Digital Circuit Design, Working Principles, Types, Applications, Examples
Digital Circuit Design, Working Principles, Types, Applications, Examples
Digital circuits are the fundamental building blocks of all electronic devices and
systems around us. From smartphones, computers, TVs, automobiles to industrial
automation systems – all employ digital circuits extensively for processing and
controlling digital signals. This article provides a comprehensive introduction to
digital circuit design concepts including working principles, common logic families,
major types and applications with example circuits.
Digital circuits operate on discrete signal values representing binary 1s and 0s, in
contrast to analog circuits handling continuously variable signals. The basic working
principle involves:
Digital signals have only two definite levels – high/low, on/off, true/false –
corresponding to logic 1 and 0. Circuits detect and regenerate these logic levels
reliably allowing complex processing using simple Boolean logic.
Digital circuits use electronic switching between saturated states to implement logic
functions. Transistor or diode switches change between cutoff and saturation rapidly
to recreate sharp digital transitions. Positive feedback ensures unambiguous operation.
Key advantages of digital circuits that have made digital systems ubiquitous:
Logic Gates
Logic gates are elementary building blocks of digital circuits that perform basic
Boolean logic operations on one or more input signals to produce a single output.
NOT Gate
Inverts the input signal. Output is HIGH if input is LOW and vice versa.
Input Output
0 1
1 0
AND Gate
Output is HIGH only when all inputs are HIGH, else output is LOW. Performs logical
conjunction.
OR Gate
Output is HIGH if any input is HIGH, else LOW. Performs logical disjunction.
XOR Gate
Output is HIGH if inputs are different, LOW if they are the same. Performs exclusive
disjunction.
NAND Gate
AND gate with inverted output. Output is LOW only if all inputs are HIGH.
NOR Gate
OR gate with inverted output. Output is HIGH only if all inputs are LOW.
These basic gates are combined in complex ways to implement all digital logic
functions.
Logic Families
Logic gates are constructed using different transistor-level circuit families based on
factors like speed, power, cost, and integration scale. Popular logic families include:
Uses bipolar junction transistors (BJT). Provides high speed, high current drive and
good noise immunity. 5V standard TTL is the most common.
Uses complementary n-type and p-type MOSFET pairs. Very low power consumption
but higher propagation delay. 3.3V or 5V supply. Can integrate high density circuits.
Uses BJTs with constant current source biasing. Provides very high speed but
consumes more power. Ideal for high performance circuits.
Uses n-channel MOSFETs. Simple construction but higher power loss. Used in early
microprocessors.
Uses GaAs field effect transistors. Very high speed suitable for microwave operations
up to 12 GHz. Used in high frequency ICs.
Combinational Circuits
Consist of logic gates where the output is determined solely by the present
combination of inputs. Do not use memory or feedback. Example: decoders,
multiplexers, parity checkers.
Sequential Circuits
Use memory elements in addition to logic gates. Output depends on present inputs as
well as past inputs. Examples: flip flops, counters, shift registers.
Fixed-Function Circuits
Consist of standard logic gates designed to provide specific function. Less flexible but
simple to design. Example: an adder constructed from gates.
Consist of AND-OR gate arrays that can be interconnected by the designer. Provides
flexibility and customizability.
Custom ICs optimized for a specific task like a microprocessor. Highest performance
but expensive.
Some major types of digital circuits used extensively in most digital systems are:
Flip Flops
Bistable multivibrators that store one bit of data. Widely used in registers, counters,
memory. Types include SR, D, JK, and T flip flops.
Shift Registers
Consist of flip flops connected together enabling moving stored data serially. Used for
converters, buffers, delay lines.
Counters
Adders
Used to perform binary addition and subtraction. Half and full adders are the basic
building blocks for arithmetic logic units in CPUs.
Comparators
Compares two binary values or magnitudes and determines their relation like equal,
greater than, less than. Essential in analog-to-digital converters.
Schmitt Trigger
Provides input noise filtering and waveform shaping using positive feedback.
Converts slowly changing signals into sharp transitions.
Digital circuits serve as the basis for implementing a wide variety of useful
applications and electronic systems.
PLCs use integrated digital circuits to provide robust automated control for industrial
processes like assembly lines.
Calculators
Digital Displays
Seven segment, dot matrix LED/LCD displays are interfaced using decoder, driver
and controller circuits.
Wireless Communications
Automotive Systems
Digital circuits drive engine control modules, airbag controls, infotainment systems,
GPS units in modern vehicles.
Home Appliances
Washing machines, air conditioners, smart TVs use microcontrollers and logic circuits
for programmed operation.
Timing circuits like oscillators, counters and flip flops help sequence traffic signals.
Internet connected devices use logic circuits for local processing and telemetry
control.
Medical Electronics
Space Systems
Digital circuits provide computation, sequencing and control for spacecraft onboard
systems with low weight and power needs.
Military Systems
Half Adder
Adds two single bit binary numbers A and B. Uses XOR gate for sum and AND gate
for carry out.
RS Latch
Simple flip flop made of two cross-coupled NOR gates to store one bit. R=1 resets
output Q=0, S=1 sets Q=1.
Binary Counter
Counts pulses using JK flip flops connected in toggle mode. Output increments on
each clock edge.
2 to 4 Line Decoder
Converts 2-bit input to 1-of-4 output lines to select devices. Enable controls overall
operation.
Uses resistor ladder network to convert digital input to analog voltage output
proportional to code.
Provides hysteresis for clean switching of noisy input using positive feedback via
resistor Rf.
Conclusion
Digital circuits offer advantages of noise immunity, scalability and flexibility for
implementing logic, arithmetic, sequencing and control functions in electronic
systems. Combinatorial and sequential logic circuits built from standard gates and flip
flop provide building blocks for designing complex digital systems. Continued
progress in IC fabrication allows packing billion-transistor ultra-high density circuits
enabling today’s digital products and infrastructure.
Circuits
A: Analog circuits operate on continuous signals with infinite values. Digital circuits
operate on discrete ON/OFF signal values of 0 and 1.
A: Logic gates like AND, OR, NOT that implement fundamental Boolean logic are
the basic building blocks of digital circuits.
A: Popular transistor-level logic families are TTL, CMOS, ECL, NMOS, GaAs logic.
Each optimizes factors like speed, power, density, and cost.
Have you ever wondered what happens when you flip a switch and turn on a light?
How does that electrical signal travel from the wall to the bulb, and what makes it
work? What do you achieve when you flip a switch?
You don’t need to wonder any longer! The circuit is an interactive computational tool.
It helps you explore how to translate analog electrical signals into digital signals and
back again. Start by exploring the circuit shown below. We connect the source, or
power source (a battery), to a circuit by a light bulb or bulb socket. Then turn the
switch on to see what happens.
A circuit is in many ways similar to the electrical circuits you use every day. The
difference is that the electricity flows in an electrical circuit in a continuous loop. In
contrast, the electricity flows with a series of switches and electronic components in
an analog circuit.
An analog electrical signal is a voltage (like static electricity) that you can turn on and
off. That’s why you sometimes hear about something being ‘on/off’ or ‘high/low.’ In
your home, there are switches on at least some of your lights.
A digital circuit is an electrical circuit that uses binary logic to process binary data.
The term ‘digital circuit’ is usually used interchangeably with ‘digital logic circuit.’
A digital circuit processes binary data composed of two discrete values. We represent
them by the numbers 1 and 0. Binary data is the language of computers and other
digital devices. Examples include calculators, mobile phones, and cars diagnostics
computers.
Digital circuits are the basis for all modern computing. You will find them on LCD
screens and lights on different devices. These devices include
automobiles, cellular phones, and appliances.
The digital circuit is in every digital device. These electronic devices use binary logic
circuits that process digital data. Popular examples include digital switches and
counters in all computer applications.
The blue circuit consists of the switch, the light bulb, the capacitor, and the resistor.
The red circuit consists of two wires. We connect the switch to one wire using
an electronic component called a ‘toggle switch.
There are two common types of digital circuits: combinational logic and sequential
logic.
Digital circuits consist of logic gates that use binary signals for their inputs. These are
the red and blue wires found in the circuit. The output of a logic gate is either 0 or 1.
It corresponds to a voltage’s absence or presence (a ‘low’ signal or a ‘high’ signal). If
a wire carries a ‘low’ signal, you may connect it to the ground without changing the
circuit’s operation. All inputs are either high or low signals.
The CPU occupies a central role in modern computers and other digital devices. The
(CPU) performs calculations based on the binary data that it receives. One type of
CPU is the modern microprocessor. It contains millions of transistors that Rayming
PCB & Assembly to process trillions of binary bits in parallel.
Transistors help build logic gates that act as switches to turn signals on and off in
digital circuits. They act as a transistor in an amplifier that we can either turn ‘off’ or
‘on.
The digital gates are physical chunks of semiconductor silicon that act as electronic
switches. The ‘on’ state is binary 1, and its ‘off state is binary 0.
Each switch in each circuit in a computer can be either on or off. Likewise, each
transistor in an integrated circuit can be either on or off. They are both on, but one is
lower than the other. This binary data move conductive wires, the transmission
medium for binary instructions.
We connect the logic gates in the circuit using a combination of wires and transistors
to form a logic gate. Then, the output of one logic gate connects to the input of
another logic gate, producing a chain reaction.
This chain reaction is a series of ‘on’ and ‘off’ signals. These signals travel from one
end of the circuit, lighting up the light bulb. Of course, the details will vary from one
type of digital circuit to another. But all digital circuits use variations on this basic
principle.
They obey logic rules similar to math, such as the ‘AND’ and ‘OR’ logic rules.
However, the input is only considered true in digital logic if all inputs are true. In this
case, we consider the output true only if both 2 and 3 are true. This is because both A
and B had to be on simultaneously for this to happen.
Combinational circuits are the most common type of digital circuit. They can perform
simple arithmetic and logical operations. Such operations include addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and division. They depend on logic gates such as NAND
gate, NOR gate, NOT gate, AND gate, an OR gate.
Combinational digital logic circuits can perform repetitive tasks without any
external clock signal. Instead, the circuit itself provides the clock by resetting its state
after a set period.
Computers are examples of combinational digital logic circuits, as are the following
objects:
Sequential circuits are digital logic circuits. They change state after a timed period in
response to a triggering event. For example, they respond to triggers such as the flip
of a switch or the rising or falling edge of a clock signal.
Sequential digital logic circuits include memory (storage) elements. Good examples
include flip-flops, latches, and registers. They are essential in modern computers. This
is because they store information while performing tasks in other system parts. As a
result, the device’s output does not depend on the input values but rather the device’s
current state.
Sequential circuits consist of digital logic gates and memory devices. They can
perform repetitive tasks at timed intervals, such as an alarm clock or television that
turns on at a specific time.
Computers are also helpful for sequential digital logic circuits, for example:
Televisions
Cash registers
Digital clock
Alarm clocks
Telephone handsets
Digital clock machines use sequential digital logic circuits to store the time and set the
time.
Digital logic circuits can also synchronize with the clock that controls their operation.
This produces digital pulses at regular intervals, just like an analog clock.
Circuits can run together or parallel and synchronize their behavior with the same
clock pulses. But, first, we connect all clock lines and attach them to a common
output line or wire.
We often clock together two or more digital circuits that use the same clock signal.
When a common clock signal clocks a circuit, we call it a synchronous circuit. In this
book, we will only discuss synchronous digital logic circuits.
Instead of a clock, circuits can react to an external or internal signal or event. We refer
to these event-driven digital logic circuits. An event-driven circuit responds only
when the triggering condition is present. It ignores all other input signals during that
time.
Both circuits serve a vital role in electronics and are an integral part of electronics. In
addition, both circuits help process information in digital hardware. It uses binary
numbers instead of analog hardware that uses continuous values.
Digital circuit processing is faster than analog circuits. However, digital circuits
require more power. Therefore, Digital circuits have their merit and demerits. They
are widely helpful in different fields of electronics.
Circuits are a building block for any electronic device or system. So, the study of
circuits is very significant for a person who will make electronic systems.
Analog Circuit
The word analog comes from the Greek word analogos (αν λος), meaning
“proportionate,” “corresponding to.”
Analog circuits help control physical processes such as amplifying a signal or filtering
noise out of power lines. In addition, the analog circuit efficiently handles processes
where large amounts of data need processing, and other signals change over time.
Analog circuits are helpful in process control, temperature sensors, and video systems.
Analog circuits are always helpful in varying the value of a variable (voltage or
current) applied to the points in the circuit. The continuous variation of voltage (or
current) makes it look at a continuous function.
Digital Circuit
A digital circuit is an integrated circuit (IC) used in computers to store data. We can
consider it a mini-computer. A computer system needs a storage unit, which acts as a
storage and processing power medium. This storage unit could be in the form of a
magnetic disc, optical disc, or paper tape.
The problem with these previous methods is that they are mechanical. Therefore, they
can also fail due to mechanical factors such as heat, shock, etc.
Digital circuits overcome this problem by using electrical switches to store the data.
The transistors control these switches, which store or release electrical power.
The binary data is not stored directly in a digital circuit. Instead, we convert it into a
series of ones and zeros, called bits (short for “binary digits”). Combining these bits
allows you to write numbers on a computer the same way you write letters on paper.
Features
1. O/P Quality
Analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is the first conversion stage from an analog signal
to a digital signal. An analog-to-digital converter requires extensive calibration for
sufficient precision and accuracy. An ADC acts as a standard simulator and tests
Digital circuits are more helpful due to their ease of use and precision in data
handling.
2. Efficiency of a Circuit
Analog circuits in use depend on rheostat (an indirect variable) & potentiometer
(direct variable). A variable resistor or potentiometer helps adjust the output of
an analog circuit. Digital circuits do not need a variable resistor or potentiometer.
They control electrical signals directly. Due to their nature, digital circuits are more
efficient. They need less power than analog circuits.
Digital circuits are more precise and reproducible than analog circuits.
When we convert analog signals to digital form, we capture the imperfection in the
original signal by sampling. However, Digital signals do not capture this imperfection
as in the original signal. Therefore, digital signals are helpful in highly accurate
measurements and industrial control applications. For example, level sensing with a
level transmitter is very accurate.
Main Differences
• Analog circuits use continuous signals instead of digital. It uses “on” and “off”
signals.
• Analog circuit is always used by varying the value of a variable (voltage or current)
applied to the points in the circuit. The continuous voltage variation appears to be
looking at a continuous function. While in digital circuit processing, a binary number
helps represent a number between 0 and 1.
• 2-state Digital circuits do not have the problem of function approximation and noise.
Channel
There are two types of channels in digital circuits: input and output. Digital buses are
essential for the connection to other electronic devices. Therefore, your circuit’s input
and output channels can connect to other electronic devices. We use CMOS logic
levels & serial communication to achieve this.
We can conduct the digital and analog worlds together through an analog-to-digital
converter. One can convert a digital signal into an analog binary code. The ADC
converts the analog signal into a digital signal. We can then process these signals
further by a digital circuit.
Ground Noise:
Ground noise is also known as a ground loop. It is a type of noise that occurs in mains
supply and ground wires. Nearby appliances and electric motors can cause this noise.
A ground loop can cause random digital output values on the circuit. It is similar to
the “crosstalk” problem.
One signal goes from the A input (microcontroller) to the digital bus. Then, other
devices connected to that bus receive this signal. Finally, this signal then goes back to
the A input of the microcontroller for processing and storage.
Filtering:
We filter out the noise caused by all connected devices (i.e., mains supply). In
addition, filters help to exclude noise in the output signal. There are different kinds of
filters depending on their application. But all filters will have low pass (LP), high pass
(HP), and bandpass (BP) characteristics.
It is important to note that filters can affect the characteristics of the circuit. Therefore,
we must choose them in this regard. It is best to select a filter that can provide a large
bandwidth with a low attenuation rate.
Single-Board Systems:
Single-board systems are the simplest type. They have all the components attached to
a single circuit board. This means that all of the components connect. To achieve this,
you must isolate the board itself. You will achieve isolation using copper planes,
plastic planes, or both. It is important to note that isolation must be good enough. It
helps to avoid short circuits occurring between grounds on the board.
Multichip Systems:
Multichip systems are more complicated than single-board systems. This is because
they have more than one circuit board. For the boards to communicate (i.e.,
send/receive signals), they need a physical connection. You must make this
connection using a copper plane and connecting both boards. For example, a
ribbon cable could transmit the signal from one board to the other. However, using a
copper plane is not ideal for multiple boards. This is because of the added difficulty
in routing these planes between the components.
Multichip systems are commonly helpful in large-scale projects. They allow you to
separate your system into different sections. In addition, it makes maintenance and
service easier.
Single-board systems require less hardware and are good for smaller-scale projects.
Multi-Board Systems:
These systems have multiple circuit boards and use cables to connect them. The
advantage of this is that you can tailor each system to a specific application. In
addition, they use a bus (a common connection) to connect all of the boards. We can
use the bus for control and signal transfer between devices.
The output amplitude & frequency of an ADC relates to the input analog value or
digital code. That of a DAC relates to the value of the digital code.
The CMOS vs. TTL is an internal signal level of a digital circuit. CMOS stands for
Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. It is an alternative to the basic standard
and older TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic). A CMOS device can use a smaller
power supply voltage and longer integration time. The output voltage for a CMOS
device is higher than that for a TTL device. A TTL device uses a low power supply
voltage and has shorter integration times than CMOS devices. A TTL device can be
essential for applications that need a short response time.
Conclusion
The use of digital electronics has revolutionized our modern way of life. Computer
systems are everywhere. They are a necessity in almost every single industry. The
digital interface has made communication and control easier. Digital circuits are
helpful in many ways to control simple devices. We can even use it to solve complex
tasks. Digital electronics is a vast field. It is always expanding and evolving. The
characteristics of digital circuits make it very easy to convert analog signals into
discrete data. These conversion techniques are essential in many applications. The
most common is to convert analog signals into digital data using an ADC or DAC.
Furthermore, we can convert this data back into an analog signal using a DAC or
ADC. However, before converting the analog signal back into a digital signal, you
need to configure the components of the circuit. It is best to select a filter that can
provide a large bandwidth with a low attenuation rate.
Related Posts:
https://www.raypcb.com/digital-circuit/