Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence

CS221: Logic Design

Lab no 08: Counter and Timer

The Purpose of this Lab is to: learn about 555-Timer, BCD Decade
Counter, decoder, seven-segment display, and Proteus Simulator.
In this lab, we will simulate a circuit that counts and displays numbers on
the seven-segment display. Then your task is to implement the circuit and
test it on the breadboard.

Required Components

• Breadboard.
• 5V battery.
• Jumper wires.
• 330-ohm Resistor.
• 50k-ohm Resistor.
• 44k-ohm Resistor.
• 10nF (nano-farad) Capacitor
• 10uF (micro-farad) Capacitor.
• Led.
• 555 Timer.
• BCD Decade Counter IC 74LS90.
• Digital 7 segments display anode.
• Digital 7 segments decoder IC 7447.

Parts:
1. Introduction to 555 Timer, Counter, decoder, and seven-segment
display.
2. Simulate the counter circuit using 555 Timer, Counter, decoder,
and seven-segment display on Proteus.

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Faculty of Computers and Artificial Intelligence
CS221: Logic Design

Part 1: Introduction to 555 Timer, Counter, decoder, and seven-

segment display.

➢ 555 Timer IC is an integrated circuit used in a variety of timer, Time

delay generation, Sequential timing, pulse generation, and oscillator
applications. The 555 Timer may be used as a clock generator.
The 555 Timer has two operating modes:

▪ Monostable or one-shot Timer

Monostable is a mode with only one stable state. When triggered, it

goes to its unstable state for a predetermined time period, then
returns to its stable state. Where the pulse width is determined by
R1 and C1. Approximately tw = 1.1 * R1*C1 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Monostable or one-shot Timer.

▪ Astable Timer

An astable is a device that has no stable states. The resulting output

is typically a square wave that is used as a clock signal in many
types of sequential logic circuits as shown in Figure 2.

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CS221: Logic Design

Figure 2: A stable Timer .

➢ BCD Decade Counter A binary coded decimal (BCD) is a serial

digital counter that counts in a sequence of ten digits (from 0: 9) and
then returns back to zero after the count of nine. When the Decade
counter is at REST, the count is equal to 0000. A decade Obviously
to count up to a binary value of nine, the counter must have at least
four flip-flops within its chain to represent each decimal digit as
shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: BCD Decade Counter FSM.

Note: Refer to Lab 7 to revise the BCD & Seven-Segment Display.

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CS221: Logic Design

Part 2:- Simulate the counter circuit using 555 Timer, Counter,
decoder, and seven-segment display on Proteus.

➢ Timer 555 NE555 is a Timer that can be found in many electronic

devices. It is a highly stable integrated circuit that can produce accurate
time delays and oscillations as shown in Figure 4. The pinout and its
functions are discussed below.

Figure 4: NE555N IC & Pin Configuration.

➢ BCD Decade Counter 74LS90 is a MOD-10-decade counter that

generates a BCD output code as shown in figure 5. The pinout and
its functions are discussed below.

Figure 5:- 74LS90 IC & Pin Configuration.

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CS221: Logic Design

Schematic for Decade Counter and the Seven-Segments Decoder.

Figure 6 shows the schematic of Counter 74LS90, where QA, QB, QC,
and QD are the outputs as shown in the truthtable. Once a clock is trigged,
it counts up.

Figure 6: Schematic of 74LS90 BCD Counter and Truth Table.

Figure 7 shows the schematic of the seven-segment decoder and seven-

segments display, where A, B, C, and D are the inputs. Once the binary
inputs (A, B, C, D) are set, the display shows the equivalent decimal
number of the binary code.

Figure 7: Schematic of 74LS47 BCD to 7-segment Decoder.

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CS221: Logic Design

Figure 8 shows the schematic of the integration of the Counter 74LS90

and the seven-segment decoder and seven-segment display, where the
counter outputs (QA, QB, QC, QD) are connected to the decoder inputs
A, B, C, and D.

Figure 8: Schematic of 74LS90 BCD Counter to 7-segment.

Steps to simulate the counter circuit In Proteus.

• Open Proteus Software.

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CS221: Logic Design

• Open schematic capture

• Open pick devices from devices

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CS221: Logic Design

First: Generate the clock using the Timer-555 Circuit.

• Search for IC 555 Timer and Add to the schematic.
• Add from pick device resistors (44 k and 50 k (kilo ohm)), capacitor
10 nf (nano-farad) and 10 uf (microfarad)

• Add power and ground from terminal mode

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CS221: Logic Design

• Connect (Pin 2) to (Pin 6) and Connect (Pin 4) to (Pin 8)

• Connect (Pin 1) to (Ground (-)) and Connect (Pin 8) to (power (+))

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CS221: Logic Design

• Connect capacitor c1 10 nf to pin (5) and ground

Connect capacitor c2 10 uf to pin (6) and ground

• Connect resistor R1 44 k to pin (7) and power

Connect resistor R2 50 k to pin (6) and pin (7)

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CS221: Logic Design

Second: Connect the Decade Counter.

• Add from pick device ic 74LS90 and ground from terminal mode

• Connect (Pin 1) to (Pin 12)

Connect (Pin 2) , (Pin 3) , (Pin 6) and (Pin 7) to ground

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CS221: Logic Design

• Connect (Pin 3) in Timer 555 to Pin (14) in counter (The Clock)

Third: Connect the Seven-Segment Decoder and Display

• Add from pick device IC 7447

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CS221: Logic Design

• Connect Pin 12 in counter to Pin 7 in Decoder

• Connect Pin 9 in counter to Pin 1 in Decoder
• Connect Pin 8 in counter to Pin 2 in Decoder
• Connect Pin 11 in counter to Pin 6 in Decoder
• Connect LT (Pin 3) and BI/RBO (Pin 4) and RBI (Pin 5) to the 5V
power

• Add from pick devise resistors 330 ohms and anode 7-segment

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CS221: Logic Design

• Connect Outputs ‘QA’ to ‘QG’ from 74ls47 to the resistors R3 to R9.

• Connect resistors (R3 to R9) to (‘a’ to ‘g’) in the 7-segment display
• Connect the common pin in the digital 7 segments to the power pin.

• Click on run simulation

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CS221: Logic Design

Finally: you can notice the counting up on the seven-segment display

every second

Task: Hardware Connections.

Now, it is your turn. On the breadboard, Connect the above circuit.

Review the schematic in Figure.8. Then Test the function of 7490 IC.

Note
• Proteus Source. Link
• Install Proteus Steps Link
• Timer and Counter in Proteus video Lab Link

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