
Chapter 13 Serial Communications Interface (S12SCIV2) Block Description
Freescale Semiconductor
MC9S12Q128
395
Rev 1.10
If software clears TE while a transmission is in progress (TC = 0), the frame in the transmit shift register
continues to shift out. To avoid accidentally cutting off the last frame in a message, always wait for TDRE
to go high after the last frame before clearing TE.
To separate messages with preambles with minimum idle line time, use this sequence between messages:
1. Write the last byte of the rst message to SCIDRH/L.
2. Wait for the TDRE ag to go high, indicating the transfer of the last frame to the transmit shift
register.
3. Queue a preamble by clearing and then setting the TE bit.
4. Write the rst byte of the second message to SCIDRH/L.
13.4.3.3
Break Characters
Writing a logic 1 to the send break bit, SBK, in SCI control register 2 (SCICR2) loads the transmit shift
register with a break character. A break character contains all logic 0s and has no start, stop, or parity bit.
Break character length depends on the M bit in SCI control register 1 (SCICR1). As long as SBK is at
logic 1, transmitter logic continuously loads break characters into the transmit shift register. After software
clears the SBK bit, the shift register nishes transmitting the last break character and then transmits at least
one logic 1. The automatic logic 1 at the end of a break character guarantees the recognition of the start bit
of the next frame.
The SCI recognizes a break character when a start bit is followed by eight or nine logic 0 data bits and a
logic 0 where the stop bit should be. Receiving a break character has these effects on SCI registers:
Sets the framing error ag, FE
Sets the receive data register full ag, RDRF
Clears the SCI data registers (SCIDRH/L)
May set the overrun ag, OR, noise ag, NF, parity error ag, PE, or the receiver active ag, RAF
13.4.3.4
Idle Characters
An idle character contains all logic 1s and has no start, stop, or parity bit. Idle character length depends on
the M bit in SCI control register 1 (SCICR1). The preamble is a synchronizing idle character that begins
the rst transmission initiated after writing the TE bit from 0 to 1.
If the TE bit is cleared during a transmission, the Tx output signal becomes idle after completion of the
transmission in progress. Clearing and then setting the TE bit during a transmission queues an idle
character to be sent after the frame currently being transmitted.