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Delay Using 8051 Timer

The 8051 microcontroller contains two 16-bit timers that can be used to generate time delays in software. Delays are implemented by loading the timers with an initial value and waiting for timer overflow. For a 12MHz 8051, the timers increment every 1 microsecond, allowing delays from 1us to 65.5ms. Square waves can be generated by toggling a pin and calling a delay subroutine for half the period, implemented using timer overflow interrupts or polling the timer flag.

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Vinothkumar Uruman
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319 views

Delay Using 8051 Timer

The 8051 microcontroller contains two 16-bit timers that can be used to generate time delays in software. Delays are implemented by loading the timers with an initial value and waiting for timer overflow. For a 12MHz 8051, the timers increment every 1 microsecond, allowing delays from 1us to 65.5ms. Square waves can be generated by toggling a pin and calling a delay subroutine for half the period, implemented using timer overflow interrupts or polling the timer flag.

Uploaded by

Vinothkumar Uruman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Delay using 8051 timer.

 The 8051 microcontroller has two independent 16 bit up counting timers named Timer 0 and Timer
1 and this article is about generating time delays using the 8051 timers. Generating delay using
pure software loops have been already discussed here but such delays are poor in accuracy and
cannot be used in sensitive applications. Delay using timer is the most accurate and surely the best
method.

A timer can be generalized as a multi-bit counter which increments/decrements itself on receiving a


clock signal and produces an interrupt signal up on roll over. When the counter is running on the
processor’s clock , it is called a “Timer”, which counts a predefined number of processor clock pulses
and  generates a programmable delay. When the counter is running on an external clock source
(may be a periodic or aperiodic external signal) it is called a “Counter” itself and it can be used for
counting external events.

In  8051, the oscillator output is divided by 12 using a divide by 12 network and then fed to the Timer as the clock
signal. That means for an 8051 running at 12MHz, the timer clock input will be  1MHz. That means the the timer
advances once in every 1uS and the maximum time delay possible using a single 8051 timer is ( 2^16) x (1µS) =
65536µS. Delays longer than this can be implemented by writing up a basic delay program using timer and then
looping it for a required number of time. We will see all these in detail in next sections of this article.

Designing a delay program using 8051 timers.

While designing delay programs in 8051, calculating the initial value that has to be loaded inot TH
and TL registers forms a very important thing. Let us see how it is done.
 Assume the processor is clocked by a 12MHz crystal.
 That means, the timer clock input will be 12MHz/12 = 1MHz 11.0592MHz/12
 That means, the time taken for the timer to make one increment = 1/1MHz = 1uS 1.08506 uS
 For a time delay of “X” uS the timer has to make “X” increments.
 2^16 = 65536 is the maximim number of counts possible for a 16 bit timer.
 Let TH be the value value that has to be loaded to TH registed and TL be the value that has to be
loaded to TL register.
 Then, THTL =  Hexadecimal equivalent of (65536-X) where (65536-X) is considered in decimal.

Example.

Let the required delay be 1000uS (ie; 1mS).


That means X = 1000

65536 – X =  65536 – 1000 = 64536. 63536

64536 is considered in decimal and converting it t0 hexadecimal gives FC18


That means THTL = FC18

Therefore TH=FC and TL=18

Program for generating 1mS delay using 8051 timer.

The program shown below can be used for generating 1mS delay and it is written as a subroutine
so that you can call it anywhere in the program. Also you can put this in a loop for creating longer
time delays (multiples of 1mS). Here Timer 0 of 8051 is used and it is operating in MODE1 (16 bit
timer).

DELAY: MOV TMOD,#00000001B // Sets Timer 0 to MODE1 (16 bit timer). Timer 1 is
not used

MOV TH0,#0FCH // Loads TH0 register with FCH

MOV TL0,#018H // LOads TL0 register with 18H

SETB TR0 // Starts the Timer 0

HERE: JNB TF0,HERE // Loops here until TF0 is set (ie;until roll over)

CLR TR0 // Stops Timer 0

CLR TF0 // Clears TF0 flag

RET

The above delay routine can be looped twice in order to get a 2mS delay and it is shown in the
program below.
MAIN: MOV R6,#2D

LOOP: ACALL DELAY

DJNZ R6,LOOP

SJMP MAIN

DELAY: MOV TMOD,#00000001B


MOV TH0,#0FCH

MOV TL0,#018H

SETB TR0

HERE: JNB TF0,HERE

CLR TR0

CLR TF0

RET

Few points to remember while using timers.

 Once timer flag (TF) is set, the programmer must clear it before it can be set again.
 The timer does not stop after the timer flag is set. The programmer must clear the TR bit in order to
stop the timer.
 Once the timer overflows, the programmer must reload the initial start values to the TH and TL
registers to begin counting up from.
 We can configure the desired timer to create an interrupt when the TF flag is set.
 If  interrupt is not used, then we have to check the timer flag (TF) is set using some conditional
branching instruction. 
 Maximum delay possible using a single 8051 timer is 65536µS and minimum is 1µS provided that you
are using a 12MHz crystal for clocking the microcontroller.

Square wave generation using 8051 timer.

Square waves of any frequency (limited by the controller specifications) can be generated using the
8051 timer. The technique is very simple. Write up a delay subroutine with delay equal to half the
time period of the square wave. Make any port pin high and call the delay subroutine. After the
delay subroutine is finished, make the corresponding port pin low and call the delay subroutine
gain. After the subroutine  is finished , repeat the cycle again. The result will be a square wave of the
desired frequency at the selected port pin. The circuit diagram is shown below and it can be used
for any square wave, but the program has to be accordingly. Programs for different square waves
are shown below the circuit diagram.
Square wave generation using 8051 timer
1KHz Square wave using 8051 timer.

MOV P1,#00000000B
MOV TMOD,#00000001B
MAIN: SETB P1.0
ACALL DELAY
CLR P1.0
ACALL DELAY
SJMP MAIN
DELAY: MOV TH0,#0FEH
MOV TL0,#00CH
SETB TR0
HERE: JNB TF0,HERE
CLR TR0
CLR TF0
SETB P1.0
RET
END

2 KHz Square wave using 8051 timer.

MOV P1,#00000000B
MOV TMOD,#00000001B
MAIN: SETB P1.0
ACALL DELAY
CLR P1.0
ACALL DELAY
SJMP MAIN
DELAY: MOV TH0,#0FCH
MOV TL0,#018H
SETB TR0
HERE:JNB TF0,HERE
CLR TR0
CLR TF0
SETB P1.0
RET
END

10 KHz square wave using 8051 timer.

MOV P1,#00000000B

MOV TMOD,#00000001B

MAIN: SETB P1.0

ACALL DELAY
CLR P1.0

ACALL DELAY

SJMP MAIN

DELAY: MOV TH0,#0FFH

MOV TL0,#0CEH

SETB TR0

HERE:JNB TF0,HERE

CLR TR0

CLR TF0

SETB P1.0

RET

END

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