18.6.3.3 Clock/Calendar (Mode 2)

When CTRL.MODE is two, the counter operates in Clock/Calendar mode, as shown in Figure 18-3. When the RTC is enabled, the counter will increment on every 0-to-1 transition of CLK_RTC_CNT. The selected clock source and RTC prescaler must be configured to provide a 1Hz clock to the counter for correct operation in this mode.

The time and date can be read from or written to the Clock Value register (CLOCK) in a 32-bit time/date format. Time is represented as:

  • Seconds
  • Minutes
  • Hours

Hours can be represented in either 12- or 24-hour format, selected by the Clock Representation bit in the Control register (CTRL.CLKREP). This bit can be changed only while the RTC is disabled.

Date is represented as:

  • Day as the numeric day of the month (starting at 1)
  • Month as the numeric month of the year (1 = January, 2 = February, etc.)
  • Year as a value counting the offset from a reference value that must be defined in software

The date is automatically adjusted for leap years, assuming every year divisible by 4 is a leap year. Therefore, the reference value must be a leap year, e.g. 2000. The RTC will increment until it reaches the top value of 23:59:59 December 31st of year 63, and then wrap to 00:00:00 January 1st of year 0. This will set the Overflow interrupt flag in the Interrupt Flag Status and Clear registers (INTFLAG.OVF).

The clock value is continuously compared with the 32-bit Alarm register (ALARM). When an alarm match occurs, the Alarm Interrupt flag in the Interrupt Flag Status and Clear registers (INTFLAG.ALARMn0) is set on the next 0-to-1 transition of CLK_RTC_CNT. E.g. For a 1Hz clock counter, it means the Alarm 0 Interrupt flag is set with a delay of 1s after the occurrence of alarm match. A valid alarm match depends on the setting of the Alarm Mask Selection bits in the Alarm

A valid alarm match depends on the setting of the Alarm Mask Selection bits in the Alarm Mask register (MASK.SEL). These bits determine which time/date fields of the clock and alarm values are valid for comparison and which are ignored.

If the Clear on Match bit in the Control register (CTRL.MATCHCLR) is one, the counter is cleared on the next counter cycle when an alarm match with ALARM occurs. This allows the RTC to generate periodic interrupts or events with longer periods than are possible with the prescaler events (see 18.6.9.1 Periodic Events). Note that when CTRL.MATCHCLR is '1', INTFLAG.ALARM0 and INTFLAG.OVF will both be set simultaneously on an alarm match with ALARM.