IP
TMR3L
Timer3 Register, Low Byte
TMR3H
Timer3 Register, High Byte
T1CON
RD16
T1RUN
T1CKPS1 T1CKPS0 T1OSCEN T1SYNC
TMR1CS TMR1ON
T3CON
RD16
T3CCP2
T3CKPS1 T3CKPS0 T3CCP1
T3SYNC
TMR3CS TMR3ON
Legend: — = unimplemented, read as ‘0’. Shaded cells are not used by the Timer3 module.