micropython/docs/library/machine.Timer.rst

.. currentmodule:: machine
.. _machine.Timer:

class Timer -- control hardware timers
======================================

Hardware timers deal with timing of periods and events. Timers are perhaps
the most flexible and heterogeneous kind of hardware in MCUs and SoCs,
differently greatly from a model to a model. MicroPython's Timer class
defines a baseline operation of executing a callback with a given period
(or once after some delay), and allow specific boards to define more
non-standard behavior (which thus won't be portable to other boards).

See discussion of :ref:`important constraints <machine_callbacks>` on
Timer callbacks.

.. note::

    Memory can't be allocated inside irq handlers (an interrupt) and so
    exceptions raised within a handler don't give much information.  See
    :func:`micropython.alloc_emergency_exception_buf` for how to get around this
    limitation.

Constructors
------------

.. class:: Timer(id, ...)

   Construct a new timer object of the given id. Id of -1 constructs a
   virtual timer (if supported by a board).

Methods
-------

.. only:: port_wipy

    .. method:: Timer.init(mode, \*, width=16)

       Initialise the timer. Example::

           tim.init(Timer.PERIODIC)             # periodic 16-bit timer
           tim.init(Timer.ONE_SHOT, width=32)   # one shot 32-bit timer

       Keyword arguments:
       
         - ``mode`` can be one of:
         
           - ``Timer.ONE_SHOT`` - The timer runs once until the configured 
             period of the channel expires.
           - ``Timer.PERIODIC`` - The timer runs periodically at the configured 
             frequency of the channel.
           - ``Timer.PWM``      - Output a PWM signal on a pin.

         - ``width`` must be either 16 or 32 (bits). For really low frequencies < 5Hz
           (or large periods), 32-bit timers should be used. 32-bit mode is only available
           for ``ONE_SHOT`` AND ``PERIODIC`` modes.

.. method:: Timer.deinit()

   Deinitialises the timer. Stops the timer, and disables the timer peripheral.

.. only:: port_wipy

    .. method:: Timer.channel(channel, \**, freq, period, polarity=Timer.POSITIVE, duty_cycle=0)
    
       If only a channel identifier passed, then a previously initialized channel
       object is returned (or ``None`` if there is no previous channel).

       Otherwise, a TimerChannel object is initialized and returned.
       
       The operating mode is is the one configured to the Timer object that was used to
       create the channel.

       - ``channel`` if the width of the timer is 16-bit, then must be either ``TIMER.A``, ``TIMER.B``. 
         If the width is 32-bit then it **must be** ``TIMER.A | TIMER.B``.

       Keyword only arguments:

         - ``freq`` sets the frequency in Hz.
         - ``period`` sets the period in microseconds.

         .. note::

            Either ``freq`` or ``period`` must be given, never both.

         - ``polarity`` this is applicable for ``PWM``, and defines the polarity of the duty cycle
         - ``duty_cycle`` only applicable to ``PWM``. It's a percentage (0.00-100.00). Since the WiPy
           doesn't support floating point numbers the duty cycle must be specified in the range 0-10000,
           where 10000 would represent 100.00, 5050 represents 50.50, and so on.

       .. note::

          When the channel is in PWM mode, the corresponding pin is assigned automatically, therefore
          there's no need to assign the alternate function of the pin via the ``Pin`` class. The pins which
          support PWM functionality are the following:

          - ``GP24`` on Timer 0 channel A.
          - ``GP25`` on Timer 1 channel A.
          - ``GP9``  on Timer 2 channel B.
          - ``GP10`` on Timer 3 channel A.
          - ``GP11`` on Timer 3 channel B.

.. only:: port_wipy

    class TimerChannel --- setup a channel for a timer
    ==================================================

    Timer channels are used to generate/capture a signal using a timer.

    TimerChannel objects are created using the Timer.channel() method.

    Methods
    -------

    .. method:: timerchannel.irq(\*, trigger, priority=1, handler=None)

        The behavior of this callback is heavily dependent on the operating
        mode of the timer channel:

            - If mode is ``Timer.PERIODIC`` the callback is executed periodically
              with the configured frequency or period.
            - If mode is ``Timer.ONE_SHOT`` the callback is executed once when
              the configured timer expires.
            - If mode is ``Timer.PWM`` the callback is executed when reaching the duty
              cycle value.

        The accepted params are:

            - ``priority`` level of the interrupt. Can take values in the range 1-7.
              Higher values represent higher priorities.
            - ``handler`` is an optional function to be called when the interrupt is triggered.
            - ``trigger`` must be ``Timer.TIMEOUT`` when the operating mode is either ``Timer.PERIODIC`` or
              ``Timer.ONE_SHOT``. In the case that mode is ``Timer.PWM`` then trigger must be equal to
              ``Timer.MATCH``.

        Returns a callback object.

.. only:: port_wipy

    .. method:: timerchannel.freq([value])

       Get or set the timer channel frequency (in Hz).

    .. method:: timerchannel.period([value])

       Get or set the timer channel period (in microseconds).

    .. method:: timerchannel.duty_cycle([value])

       Get or set the duty cycle of the PWM signal. It's a percentage (0.00-100.00). Since the WiPy
       doesn't support floating point numbers the duty cycle must be specified in the range 0-10000,
       where 10000 would represent 100.00, 5050 represents 50.50, and so on.

Constants
---------

.. data:: Timer.ONE_SHOT
.. data:: Timer.PERIODIC

   Timer operating mode.