
MAXQ612/MAXQ622 User’s Guide
Maxim Integrated 3-19
the watchdog timer is reset (RWT bit written to 1) before the timeout period expires, the timer starts over. Hardware
automatically clears RWT after software sets it.
If the timeout is reached without RWT being set, hardware generates a watchdog interrupt if the interrupt source has
been enabled. If no further action is taken to prevent a watchdog reset, in the 512 system clock cycles following the
timeout, hardware can reset the CPU if EWT = 1. When the reset occurs, the watchdog timer reset flag (WTRF =
WDCN.2) is automatically set to indicate the cause of the reset, however, software must clear this bit manually.
The watchdog interrupt is also available for applications that do not need a true watchdog reset, but simply a very
long timer. The interrupt is enabled using the enable watchdog timer interrupt (EWDI = WDCN.6) bit. When the timeout
occurs, the watchdog timer sets the WDIF bit (WDCN.3), and an interrupt occurs if the interrupt global enable (IGE
= IC.0) is set and either 1) the interrupt priority status (IPS[1:0]) bits are set to 11b (idle), or 2) the watchdog timer
interrupt is configured to higher priority than an interrupt currently being serviced. Note that WDIF is set 512 system
clocks before a potential watchdog reset. The watchdog interrupt flag indicates the source of the interrupt, and must
be cleared by software.
Using the watchdog interrupt during software development can allow the user to select ideal watchdog reset locations.
Code is first developed without enabling the watchdog interrupt or reset functions. Once the program is complete,
the watchdog interrupt function is enabled to identify the required locations in code to set the RWT (WDCN.0) bit.
Incrementally adding instructions to reset the watchdog timer prior to each address location (identified by the watch-
dog interrupt) allows the code to eventually run without receiving a watchdog interrupt. At this point the watchdog timer
reset can be enabled without the potential of generating unwanted resets. At the same time the watchdog interrupt can
also be disabled. Proper use of the watchdog interrupt with the watchdog reset allows interrupt software to survey the
system for errant conditions.
When using the watchdog timer as a system monitor, the watchdog reset function should be used. If the interrupt func-
tion were solely used, the purpose of the watchdog would be defeated. For example, assume the system is execut-
ing errant code prior to the watchdog interrupt. The interrupt would temporarily force the system back into control by
vectoring the CPU to the interrupt service routine. Restarting the watchdog and exiting by an RETI or RET would return
Figure 3-1. Watchdog Timer Block Diagram
SYSTEM CLOCK
MODE
TIMEOUT
SELECTOR
WD1
HFXOUT
HFXIN
WD0
DIVIDE BY
2
15
DIVIDE BY
2
3
2
15
2
18
2
21
2
24
DIVIDE BY
2
3
WDIF
(WDCN.3)
WTRF
(WDCN.2)
WATCHDOG
INTERRUPT
EWT (WDCN.1)
(ENABLE WATCHDOG TIMER RESET)
EWDI (WDCN.6)
(ENABLE WATCHDOG INTERRUPT)
512 SYSCLK
DELAY
DIVIDE BY
2
3
RWT (WDCN.0)
(RESET WATCHDOG)
TIMEOUT
RESET
MAXQ612
MAXQ622
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