Output 2 PWM waveforms with 90 degree phase shift

Question

So far, I was able to get two outputs at the correct resolution (35 kHz-75 kHz at a resolution no worse than 0.7 kHz) using the code below. I'm wondering, now, how I can get a phase shift between the two PWM outputs (which both use the 16-bit Timer1 and ICR1).

I tried writing the line TCNT1 += 1/freq/4; in between the last and second to last lines of code (OCR1A=... and OCR1B =...), but this did nothing.

//set port B to output 
DDRB |= 0xFF; 

// wgm mode 1110 (fast pwm w/ TOP = ICR1
TCCR1A |= 1<<WGM11; 
TCCR1B |= 1<<WGM12 | 1<<WGM13; 

//set OC1/A and OC1B on compare match w/ ICR1 , clear them at bottom
TCCR1A |= 1<<COM1A1 | 1<<COM1A0; 
TCCR1A |= 1<<COM1B1 | 1<<COM1B0; 

//pre-scaler = 1
TCCR1B |= 1<<CS10; 

ICR1 = 16000000/freq; // input compare value = (clock freq) / (desired freq)

// 50% duty cycle on OCR1A/B
OCR1A  = ICR1/2;
//TCNT1 += 1/freq/4; //this line did not do anything
OCR1B = ICR1/2;

Answer 1

If your application only requires waveforms with 50% duty cycle, then you can use the toggle compare output modes to generate a pair of signals with adjustable phase shift between them.

The toggle modes will toggle their respective output each time there is a compare match, so by adjusting the 2 output compare registers relative to each other, you change the phase relationship. You adjust the frequency of both signals together by changing the TOP for the counter.

Make sense?

Here is some demo code for an Arduino Uno. It will output 50KHz square waves on Arduino Pins 9 & 10, and cycle though phase shifts of 0, 90, and 180 degrees - pausing on each for one second.

// This code demonstrates how to generate two output signals
// with variable phase shift between them using an AVR Timer 

// The output shows up on Arduino pin 9, 10

// More AVR Timer Tricks at http://josh.com

void setup() {
  pinMode( 9 , OUTPUT );    // Arduino Pin  9 = OCR1A
  pinMode( 10 , OUTPUT );   // Arduino Pin 10 = OCR1B

  // Both outputs in toggle mode  
  TCCR1A = _BV( COM1A0 ) |_BV( COM1B0 );


  // CTC Waveform Generation Mode
  // TOP=ICR1  
  // Note clock is left off for now

  TCCR1B = _BV( WGM13) | _BV( WGM12);

  OCR1A = 0;    // First output is the base, it always toggles at 0


}

// prescaler of 1 will get us 8MHz - 488Hz
// User a higher prescaler for lower freqncies

#define PRESCALER 1
#define PRESCALER_BITS 0x01

#define CLK 16000000UL    // Default clock speed is 16MHz on Arduino Uno

// Output phase shifted wave forms on Arduino Pins 9 & 10
// freq = freqnecy in Hertz (  122 < freq <8000000 )
// shift = phase shift in degrees ( 0 <= shift < 180 )

// Do do shifts 180-360 degrees, you could invert the OCR1B by doing an extra toggle using FOC

/// Note phase shifts will be rounded down to the next neared possible value so the higher the frequency, the less phase shift resolution you get. At 8Mhz, you can only have 0 or 180 degrees because there are only 2 clock ticks per cycle.  

int setWaveforms( unsigned long freq , int shift ) {

  // This assumes prescaler = 1. For lower freqnecies, use a larger prescaler.

  unsigned long clocks_per_toggle = (CLK / freq) / 2;    // /2 becuase it takes 2 toggles to make a full wave

  ICR1 = clocks_per_toggle;

  unsigned long offset_clocks = (clocks_per_toggle * shift) / 180UL; // Do mult first to save precision

  OCR1B= offset_clocks;

  // Turn on timer now if is was not already on
  // Clock source = clkio/1 (no prescaling)
  // Note: you could use a prescaller here for lower freqnencies
  TCCR1B |= _BV( CS10 ); 

}

// Demo by cycling through some phase shifts at 50Khz  

void loop() {

  setWaveforms( 50000 , 0 );

  delay(1000); 

  setWaveforms( 50000 , 90 );

  delay(1000); 

  setWaveforms( 50000 , 180 );

  delay(1000); 


}

Here are some scope traces of the 0, 90, and 180 degree shifts respectively...

Answer 2

You can't have a phase shift between multiple signals in PWM mode using a single timer. Each shift will have to be on a separate timer, and you will need to offset each counter the appropriate amount.

Answer 3

This code is still not entirely correct -- the phase shift gets more and more messed up as frequency decreases, and I'll also have to add in a pre-scaler for anything below 62 kHz -- but at 75 kHz, it works!

I guess now the question is not "How do I get a delay between the two PWMs?" but rather, "How do I get the delay to scale with the frequency?"

int main ()   
{
  //************************* Timer 0 *********************************

    // wgm mode 111 (fast pwm w/ TOP = OCRA)
TCCR0A |=  1<<WGM00 | 1<<WGM01; 
TCCR0B |= 1<<WGM02; 

    //set COM0x1 (non-inverting mode)
    TCCR0A |=  1<<COM0A1 ; 
    TCCR0A |=  1<<COM0B1 ; 

    //pre-scaler = 1
    TCCR0B |=  1<<CS00; 




    // arbitrary frequency
OCR0A  = 220; //counts until TCNT = OCR0A then resets
    OCR0B = OCR0A/2; //on until TCNT = OCR0B then off

     // turn on pin D5
    DDRD |= 1<<PIND5;

   TCNT2 += OCR0A/4 ; //add a 90 degree delay to TCNT2... or something like that

//**************************** Timer 2 ****************************************
    // wgm mode 111 (phase-corrected pwm w/ TOP = OCRA)
TCCR2A |=  1<<WGM20 | 1<<WGM21; 
TCCR2B |= 1<<WGM22; 

    //set COM0x1 (non-inverting mode)
    TCCR2A |=  1<<COM2A1 ; 
    TCCR2A |=  1<<COM2B1 ; 

    //pre-scaler = 1
    TCCR2B |=  1<<CS20; 




    // same frequency as above pwm on timer 0
OCR2A  = OCR0A; 
    OCR2B = OCR2A/2;



     // turn on pin D3
    DDRD |= 1<<PIND3;
    }