4.4.

1 Digital Electronics
Analogue Signals vs Digital Signals

• There are two types of signals:

o Analogue
o Digital
• An analogue signal is continuously varying and can take any value

An analogue signal is continuously varying, taking any value

• A digital signal can only take one of two (discrete) states – commonly referred to
as 1s and 0s (or highs and lows, or ons and offs)

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 A digital signal can only take one of two values – 0 or 1

Logic Gates
• A logic gate is a digital electronic component that gives a particular output, depending
on the input(s) to it
• A NOT gate:
o Has a single input and one output.
o Will output a 1 if the input is NOT 1

Outputs a 1 if the Input is NOT 1

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• An AND gate:
o Has two inputs and one output
o Will output a 1 if both the first input AND the second input are 1

Outputs a 1 if both A AND B are 1

• An OR gate:
o Has two inputs and one output.
o Will output a 1 if either the first input OR the second input is 1

Outputs a 1 if either A OR B are 1

• A NAND gate:
o Has two inputs and one output
o Will output a 1 so long as the first input and the second input are not
both 1 (NOT AND)
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 NAND is short for NOT AND – the opposite of an AND gate

• A NOR gate:
o Has two inputs and one output
o Will output a 1 if neither the first input NOR the second input is 1

NOR is short for NOT OR – the opposite of an OR gate

Truth Tables

• Given a simple circuit involving several logic gates, you should be able to construct a
truth table showing how the outputs depend upon the inputs to the circuit
• To solve problems like this, tackle them one step at a time, figuring out how the state
of the wires in the middle depends upon the input to the circuit

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Example:

• Consider the following circuit, consisting of NOT, AND and OR gates:

A digital circuit, consisting of three different logic gates

• There are two inputs to the circuit, and so there are four different possible inputs:

(Note how we are also including the states of wires X and Y in our truth table)

• Start by considering how the state of wire X depends on the inputs to the AND gate:

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• Next let’s consider how the state of wire Y depends upon the input to the NOT gate
(input B):

• Finally, we can complete the truth table by considering the inputs to the OR gate (X
and Y):

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