PIC16F87XA Datasheet, PDF (123/234 Pages) Microchip Technology – 28/40/44-Pin Enhanced Flash Microcontrollers

10.3 USART Synchronous
Master Mode
In Synchronous Master mode, the data is transmitted in
a half-duplex manner (i.e., transmission and reception
do not occur at the same time). When transmitting data,
the reception is inhibited and vice versa. Synchronous
mode is entered by setting bit, SYNC (TXSTA<4>). In
addition, enable bit, SPEN (RCSTA<7>), is set in order
to configure the RC6/TX/CK and RC7/RX/DT I/O pins
to CK (clock) and DT (data) lines, respectively. The
Master mode indicates that the processor transmits the
master clock on the CK line. The Master mode is
entered by setting bit, CSRC (TXSTA<7>).
10.3.1 USART SYNCHRONOUS MASTER
TRANSMISSION
The USART transmitter block diagram is shown in
Figure 10-6. The heart of the transmitter is the Transmit
(Serial) Shift Register (TSR). The shift register obtains
its data from the Read/Write Transmit Buffer register,
TXREG. The TXREG register is loaded with data in
software. The TSR register is not loaded until the last
bit has been transmitted from the previous load. As
soon as the last bit is transmitted, the TSR is loaded
with new data from the TXREG (if available). Once the
TXREG register transfers the data to the TSR register
(occurs in one TCYCLE), the TXREG is empty and inter-
rupt bit, TXIF (PIR1<4>), is set. The interrupt can be
enabled/disabled by setting/clearing enable bit TXIE
(PIE1<4>). Flag bit TXIF will be set regardless of the
state of enable bit TXIE and cannot be cleared in soft-
ware. It will reset only when new data is loaded into the
TXREG register. While flag bit TXIF indicates the status
of the TXREG register, another bit, TRMT (TXSTA<1>),
shows the status of the TSR register. TRMT is a read-
only bit which is set when the TSR is empty. No inter-
rupt logic is tied to this bit so the user has to poll this bit
in order to determine if the TSR register is empty. The
TSR is not mapped in data memory so it is not available
to the user.
Transmission is enabled by setting enable bit, TXEN
(TXSTA<5>). The actual transmission will not occur
until the TXREG register has been loaded with data.
The first data bit will be shifted out on the next available
rising edge of the clock on the CK line. Data out is
stable around the falling edge of the synchronous clock
(Figure 10-9). The transmission can also be started by
first loading the TXREG register and then setting bit
TXEN (Figure 10-10). This is advantageous when slow
baud rates are selected since the BRG is kept in Reset
when bits TXEN, CREN and SREN are clear. Setting
enable bit TXEN will start the BRG, creating a shift
clock immediately. Normally, when transmission is first
started, the TSR register is empty so a transfer to the
TXREG register will result in an immediate transfer to
TSR, resulting in an empty TXREG. Back-to-back
transfers are possible.
PIC16F87XA
Clearing enable bit TXEN during a transmission will
cause the transmission to be aborted and will reset the
transmitter. The DT and CK pins will revert to high-
impedance. If either bit CREN or bit SREN is set during
a transmission, the transmission is aborted and the DT
pin reverts to a high-impedance state (for a reception).
The CK pin will remain an output if bit CSRC is set
(internal clock). The transmitter logic, however, is not
reset, although it is disconnected from the pins. In order
to reset the transmitter, the user has to clear bit TXEN.
If bit SREN is set (to interrupt an on-going transmission
and receive a single word), then after the single word is
received, bit SREN will be cleared and the serial port
will revert back to transmitting since bit TXEN is still set.
The DT line will immediately switch from High-
Impedance Receive mode to transmit and start driving.
To avoid this, bit TXEN should be cleared.
In order to select 9-bit transmission, the TX9
(TXSTA<6>) bit should be set and the ninth bit should
be written to bit TX9D (TXSTA<0>). The ninth bit must
be written before writing the 8-bit data to the TXREG
register. This is because a data write to the TXREG can
result in an immediate transfer of the data to the TSR
register (if the TSR is empty). If the TSR was empty and
the TXREG was written before writing the “new” TX9D,
the “present” value of bit TX9D is loaded.
Steps to follow when setting up a Synchronous Master
Transmission:
1. Initialize the SPBRG register for the appropriate
baud rate (Section 10.1 “USART Baud Rate
Generator (BRG)”).
2. Enable the synchronous master serial port by
setting bits SYNC, SPEN and CSRC.
3. If interrupts are desired, set enable bit TXIE.
4. If 9-bit transmission is desired, set bit TX9.
5. Enable the transmission by setting bit TXEN.
6. If 9-bit transmission is selected, the ninth bit
should be loaded in bit TX9D.
7. Start transmission by loading data to the TXREG
register.
8. If using interrupts, ensure that GIE and PEIE
(bits 7 and 6) of the INTCON register are set.
 2003 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS39582B-page 121