ADVANCED LOGIC CIRCUITS AND SWITCHING THEORY (CPM113)

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Counters A sequential circuit that goes through a prescribed sequence of states upon the application of input pulses is called a counter. The input pulses, called count pulses, may be clock pulses.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

In a counter, the sequence of states may follow a binary count or any other sequence of states. Counters are found in almost all equipment containing digital logic. They are used for counting the number of occurrences of an event and are useful for generating timing sequences to control operations in a digital system.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Of the various sequences a counter may follow, the straight binary sequence is the simplest and most straight forward. A counter that follows the binary sequence is called a binary counter. An n-bit binary counter consists of n flip-flops and can count in binary from 0 to 2n 1.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Design a 3-bit binary counter whose state diagram is given.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

DESIGN OF COUNTERS
Step 2. Derive the transition table. Use the equation below to determine the number of flipflops to be used in the design of the circuit.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Since there are eight states, the number of flipflops required would be three. Now we want to implement the counter design using JK flipflops. Next step is to develop an excitation table from the state table.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

DESIGN OF COUNTERS
Step 3. Derive the simplified Boolean expression for each flipflop input using Karnaugh map.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

The 1s in the Karnaugh maps are grouped with "don't cares" and the following expressions for the J and K inputs of each flip-flop are obtained:

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Step 4. Construct the sequential circuit. Implement the combinational logic from the equations and connect the flip-flops to form the sequential circuit. The complete logic of a 3-bit binary counter is shown below.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Up/down Counter An up/down counter is one that is capable of progressing in either direction through a certain sequence. It can have any specified sequence of states. It is sometimes called a bidirectional counter.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS
Illustrative Example Design the 3-bit Gray code counter using JK flip-flops. Step 1. State Diagram State Diagram for a 3-bit Gray code counter:

DESIGN OF COUNTERS
Step 2. Next-State Table Next state table for a 3-bit Gray code counter:

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Step 4. Karnaugh Maps Karnaugh maps for present-state J and K inputs for the 3- bit Gray code counter.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

DESIGN OF COUNTERS
Step 5. Logic Expressions for Flip-flop Inputs The next-state J and K outputs for a 3-bit Gray code counter.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS
Step 6: Counter Implementation The hardware diagram of the 3-bit Gray code counter

DESIGN OF COUNTERS

Exercises: 1. Design a mod-5 counter which has the following binary sequence: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. Use JK flip-flops. 2. Design a counter that has the following repeated binary sequence: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Use RS flip-flops.

DESIGN OF COUNTERS
3. Design a counter with the following binary sequence: 1, 2, 5, 7 and repeat. Use JK flipflops. 4. Design a counter with the following repeated binary sequence: 0, 4, 2, 1, 6. Use T flip-flops. 5. Design a counter that counts in the sequence 0, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, using four a) D, b) SR, c) JK and d) T flip-flops.