5 Bus Free Time

The Bus Free (BFRE) bit of the I2CxSTAT0 register is used to indicate the status of the bus. Master hardware sets this bit when it detects an idle bus. When BFRE = 1, any master device on the bus can compete for control of the bus. When BFRE = 0, the bus is considered busy, and any attempts by a master to control the bus will cause a collision. The Bus Free Time (BFRET) bits of the I2CxCON1 register are used to select the number of I²C clock pulses that delay the master hardware from setting the BFRE bit after the bus is detected in the idle state. The BFRET bits are used to ensure that module meets the minimum stop hold time defined by the I²C specification.