Difference between Combinational and Sequential Circuit

The following table highlights how a combinational circuit is different from a sequential circuit −

Key Combinational Circuit Sequential Circuit

A Combinational Circuit is a type of circuit in A Sequential circuit is a type of circuit

which the output is independent of time and where output not only relies on the current
Definition
only relies on the input present at that input but also depends on the previous
particular instant. output.

Since output does not depend on the time The output relies on its previous feedback
instant, no feedback is required for its next so output of previous input is being
Feedback
output generation. transferred as feedback used with input for
next output generation.

As the input of current instant is only Sequential circuits are comparatively

Performanc required in case of Combinational circuit, it is slower and has low performance as
e faster and better in performance as compared to that of Combinational circuit.
compared to that of Sequential circuit.

No implementation of feedback makes the The implementation of feedback makes

Complexity combinational circuit less complex as sequential circuit more complex as
compared to sequential circuit. compared to combinational circuit.

Elementary The elementary building blocks of a The building blocks of a sequential circuit
Blocks combinational circuit are its logic gates. are the logic gates along with flip flops.

Combinational circuits are mainly used for Sequential circuits are mainly used for
Operation
arithmetic as well as Boolean operations. storing data.

De-Multiplexer is a combinational circuit that performs the reverse operation of Multiplexer. It has single
input, ‘n’ selection lines and maximum of 2 n outputs. The input will be connected to one of these outputs based
on the values of selection lines.

Since there are ‘n’ selection lines, there will be 2 n possible combinations of zeros and ones. So, each
combination can select only one output. De-Multiplexer is also called as De-Mux.

1x4 De-Multiplexer

1x4 De-Multiplexer has one input I, two selection lines, s 1 & s0 and four outputs Y3, Y2, Y1 &Y0. The block
diagram of 1x4 De-Multiplexer is shown in the following figure.

The single input ‘I’ will be connected to one of the four outputs, Y 3 to Y0 based on the values of selection lines
s1 & s0. The Truth table of 1x4 De-Multiplexer is shown below.

From the above Truth table, we can directly write the Boolean functions for each output as

Y3=s1s0I�3=�1�0�

Y2=s1s0′I�2=�1�0′�

Y1=s1′s0I�1=�1′�0�

Y0=s1′s0′I�0=�1′�0′�

We can implement these Boolean functions using Inverters & 3-input AND gates. The circuit diagram of 1x4
De-Multiplexer is shown in the following figure.
Canonical SoP and PoS forms

A truth table consists of a set of inputs and outputs�. If there are ‘n’ input variables, then there will be
2n possible combinations with zeros and ones. So the value of each output variable depends on the combination
of input variables. So, each output variable will have ‘1’ for some combination of input variables and ‘0’ for
some other combination of input variables.
Therefore, we can express each output variable in following two ways.

 Canonical SoP form

 Canonical PoS form

Canonical SoP form

Canonical SoP form means Canonical Sum of Products form. In this form, each product term contains all literals.
So, these product terms are nothing but the min terms. Hence, canonical SoP form is also called as sum of min
terms form.

First, identify the min terms for which, the output variable is one and then do the logical OR of those min terms
in order to get the Boolean expression function�������� corresponding to that output variable. This
Boolean function will be in the form of sum of min terms.
Follow the same procedure for other output variables also, if there is more than one output variable.

Example

Consider the following truth table.

Here, the output f� is ‘1’ for four combinations of inputs. The corresponding min terms are p’qr, pq’r, pqr’, pqr.
By doing logical OR of these four min terms, we will get the Boolean function of output f�.
Therefore, the Boolean function of output is, f = p’qr + pq’r + pqr’ + pqr. This is the canonical SoP form of
output, f. We can also represent this function in following two notations.

f=m3+m5+m6+m7�=�3+�5+�6+�7

f=∑m(3,5,6,7)�=∑�(3,5,6,7)

In one equation, we represented the function as sum of respective min terms. In other equation, we used the
symbol for summation of those min terms.

Canonical PoS form

Canonical PoS form means Canonical Product of Sums form. In this form, each sum term contains all literals. So,
these sum terms are nothing but the Max terms. Hence, canonical PoS form is also called as product of Max
terms form.

First, identify the Max terms for which, the output variable is zero and then do the logical AND of those Max
terms in order to get the Boolean expression function�������� corresponding to that output variable.
This Boolean function will be in the form of product of Max terms.
Follow the same procedure for other output variables also, if there is more than one output variable.

Example

Consider the same truth table of previous example. Here, the output f� is ‘0’ for four combinations of inputs.
The corresponding Max terms are p + q + r, p + q + r’, p + q’ + r, p’ + q + r. By doing logical AND of these
four Max terms, we will get the Boolean function of output f�.
Therefore, the Boolean function of output is, f = p+q+r�+�+�.p+q+r′�+�+�′.p+q′+r�+�′+�.p′+q+r�′
+�+�. This is the canonical PoS form of output, f. We can also represent this function in following two
notations.
f=M0.M1.M2.M4�=�0.�1.�2.�4

f=∏M(0,1,2,4)�=∏�(0,1,2,4)

In one equation, we represented the function as product of respective Max terms. In other equation, we used
the symbol for multiplication of those Max terms.

The Boolean function, f = p+q+r�+�+�.p+q+r′�+�+�′.p+q′+r�+�′+�.p′+q+r�′+�+� is the dual of

the Boolean function, f = p’qr + pq’r + pqr’ + pqr.
Therefore, both canonical SoP and canonical PoS forms are Dual to each other. Functionally, these two forms
are same. Based on the requirement, we can use one of these two forms.

Standard SoP and PoS forms

We discussed two canonical forms of representing the Boolean outputs�. Similarly, there are two standard
forms of representing the Boolean outputs�. These are the simplified version of canonical forms.

 Standard SoP form

 Standard PoS form

We will discuss about Logic gates in later chapters. The main advantage of standard forms is that the number
of inputs applied to logic gates can be minimized. Sometimes, there will be reduction in the total number of
logic gates required.

Standard SoP form

Standard SoP form means Standard Sum of Products form. In this form, each product term need not contain
all literals. So, the product terms may or may not be the min terms. Therefore, the Standard SoP form is the
simplified form of canonical SoP form.

We will get Standard SoP form of output variable in two steps.

 Get the canonical SoP form of output variable

 Simplify the above Boolean function, which is in canonical SoP form.

Follow the same procedure for other output variables also, if there is more than one output variable.
Sometimes, it may not possible to simplify the canonical SoP form. In that case, both canonical and standard
SoP forms are same.

Example

Convert the following Boolean function into Standard SoP form.

f = p’qr + pq’r + pqr’ + pqr

The given Boolean function is in canonical SoP form. Now, we have to simplify this Boolean function in order to
get standard SoP form.

Step 1 − Use the Boolean postulate, x + x = x. That means, the Logical OR operation with any Boolean
variable ‘n’ times will be equal to the same variable. So, we can write the last term pqr two more times.

⇒ f = p’qr + pq’r + pqr’ + pqr + pqr + pqr

Step 2 − Use Distributive law for 1st and 4th terms, 2nd and 5th terms, 3rd and 6th terms.

⇒ f = qrp′+p�′+� + prq′+q�′+� + pqr′+r�′+�

Step 3 − Use Boolean postulate, x + x’ = 1 for simplifying the terms present in each parenthesis.

⇒ f = qr11 + pr11 + pq11

Step 4 − Use Boolean postulate, x.1 = x for simplifying above three terms.

⇒ f = qr + pr + pq

⇒ f = pq + qr + pr

This is the simplified Boolean function. Therefore, the standard SoP form corresponding to given canonical
SoP form is f = pq + qr + pr

Standard PoS form

Standard PoS form means Standard Product of Sums form. In this form, each sum term need not contain all
literals. So, the sum terms may or may not be the Max terms. Therefore, the Standard PoS form is the simplified
form of canonical PoS form.

We will get Standard PoS form of output variable in two steps.

 Get the canonical PoS form of output variable

 Simplify the above Boolean function, which is in canonical PoS form.

Follow the same procedure for other output variables also, if there is more than one output variable.
Sometimes, it may not possible to simplify the canonical PoS form. In that case, both canonical and standard
PoS forms are same.

Example

Convert the following Boolean function into Standard PoS form.

f = p+q+r�+�+�.p+q+r′�+�+�′.p+q′+r�+�′+�.p′+q+r�′+�+�
The given Boolean function is in canonical PoS form. Now, we have to simplify this Boolean function in order to
get standard PoS form.

Step 1 − Use the Boolean postulate, x.x = x. That means, the Logical AND operation with any Boolean
variable ‘n’ times will be equal to the same variable. So, we can write the first term p+q+r two more times.

⇒ f = p+q+r�+�+�.p+q+r�+�+�.p+q+r�+�+�.p+q+r′�+�+�′.p+q′+r�+�′+�.p′+q+r�′+�+�
Step 2 − Use Distributive law, x + y.z�.� = x+y�+�.x+z�+� for 1st and 4th parenthesis, 2nd and

⇒ f = p+q+rr′�+�+��′.p+r+qq′�+�+��′.q+r+pp′�+�+��′
5th parenthesis, 3rd and 6th parenthesis.

Step 3 − Use Boolean postulate, x.x’=0 for simplifying the terms present in each parenthesis.

⇒ f = p+q+0�+�+0.p+r+0�+�+0.q+r+0�+�+0
Step 4 − Use Boolean postulate, x + 0 = x for simplifying the terms present in each parenthesis

⇒ f = p+q�+�.p+r�+�.q+r�+�
⇒ f = p+q�+�.q+r�+�.p+r�+�
This is the simplified Boolean function. Therefore, the standard PoS form corresponding to given canonical
PoS form is f = p+q�+�.q+r�+�.p+r�+�. This is the dual of the Boolean function, f = pq + qr + pr.
Therefore, both Standard SoP and Standard PoS forms are Dual to each other.