UM10360 All information provided in this document is subject to legal disclaimers. © NXP B.V. 2013. All rights reserved.
User manual Rev. 3 — 19 December 2013  511 of 841
NXP Semiconductors
UM10360
Chapter 24: LPC176x/5x Pulse Width Modulator (PWM)
24.3 Description
The PWM is based on the standard Timer block and inherits all of its features, although 
only the PWM function is pinned out on the LPC176x/5x. The Timer is designed to count 
cycles of the peripheral clock (PCLK) and optionally generate interrupts or perform other 
actions when specified timer values occur, based on seven match registers. The PWM 
function is in addition to these features, and is based on match register events.
The ability to separately control rising and falling edge locations allows the PWM to be 
used for more applications. For instance, multi-phase motor control typically requires 
three non-overlapping PWM outputs with individual control of all three pulse widths and 
positions.
Two match registers can be used to provide a single edge controlled PWM output. One 
match register (PWMMR0) controls the PWM cycle rate, by resetting the count upon 
match. The other match register controls the PWM edge position. Additional single edge 
controlled PWM outputs require only one match register each, since the repetition rate is 
the same for all PWM outputs. Multiple single edge controlled PWM outputs will all have a 
rising edge at the beginning of each PWM cycle, when an PWMMR0 match occurs.
Three match registers can be used to provide a PWM output with both edges controlled. 
Again, the PWMMR0 match register controls the PWM cycle rate. The other match 
registers control the two PWM edge positions. Additional double edge controlled PWM 
outputs require only two match registers each, since the repetition rate is the same for all 
PWM outputs.
With double edge controlled PWM outputs, specific match registers control the rising and 
falling edge of the output. This allows both positive going PWM pulses (when the rising 
edge occurs prior to the falling edge), and negative going PWM pulses (when the falling 
edge occurs prior to the rising edge).
Figure 119
 shows the block diagram of the PWM. The portions that have been added to 
the standard timer block are on the right hand side and at the top of the diagram.