Electronic timer system, time control and generation of timing signals

A method for generating local precise time of an electronic timer system, said method comprising the steps of:

• continuously generating raw base time, the raw base time being expressed as a set of raw base time bits;
• capturing a raw base time value, denoted tr, in response to an external event such as a trigger pulse;
• calculating, when needed, local precise time, denoted tp, based on the following relation:
• tp=A·tr+B,
• where A and B are configurable parameter values, which control the speed and setting of the local precise time in relation to the raw base time,
• wherein said step of continuously generating raw base time is based on successively incrementing a counter,
• wherein said step of capturing a raw base time value includes the step of copying the contents of the counter into a counter register in response to the external event,
• wherein said parameter values A and B are held in parameter registers,
• wherein said counter register and said parameter registers are read to access the corresponding register values for calculating local precise time of the timer system,
• wherein said continuously generated raw base time is maintained in said incrementing counter for a first portion of the set of raw base time bits of the raw base time in combination with a continuation of the raw base time for a remaining portion of the set of raw base time bits in a memory of an associated processor,
• wherein said continuation of the raw base time in the processor memory is updated when the counter wraps around, and
• wherein said register value of the counter register is read and delivered together with its continuation from the processor memory as a raw base time stamp for translation into local precise time.

A method for generating a precisely timed output signal, said method comprising the steps of:

• continuously generating raw base time, the raw base time being expressed as a set of raw base time bits;
• defining a precise time, denoted tp, of a desired timing event for the output signal;
• calculating a coincidence value as a corresponding raw base time value, denoted tr, based on the following relation:
• tr=(tp−B)/A,
• where A and B are configurable parameter values, which control the speed and setting of the local precise time in relation to the raw base time;
• and
• generating the timed output signal when a value of the continuously generated raw time base is equal to the calculated coincidence value,
• wherein said step of continuously generating raw base time is based on successively incrementing a counter,
• wherein said continuously generated raw base time is maintained in said incrementing counter for a first portion of the set of raw base time bits of the raw base time in combination with a continuation of the raw base time for a remaining portion of the set of raw base time bits in a memory of an associated processor,
• wherein said continuation of the raw base time in the processor memory is regularly updated when the counter wraps around,
• wherein a number of the bits of the coincidence value, corresponding in number and position to the first portion of the set of raw base time bits of the raw base time in the counter, are loaded into a coincidence register, and continually compared to the incrementing value of the counter,
• wherein an output transition of the timed output signal is produced when both the value of the counter is equal to the value of the coincidence register and the continuation of the raw base time in the processor memory is equal to the continuation of the calculated coincidence value.