How do I measure timing precisely on microcontrollers?

Measuring timing precisely on microcontrollers is crucial for various applications such as real-time systems, signal processing, and interfacing with sensors. In this guide, we explore techniques to achieve accurate timing measurements.

Using Hardware Timers

Most microcontrollers come with built-in hardware timers that can be configured to give precise timing. Here's how to utilize a hardware timer:


        // Example for configuring a hardware timer
        void setup() {
            // Initialize the Timer
            TIMER1.init(); // Hypothetical timer initialization
            TIMER1.setPrescaler(64); // Set prescaler for desired timing
            TIMER1.start(); // Start the timer
        }

        void loop() {
            int elapsedTime = TIMER1.read(); // Read elapsed time
            // Perform actions based on timing
        }

Using Software Timing

If hardware timers are not available, software timing methods can assist in achieving reasonable accuracy.


        // Example of a software timing method
        void delayMicroseconds(uint32_t delay) {
            uint32_t start = micros(); // Get current time in microseconds
            while (micros() - start < delay) {
                // Just wait
            }
        }

Using Interrupts

Using interrupts can help in managing precise timing without blocking the main program flow.


        // Example of using interrupts for timing
        void timerInterrupt() {
            // Code to execute on timer interrupt
        }

        void setup() {
            // Setup timer interrupt
            attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(pin), timerInterrupt, RISING);
        }

How do I measure timing precisely on microcontrollers?

Using Hardware Timers

Using Software Timing

Using Interrupts

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How do I measure timing precisely on microcontrollers?

Using Hardware Timers

Using Software Timing

Using Interrupts

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Popular Topics

Recent Languages