STM32 TIM+GPIO unexpected phase shift (HAL library) - timer

Question

I use STM32F405RGT6.
To exchange data between MCU and sensor I need 2 wires: clock wire and signal synchronized with my clock.
Using timer in output compare (OC) mode with update interruptions seems the most suitable solution. But there is a thing, which I can't understand.
I have configured TIM3 to work in OC mode with PB8 pin, which is toggled in the middle of the period.
Timer cause an interruption at every update. Handler of this interruption toggles another pin (PB4).
So I expect to have on my wires the same signals with phase shift in a half of period. It's all right when TIM3 period takes 240ms, but I have significant delay at shorter periods, until synchronization totally fails at period 1μs. TIM3 uses 84MHz APB1 source. Prescaler: /1.
main.c code:
/* Includes ------------------------------------------------------------------*/
#include "main.h"
#include "stm32f4xx_hal.h"
/* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */
/* USER CODE END Includes */
/* Private variables ---------------------------------------------------------*/
RTC_HandleTypeDef hrtc;
TIM_HandleTypeDef htim4;
/* USER CODE BEGIN PV */
/* Private variables ---------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE END PV */
/* Private function prototypes -----------------------------------------------*/
void SystemClock_Config(void);
void Error_Handler(void);
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void);
static void MX_TIM4_Init(void);
static void MX_RTC_Init(void);
void HAL_TIM_MspPostInit(TIM_HandleTypeDef *htim);
/* USER CODE BEGIN PFP */
/* Private function prototypes -----------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE END PFP */
/* USER CODE BEGIN 0 */
/* USER CODE END 0 */
int main(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN 1 */
/* USER CODE END 1 */
/* MCU Configuration----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* Reset of all peripherals, Initializes the Flash interface and the Systick. */
HAL_Init();
/* Configure the system clock */
SystemClock_Config();
/* Initialize all configured peripherals */
MX_GPIO_Init();
MX_TIM4_Init();
MX_RTC_Init();
/* USER CODE BEGIN 2 */
__HAL_TIM_ENABLE_IT(&htim4, TIM_IT_UPDATE);
HAL_TIM_OC_Start(&htim4, TIM_CHANNEL_3);
/* USER CODE END 2 */
/* Infinite loop */
/* USER CODE BEGIN WHILE */
while (1)
{
/* USER CODE END WHILE */
/* USER CODE BEGIN 3 */
}
/* USER CODE END 3 */
}
/** System Clock Configuration
*/
void SystemClock_Config(void)
{
RCC_OscInitTypeDef RCC_OscInitStruct;
RCC_ClkInitTypeDef RCC_ClkInitStruct;
RCC_PeriphCLKInitTypeDef PeriphClkInitStruct;
/**Configure the main internal regulator output voltage
*/
__HAL_RCC_PWR_CLK_ENABLE();
__HAL_PWR_VOLTAGESCALING_CONFIG(PWR_REGULATOR_VOLTAGE_SCALE1);
/**Initializes the CPU, AHB and APB busses clocks
*/
RCC_OscInitStruct.OscillatorType = RCC_OSCILLATORTYPE_LSI|RCC_OSCILLATORTYPE_HSE;
RCC_OscInitStruct.HSEState = RCC_HSE_ON;
RCC_OscInitStruct.LSIState = RCC_LSI_ON;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLState = RCC_PLL_ON;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLSource = RCC_PLLSOURCE_HSE;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLM = 16;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLN = 224;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLP = RCC_PLLP_DIV2;
RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLQ = 4;
if (HAL_RCC_OscConfig(&RCC_OscInitStruct) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
/**Initializes the CPU, AHB and APB busses clocks
*/
RCC_ClkInitStruct.ClockType = RCC_CLOCKTYPE_HCLK|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_SYSCLK
|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK1|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK2;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.SYSCLKSource = RCC_SYSCLKSOURCE_PLLCLK;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.AHBCLKDivider = RCC_SYSCLK_DIV1;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB1CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV4;
RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB2CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV2;
if (HAL_RCC_ClockConfig(&RCC_ClkInitStruct, FLASH_LATENCY_5) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
PeriphClkInitStruct.PeriphClockSelection = RCC_PERIPHCLK_RTC;
PeriphClkInitStruct.RTCClockSelection = RCC_RTCCLKSOURCE_LSI;
if (HAL_RCCEx_PeriphCLKConfig(&PeriphClkInitStruct) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
/**Configure the Systick interrupt time
*/
HAL_SYSTICK_Config(HAL_RCC_GetHCLKFreq()/1000);
/**Configure the Systick
*/
HAL_SYSTICK_CLKSourceConfig(SYSTICK_CLKSOURCE_HCLK);
/* SysTick_IRQn interrupt configuration */
HAL_NVIC_SetPriority(SysTick_IRQn, 0, 0);
}
/* RTC init function */
static void MX_RTC_Init(void)
{
/**Initialize RTC Only
*/
hrtc.Instance = RTC;
hrtc.Init.HourFormat = RTC_HOURFORMAT_24;
hrtc.Init.AsynchPrediv = 127;
hrtc.Init.SynchPrediv = 255;
hrtc.Init.OutPut = RTC_OUTPUT_DISABLE;
hrtc.Init.OutPutPolarity = RTC_OUTPUT_POLARITY_HIGH;
hrtc.Init.OutPutType = RTC_OUTPUT_TYPE_OPENDRAIN;
if (HAL_RTC_Init(&hrtc) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
}
/* TIM4 init function */
static void MX_TIM4_Init(void)
{
TIM_MasterConfigTypeDef sMasterConfig;
TIM_OC_InitTypeDef sConfigOC;
htim4.Instance = TIM4;
htim4.Init.Prescaler = 0;
htim4.Init.CounterMode = TIM_COUNTERMODE_UP;
htim4.Init.Period = 99;
htim4.Init.ClockDivision = TIM_CLOCKDIVISION_DIV1;
if (HAL_TIM_OC_Init(&htim4) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
sMasterConfig.MasterOutputTrigger = TIM_TRGO_RESET;
sMasterConfig.MasterSlaveMode = TIM_MASTERSLAVEMODE_DISABLE;
if (HAL_TIMEx_MasterConfigSynchronization(&htim4, &sMasterConfig) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
sConfigOC.OCMode = TIM_OCMODE_TOGGLE;
sConfigOC.Pulse = 49;
sConfigOC.OCPolarity = TIM_OCPOLARITY_HIGH;
sConfigOC.OCFastMode = TIM_OCFAST_ENABLE;
if (HAL_TIM_OC_ConfigChannel(&htim4, &sConfigOC, TIM_CHANNEL_3) != HAL_OK)
{
Error_Handler();
}
HAL_TIM_MspPostInit(&htim4);
}
/** Configure pins as
* Analog
* Input
* Output
* EVENT_OUT
* EXTI
*/
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void)
{
GPIO_InitTypeDef GPIO_InitStruct;
/* GPIO Ports Clock Enable */
__HAL_RCC_GPIOH_CLK_ENABLE();
__HAL_RCC_GPIOB_CLK_ENABLE();
/*Configure GPIO pin Output Level */
HAL_GPIO_WritePin(GPIOB, GPIO_PIN_4, GPIO_PIN_RESET);
/*Configure GPIO pin : PB4 */
GPIO_InitStruct.Pin = GPIO_PIN_4;
GPIO_InitStruct.Mode = GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT_PP;
GPIO_InitStruct.Pull = GPIO_NOPULL;
GPIO_InitStruct.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_VERY_HIGH;
HAL_GPIO_Init(GPIOB, &GPIO_InitStruct);
}
/* USER CODE BEGIN 4 */
/* USER CODE END 4 */
/**
* #brief Period elapsed callback in non blocking mode
* #note This function is called when TIM1 interrupt took place, inside
* HAL_TIM_IRQHandler(). It makes a direct call to HAL_IncTick() to increment
* a global variable "uwTick" used as application time base.
* #param htim : TIM handle
* #retval None
*/
void HAL_TIM_PeriodElapsedCallback(TIM_HandleTypeDef *htim)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN Callback 0 */
/* USER CODE END Callback 0 */
if (htim->Instance == TIM1) {
HAL_IncTick();
}
/* USER CODE BEGIN Callback 1 */
else if (htim->Instance == TIM4)
{
HAL_GPIO_TogglePin(GPIOB, GPIO_PIN_4);
}
/* USER CODE END Callback 1 */
}
/**
* #brief This function is executed in case of error occurrence.
* #param None
* #retval None
*/
void Error_Handler(void)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN Error_Handler */
/* User can add his own implementation to report the HAL error return state */
while(1)
{
}
/* USER CODE END Error_Handler */
}
#ifdef USE_FULL_ASSERT
/**
* #brief Reports the name of the source file and the source line number
* where the assert_param error has occurred.
* #param file: pointer to the source file name
* #param line: assert_param error line source number
* #retval None
*/
void assert_failed(uint8_t* file, uint32_t line)
{
/* USER CODE BEGIN 6 */
/* User can add his own implementation to report the file name and line number,
ex: printf("Wrong parameters value: file %s on line %d\r\n", file, line) */
/* USER CODE END 6 */
}
#endif
Here is my clock configuration.
clock_conf
TIM3 uses 84MHz APB1 bus, so its minimum period is less than 50ns.
The waveforms at different periods (1 count means 12ns, yellow is for PB4 signal, blue for PB8 - OC):1 20000 counts 2 2000 counts 3 1500 counts 4 1000 counts 5 400 counts 6 200 counts 7 100 counts
Why I can't reach correct synchronization at such rates? MCU, timer and GPIO work at sufficient frequency.
Sorry for my English, it's not my native language.

Answer 1

It's the overhead from the HAL libraries.
Toggling a pin in a timer interrupt would be 2 lines of code
/*
* EDIT
*
* Resetting the status register in the very last statement of an interrupt
* handler might not reach the interrupt controller in time, and the handler
* would be invoked once again. Swapping the two lines would solve it.
*
* wrong order:
*
* void TIM4_IRQHandler() {
* GPIOB->ODR |= (1 << 4);
* TIM4->SR = 0;
* }
*
* right order:
*/
void TIM4_IRQHandler() {
TIM4->SR = 0;
GPIOB->ODR |= (1 << 4);
}
Now look at what an interrupt handler calling HAL is doing.
Loads a handle, and passes it to HAL_TIM_IRQHandler().
HAL_TIM_IRQHandler() retrieves the UART base address from the structure pointed to by the handle.
Loads the timer status register to check if there is a channel 1 capture/compare event. There isn't.
Reloads the timer status register to check if there is a channel 2 capture/compare event. There isn't.
Reloads the timer status register to check if there is a channel 3 capture/compare event. There is one, because the channel is in output compare mode
Reloads the timer status register to check if channel 3 capture/compare interrupt is enabled. It isn't.
Reloads the timer status register to check if there is a channel 4 capture/compare event. There isn't.
Reloads the timer status register to check if there is an update event. Yes there is.
Reloads the timer status register to check if the update interrupt is enabled. It is.
Clears SR.
Calls the callback function.
The callback loads the UART base address from the structure pointed by the handle.
Checks if the interrupt is coming from TIM1. It isn't.
Checks if the interrupt is coming from TIM4. It is.
Finally it calls a function to toggle the pin.
Then it returns to the HAL handler, which checks for 3 more events, which are not even possible on TIM4, reloading the status register for each check.
The MCU was designed with efficient interrupt handling in mind, but using HAL negates this advantage, along with the programmers knowledge of the actual features used. The MCU has an interrupt vector dedicated to each peripheral, but the HAL has a common handler for all timers, which accesses the peripheral through double indirection (pointer to a structure which has a pointer to the registers, and can't be const), making it impossible for a compiler to optimize away the walking through the pointers. You know that only the update interrupt is enabled, but HAL checks all 8 possible events.