SEQUENTIAL CIRCUITS

Sequential Logic Latches & Flip-flops

Introduction Memory Elements Pulse-Triggered Latch
S-R Latch Gated S-R Latch Gated D Latch

Edge-Triggered Flip-flops

S-R Flip-flop D Flip-flop J-K Flip-flop T Flip-flop

Asynchronous Inputs
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Introduction
A sequential circuit consists of a feedback path,
and employs some memory elements.
Combinational outputs Memory outputs

Combinational logic

Memory elements

External inputs

Sequential circuit = Combinational logic + Memory Elements

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Comparison

Introduction
There are two types of sequential circuits:
synchronous: outputs change only at specific time

asynchronous: outputs change at any time

Multivibrator: a class of sequential circuits. They

can be:
bistable (2 stable states) monostable or one-shot (1 stable state) astable (no stable state)

Bistable logic devices: latches and flip-flops. Latches and flip-flops differ in the method used for
changing their state.
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Comparison

In synchronous circuits, memory elements are clocked FFs In synchronous circuits, the change in input signals can affect memory elements upon activation of clock signal. The maximum operating speed of the clock depends on time delays involved Easier to design.

In asynchronous circuits, memory elements are either unclocked FFs or time delay elements In asynchronous circuits, change input signals can affect memory elements at any instance of time Because of the absence of the clock, asynchronous circuits can operate faster than synchronous circuits. More difficult to design.

Memory Elements
Memory element: a device which can remember
value indefinitely, or change value on command from its inputs.
command Memory element Q stored value

Characteristic table:
Command (at time t) Set Reset Memorise / No Change Q(t) X X 0 1 Q(t+1)

Q(t): current state

1 0 0 1
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Q(t+1) or Q+: next state

Memory Elements
Memory element with clock. Flip-flops are memory
elements that change state on clock signals.
command

Memory element

Q stored value

clock

Clock is usually a square wave.

Positive pulses

Positive edges

Negative edges
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Memory Elements
Two types of triggering/activation:
pulse-triggered

edge-triggered

Pulse-triggered
latches ON = 1, OFF = 0

Edge-triggered
flip-flops positive edge-triggered (ON = from 0 to 1; OFF = other

time) negative edge-triggered (ON = from 1 to 0; OFF = other time)

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S-R Latch
Complementary outputs: Q and Q'. When Q is HIGH, the latch is in SET state. When Q is LOW, the latch is in RESET state. For active-HIGH input S-R latch (also known as NOR
gate latch), R=HIGH (and S=LOW) a RESET state S=HIGH (and R=LOW) a SET state both inputs LOW a no change both inputs HIGH a Q and Q' both LOW (invalid)!

S-R Latch

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S-R Latch
For active-LOW input S'-R' latch (also known as NAND
gate latch), R'=LOW (and S'=HIGH) a RESET state S'=LOW (and R'=HIGH) a SET state both inputs HIGH a no change both inputs LOW a Q and Q' both HIGH (invalid)!

Drawback of S-R latch: invalid condition exists and

must be avoided.

S-R Latch

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S-R Latch
Characteristics table for active-high input S-R latch:
S 0 1 0 1 R 0 0 1 1 Q NC 1 0 0 Q' NC 0 1 0 No change. Latch remained in present state. Latch SET. Latch RESET. Invalid condition.
S R Q Q'

Characteristics table for active-low input S'-R' latch:

S' 1 0 1 0 R' 1 1 0 0 Q NC 1 0 1 Q' NC 0 1 1 No change. Latch remained in present state. Latch SET. Latch RESET. Invalid condition.
S R Q Q'

S-R Latch

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S-R Latch
Active-HIGH input S-R latch
10 100 R Q 11000 Q' 0 0 1 1 0
S 1 0 0 0 1 R 0 0 1 0 1 Q Q' 1 0 initial 1 0 (afer S=1, R=0) 0 1 0 1 (after S=0, R=1) 0 0 invalid!

10 001 S

Active-LOW input S-R latch

S' Q Q' R'

S'

Q Q'
S-R Latch

R'

S' R' 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0

Q Q' 0 1 initial 0 1 (afer S'=1, R'=0) 1 0 1 0 (after S'=0, R'=1) 1 1 invalid!

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Gated S-R Latch

S-R latch + enable input (EN) and 2 NAND gates
gated S-R latch.
S EN Q' R

S EN

Q'

Gated S-R Latch

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Gated S-R Latch

Outputs change (if necessary) only when EN is
HIGH.

Under what condition does the invalid state occur? Characteristic table:
EN=1
Q(t) 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 S 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 R 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 Q(t+1) 0 0 1 indeterminate 1 0 1 indeterminate

S R 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1

Q(t+1) Q(t) No change 0 Reset 1 Set indeterminate

Q(t+1) = S + R'.Q S.R = 0

Gated S-R Latch

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Gated D Latch
Make R input equal to S' gated D latch. D latch eliminates the undesirable condition of
invalid state in the S-R latch.
D EN Q'

D EN

Q
Q'

Gated D Latch

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Gated D Latch
When EN is HIGH,
D=HIGH latch is SET

D=LOW latch is RESET

Hence when EN is HIGH, Q follows the D (data)

input.

Characteristic table:
EN 1 1 0 D 0 1 X Q(t+1) 0 1 Q(t) Reset Set No change

When EN=1, Q(t+1) = D

Gated D Latch

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Latch Circuits: Not Suitable

Latch circuits are not suitable in synchronous logic
circuits.

When the enable signal is active, the excitation

inputs are gated directly to the output Q. Thus, any change in the excitation input immediately causes a change in the latch output.

The problem is solved by using a special timing

control signal called a clock to restrict the times at which the states of the memory elements may change.

This leads us to the edge-triggered memory

elements called flip-flops.
Gated D Latch 18

Edge-Triggered Flip-flops
Flip-flops: synchronous bistable devices Output changes state at a specified point on a
triggering input called the clock.

Change state either at the positive edge (rising

edge) or at the negative edge (falling edge) of the clock signal.
Clock signal
Positive edges Negative edges

Edge-Triggered Flip-flops

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Edge-Triggered Flip-flops
S-R, D and J-K edge-triggered flip-flops. Note the >
symbol at the clock input.
S C R Q' Q D C Q' Q J C K Q' Q

Positive edge-triggered flip-flops

S C D C J C

Q'

Q'

Q'

Negative edge-triggered flip-flops

Edge-Triggered Flip-flops 20

S-R Flip-flop
S-R flip-flop: on the triggering edge of the clock pulse,

S=HIGH (and R=LOW) a SET state R=HIGH (and S=LOW) a RESET state both inputs LOW a no change both inputs HIGH a invalid

Characteristic table of positive edge-triggered S-R

flip-flop:
S 0 0 1 1 R 0 1 0 1 CLK X Q(t+1) Q(t) 0 1 ? Comments No change Reset Set Invalid

X = irrelevant (dont care) = clock transition LOW to HIGH SR Flip-flop 21

S-R Flip-flop
It comprises 3 parts:
a basic NAND latch

a pulse-steering circuit
a pulse transition detector (or edge detector) circuit

The pulse transition detector detects a rising (or

falling) edge and produces a very short-duration spike.

SR Flip-flop

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S-R Flip-flop
The pulse transition detector.
S CLK Pulse transition detector R Q

Q'

CLK'
CLK CLK* CLK CLK' CLK* CLK

CLK'
CLK* CLK CLK' CLK*

Positive-going transition (rising edge)

Negative-going transition (falling edge)

SR Flip-flop 23

D Flip-flop
D flip-flop: single input D (data)
D=HIGH a SET state

D=LOW a RESET state

Q follows D at the clock edge. Convert S-R flip-flop into a D flip-flop: add an inverter.
D CLK S C R Q' Q
D 1 0 CLK Q(t+1) 1 0 Comments Set Reset

= clock transition LOW to HIGH

A positive edge-triggered D flipflop formed with an S-R flip-flop.

D Flip-flop 24

D Flip-flop
Application: Parallel data transfer.
To transfer logic-circuit outputs X, Y, Z to flip-flops Q1, Q2 and Q3 for storage.
D CLK X Q' D CLK Q' D Transfer CLK Q' * After occurrence of negative-going transition D Flip-flop 25 Q Q3 = Z* Q Q2 = Y* Q Q1 = X*

Combinational logic circuit

Y Z

J-K Flip-flop
J-K flip-flop: Q and Q' are fed back to the pulsesteering NAND gates.

No invalid state. Include a toggle state.

J=HIGH (and K=LOW) a SET state

K=HIGH (and J=LOW) a RESET state

both inputs LOW a no change both inputs HIGH a toggle

J-K Flip-Ffop

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J-K Flip-flop
J-K flip-flop.
J CLK K Pulse transition detector Q

Q'

Characteristic table.
J 0 0 1 1 K 0 1 0 1 CLK Q(t+1) Q(t) 0 1 Q(t)' Comments No change Reset Set Toggle

Q 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

J K 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

Q(t+1) 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0

Q(t+1) = J.Q' + K'.Q

J-K Flip-flop

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T Flip-flop
T flip-flop: single-input version of the J-K flip flop,
formed by tying both inputs together.
T CLK Pulse transition detector Q

T CLK

J C K

Q Q'

Q'

Characteristic table.
T 0 1 CLK Q(t+1) Q(t) Q(t)' Comments No change Toggle
Q T 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 Q(t+1) 0 1 1 0

Q(t+1) = T.Q' + T'.Q

T Flip-flop 28

T Flip-flop
Application: Frequency division.
High J CLK C K CLK Q CLK QA QB Q CLK High J C K QA High J C K QB

Divide clock frequency by 2.

Divide clock frequency by 4.

Application: Counter (to be covered in Lecture 13.)

T Flip-flop 29

Asynchronous Inputs
S-R, D and J-K inputs are synchronous inputs, as
data on these inputs are transferred to the flip-flops output only on the triggered edge of the clock pulse.

Asynchronous inputs affect the state of the flip-flop

independent of the clock; example: preset (PRE) and clear (CLR) [or direct set (SD) and direct reset (RD)]

When PRE=HIGH, Q is immediately set to HIGH. When CLR=HIGH, Q is immediately cleared to LOW. Flip-flop in normal operation mode when both PRE
and CLR are LOW.

Asynchronous Inputs

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Asynchronous Inputs
A J-K flip-flop with active-LOW preset and clear inputs.
PRE J PRE Q Pulse transition detector Q'

J C K

Q
CLK

Q'

K CLR

CLR CLK PRE CLR

J = K = HIGH

Preset Asynchronous Inputs

Toggle

Clear 31

End of segment