Timer 0 and 1
Timer 0 and Timer 1 in the AT89C52 operate the same
way as Timer 0 and Timer 1 in the AT89C51.
Timer 2
Timer 2 is a 16-bit Timer/Counter that can operate as
either a timer or an event counter. The type of operation is
selected by bit C/T2 in the SFR T2CON (shown in Table
2). Timer 2 has three operating modes: capture, auto-re-
load (up or down counting), and baud rate generator. The
modes are selected by bits in T2CON, as shown in Table
3.
Timer 2 consists of two 8-bit registers, TH2 and TL2. In the
Timer function, the TL2 register is incremented every ma-
chine cycle. Since a machine cycle consists of 12 oscilla-
tor periods, the count rate is 1/12 of the oscillator fre-
quency.
In the Counter function, the register is incremented in re-
sponse to a l-to-0 transition at its corresponding external
input pin, T2. In this function, the external input is sampled
during S5P2 of every machine cycle. When the samples
Capture Mode
In the capture mode, two options are selected by bit
EXEN2 in T2CON. If EXEN2 = 0, Timer 2 is a 16-bit timer
or counter which upon overflow sets bit TF2 in T2CON.
This bit can then be used to generate an interrupt. If
EXEN2 = 1, Timer 2 performs the same operation, but a
l-to-0 transition at external input T2EX also causes the
current value in TH2 and TL2 to be captured into RCAP2H
and RCAP2L, respectively. In addition, the transition at
T2EX causes bit EXF2 in T2CON to be set. The EXF2 bit,
like TF2, can generate an interrupt. The capture mode is
illustrated in Figure 1.
Auto-Reload (Up or Down Counter)
Timer 2 can be programmed to count up or down when
configured in its 16-bit auto-reload mode. This feature is
invoked by the DCEN (Down Counter Enable) bit located
in the SFR T2MOD (see Table 4). Upon reset, the DCEN
bit is set to 0 so that timer 2 will default to count up. When
DCEN is set, Timer 2 can count up or down, depending on
the value of the T2EX pin.
Figure 2 shows Timer 2 automatically counting up when
DCEN = 0. In this mode, two options are selected by bit
EXEN2 in T2CON. If EXEN2 = 0, Timer 2 counts up to
0FFFFH and then sets the TF2 bit upon overflow. The
(continued)
OSC
EXF2
T2EX PIN
T2 PIN
TR2
EXEN2
C/T2 = 0
C/T2 = 1
CONTROL
CAPTURE
OVERFLOW
CONTROL
TRANSITION
DETECTOR
TIMER 2
INTERRUPT
÷12
RCAP2L
RCAP2H
TH2
TL2
TH2
Figure 1. Timer 2 in Capture Mode
show a high in one cycle and a low in the next cycle, the
count is incremented. The new count value appears in the
register during S3P1 of the cycle following the one in
which the transition was detected. Since two machine cy-
cles (24 oscillator periods) are required to recognize a 1-
to-0 transition, the maximum count rate is 1/24 of the os-
cillator frequency. To ensure that a given level is sampled
at least once before it changes, the level should be held
for at least one full machine cycle.
Table 3. Timer 2 Operating Modes
RCLK + TCLK
CP/RL2
TR2
MODE
0
0
1
16-Bit Auto-Reload
0
1
1
16-Bit Capture
1
X
1
Baud Rate Generator
X
X
0
(Off)
6
AT89C52
