Watchdog Timer
178 October 8, 2006
Preliminary
10.2 Functional Description
The Watchdog Timer module consists of a 32-bit down counter, a programmable load register,
interrupt generation logic, and a locking register. Once the Watchdog Timer has been configured,
the W atc hdog Timer Lock (WDTLOCK) re gist er i s writ ten, wh ich prev en ts the ti mer conf igu rat ion
from being inadve r tentl y altered by so ftware.
The Watchdog Timer module generates the first time-out signal when the 32-bit counter reaches
the zero state after being enabled; enabling the counter also enables the watchdog timer interrupt.
After the first time-out event, the 32-bit counter is re-loaded with the value of the W atchdog T imer
Load (WDTLOAD) register, and the timer resumes counting down from that value.
If the timer counts down to its zero state again before the first time-out interrupt is cleared, and the
reset signal has been enabled (via the
WatchdogResetEnable function), the Watchdog timer
asserts its reset signal to the system. If the interrupt is cleared before the 32-bit counter reaches its
second time-out, the 32-bit counter is loaded with the value in the WDTLOAD register, and
counting resumes from that value.
If WDTLOAD is written with a new value while the Watchdog Timer counter is counting, then the
counter is loaded with the new value and continues counting.
Writing to WDTLOAD does not clear an active interrupt. An interrupt must be specifically cleared
by writing to the Watchdog Interrupt Clear (WDTICR) regis t er.
The Watchdog module interrupt and reset generation can be enabled or disabled as required.
When the interrupt is re-enabled, the 32-bit counter is preloaded with the load register value and
not its last state.
10.3 Initialization and Configuration
To use the WDT, its peripheral clock must be enabled by setting the WDT bit in the RCGC0 register.
The Watchdog Timer is configured using the following sequence:
1. Load the WDTLOAD register with the desired timer load value.
2. If the Watchdog is configured to trigger system resets, set the RESEN bit in the WDTCTL
register.
3. Set the INTEN bit in the WDTCTL register to enable the Watchdog and lock the control
register.
If software requires that all of the watchdog registers are locked, the Watchdog Timer module can
be fully locked by writing any value to the WDTLOCK register. To unlock the Watchdog Timer,
write a value of 0x1ACCE551.
10.4 Register Map
Table 10-1 lists the Watchdog registers. The offset listed is a hexadecimal increment to the
register’s address, relative to the Watchdog Timer base address of 0x40000000.
Table 10-1. WDT Register Map
Offset Name Reset Type Description
See
page
0x000 WDTLOAD 0xFFFFFFFF R/W Load 180
0x004 WDTVALUE 0 xFFFFFFFF RO Current value 181
0x008 WDTCTL 0x00000000 R/W Control 182
