ATmega64A
16. Timer/Counter3, Timer/Counter2 and Timer/Counter1 Prescalers
Timer/Counter3, Timer/Counter2 and Timer/Counter1 share the same prescaler module, but the
Timer/Counters can have different prescaler settings. The description below applies to all of the
mentioned Timer/Counters.
16.0.1
16.0.2
Internal Clock Source
The Timer/Counter can be clocked directly by the system clock (by setting the CSn2:0 = 1). This
provides the fastest operation, with a maximum Timer/Counter clock frequency equal to system
clock frequency (fCLK_I/O). Alternatively, one of four taps from the prescaler can be used as a
clock source. The prescaled clock has a frequency of either fCLK_I/O/8, fCLK_I/O/64, fCLK_I/O/256, or
fCLK_I/O/1024.
Prescaler Reset
The prescaler is free running, for example, it operates independently of the Clock Select logic of
the Timer/Counter, and it is shared by Timer/Counter1, Timer/Counter2, and Timer/Counter3.
Since the prescaler is not affected by the Timer/Counter’s clock select, the state of the prescaler
will have implications for situations where a prescaled clock is used. One example of prescaling
artifacts occurs when the timer is enabled and clocked by the prescaler (6 > CSn2:0 > 1). The
number of system clock cycles from when the timer is enabled to the first count occurs can be
from 1 to N+1 system clock cycles, where N equals the prescaler divisor (8, 64, 256, or 1024).
It is possible to use the Prescaler Reset for synchronizing the Timer/Counter to program execu-
tion. However, care must be taken if the other Timer/Counter that shares the same prescaler
also use prescaling. A Prescaler Reset will affect the prescaler period for all Timer/Counters it is
connected to.
16.0.3
External Clock Source
An external clock source applied to the Tn pin can be used as Timer/Counter clock
(clkT1/clkT2/clkT3). The Tn pin is sampled once every system clock cycle by the pin synchroniza-
tion logic. The synchronized (sampled) signal is then passed through the edge detector. Figure
16-1 shows a functional equivalent block diagram of the Tn synchronization and edge detector
logic. The registers are clocked at the positive edge of the internal system clock (clkI/O). The latch
is transparent in the high period of the internal system clock.
The edge detector generates one clk /clk /clk 3 pulse for each positive (CSn2:0 = 7) or nega-
2
T1
T
T
tive (CSn2:0 = 6) edge it detects.
Figure 16-1. Tn Pin Sampling
Tn_sync
(To Clock
Tn
D
Q
D
Q
D
Q
Select Logic)
LE
clkI/O
Edge Detector
143
8160C–AVR–07/09
ATMEL [ ATMEL ]
