Apparatus for changing pulse width modulation at desired timing

1. A device for generating a pulse signal, comprising:

at least one first register which stores waveform data therein;

a pulse signal generation unit which generates a pulse signal in accordance with the waveform data stored in said first register;

a control unit which is connected to a bus and is controlled by control signals supplied from the bus; and

a signal line which is separate from and independent of the bus and is connected to said control unit, wherein said control unit fetches update data for said first register from said bus based on said control signals and updates the waveform data of said first register with the update data in response to a signal externally supplied through said signal line, said update data comprising data corresponding to a period of the pulse signal and data corresponding to a duty ratio of the pulse signal.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said control unit includes:

a second register; and

a controller which stores new waveform data in said second register in accordance with the control signals supplied from the bus, and transfers the new waveform data from said second register to said first register in response to the signal that is externally supplied through said signal line.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first register is connected to the bus, and is capable of storing therein waveform data that is supplied directly from the bus.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the waveform data stored in said first register includes data of a pulse-signal cycle and data of a duty ratio.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said second register is a register queue that stores therein a plurality of pieces of waveform data corresponding to a plurality of updatings of the waveform data stored in said first register.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said register queue is a set of registers having respective addresses assigned thereto.

7. A device for generating a pulse signal, comprising;

a CPU;

a bus;

a control unit which is connected to said bus, and is controlled by signals from said CPU;

a signal line which is separate from and independent of said bus, and is connected to said control unit;

a first register which stores therein waveform data;

a pulse-signal generation unit which generates a pulse signal in accordance with the waveform data stored in said first register, wherein said control unit fetches update data for said first register from said bus responsive to said signals from said CPU and updates the waveform data of said first register with the update data in response to a signal externally supplied through said signal line, said update data comprising data corresponding to a period of the pulse signal and data corresponding to a duty ratio of the pulse signal.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein said control unit includes:

a second register; and

a controller which stores new waveform data in said second register according to control by said CPU, and transfers the new waveform data from said second register to said first register in response to the signal supplied through said signal line.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said signal line is further connected to said CPU as an interruption signal line.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said CPU controls said controller to store the new waveform data in said second register in response to an interruption signal supplied through the interruption signal line.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said second register is a register queue that stores a plurality of waveform data corresponding to predetermined pulse signals and transfers one of said plurality of waveform data as the new waveform data to the first register successively in response to the interruption signal.