Positive and Negative Logic

Introduction
What does it mean that the following is an AND gate?
a

g
-

e
t

g
.

3
(
f
i

e
t

The truth table shows that the output is 1 only when both inputs are 1, but this is
the logical operation. You can't write "1" on a piece of paper and try to stuff it into
the pins on the side of the IC.
The gate of course accepts inputs and produces outputs in terms of voltage
xy
levels. The truth table on the right shows the behavior you might expect from
an AND gate. L stands for low voltage (0-.4 volts) and H stands for high voltage L L
(2.8-5 volts). (The precise range is determined by the logic family the gate
LH
comes from.)
The table on the right describes an AND gate if you interpret L as logical 0 and H L
H as logical 1. However, there is no reason you can't assume the opposite
assignment--that is L is logical 1 and H is logical 0.
The freedom to interpret voltage levels leads to two two types of logic circuits: H H
positive logic and negative logic.
The table below shows the two assignments that define positive and negative
logic systems.
Positive Logic

Negative Logic

H=1

H=0

L=0

L=1

The logical interpretation of a gate depends on whether positive or negative logic

is assumed. For example:
Gate
Behavior

Positive
Logic

Negative
Logic

XY

XY

AND

XY

OR

LL

00

11

LH

01

10

HL

10

01

HH

11

00

output
L
L
L
H

The key to understanding the concept of positve and negative logic is to

recognize the difference between a logical Boolean operation and a physical
implementation. Gates are physical implementation.
A logical operation has two different implementations depending on if positive or
negative logic is used:
lo

g ic

l-p

ic a

l.g

if(1

8b

te

A physical gate has two different interpretations depending on if positive or

negative logic is used:

hy

ic

l-o

ic a

l.g

if(2

5b

te

Positive logic inputs and outputs are also called active high. Negative logic
inputs and outputs are called active low. Input and output polarity is indicated by
a bubble or triangle. For example, the following shows a positive logic AND gate
and a negative logic OR gate. You can see from the truth table above these
describe the same physical component.

Example 1. Show that a positive logic XOR gate is equivalent to a negative logic
XNOR gate.
The following truth table shows they are equivalent. The gate behavior is
determined by the positive logic behavior of XOR. The negative logic
interpretation of the gate behavior results in the XNOR gate.

Positive
Logic

Gate
Behavior

Negative
Logic

XY

XOR

XY

XY

XNOR

00

LL

11

01

LH

10

10

HL

01

11

HH

00

Example 2. Show the symbol for an alarm buzzer that has one input X which is
active low.
An active low input is indicated by a bubble at the input. In this context the
implication is that the input X is normally high or has a voltage between 2.8 and 5
volts placed on it. When the voltage drops to the range 0-.2 volts the alarm will
sound. The alarm is active low.
b

g
.
r

5
(
f
i

e
t

Here is one more example of how positive and negative logic is used in practice.
The following component is a D-type flip-flop:

D-Type Flip-Flop with asynchronous preset and clear inputs

A flip-flop is a memory element. We will study them thoroughly when we talk
about sequential circuits. For the purposes of this example we are more
interested in the two asynchronous inputs: prs and clr. prs or preset is used to
initialize the contents of the flip-flop to 1. prs is active low which means that when
this input receives a low voltage the value of the flip-flop is initialized to 1. clr or
clear is used to initialize the contents of the flip-flop to 0. clr is also active low
which means that when this input receives a low voltage the value of the flip-flop
will be initialized to 0.
In this next example we add a NOR gate so that the clear signal can be
controlled by the two inputs X and Y. X and Y are both active high. If either X or Y

is high the value of the flip-flop will be cleared. You can also think of the NOR
gate as an active low OR gate.
d

fl
-

p
i

fl
-

w
-

h
t
i

n
-

g
.
r

1
(
f
i

e
t

To preserve our sanity throughout the course positive logic will be assumed.