Paper ID #8459

Using Practical Examples in Teaching Digital Logic Design

Dr. Joseph P Hoffbeck, University of Portland
Joseph P. Hoffbeck is an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Portland in
Portland, Oregon. He has a Ph.D. from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. He previously worked
with digital cell phone systems at Lucent Technologies (formerly AT&T Bell Labs) in Whippany, New
Jersey. His technical interests include communication systems, digital signal processing, and remote
sensing.

c
American
Society for Engineering Education, 2014

Using Practical Examples in Teaching Digital Logic Design

Abstract
Digital logic design is often taught from the bottom up starting with the simplest components
(transistors and gates), proceeding through combinational and sequential logic circuits, and if
there is time may finish up with the basic components of microprocessors. With the bottom up
approach, it may be a fairly long time before students see a complete system that performs a
recognizable function. Most of the standard example circuits, such as binary adders, decoders,
multiplexers, etc., are parts used in a larger system. While knowledge of the standard circuits is
crucial for building more complex circuits, these standard circuits might not capture the students
interest as much as a complete system. Therefore, this paper describes three proposed example
circuits that are simple enough to cover in the first logic design course, but yet are complete
systems that perform useful functions. The proposed circuits are a game show buzz-in system
that determines which of two contestants rings in first, a standard 12-hour digital clock, and a car
alarm that could honk a car horn if someone enters the car without resetting the alarm. The
proposed circuits can be used as examples or homework problems in addition to the standard
circuits to increase students interest in the material and to show how useful the design
techniques can be. Surveys were given to the students after the proposed circuits and the
standard circuits were covered to assess the level of student interest generated by the examples.
The results of the surveys are presented in the paper along with detailed descriptions of the
circuits.
Background
There have been many previous papers describing methods for teaching logic design using
breadboards1, using software to aid in the design of digital circuits2-5, using FPGA or CPLD to
implement designs6-14, and using remote implementation of digital circuits15. Regardless of how
the circuits are implemented, it is desirable that the circuits be interesting to the students.
This paper presents three of the example circuits that are used in a three credit hour lecture
course called Digital Logic Design. This introductory, semester-long course consists of standard
lectures along with in-class exercises where the students work in groups to analyze and design
digital circuits. There is no lab component of the course, so one of the goals of the examples is
to tie the material to real world systems as much as possible. The course has no prerequisites
and is taken by sophomore electrical engineering and computer science majors.
Unlike most traditional example circuits, each of the presented circuits is a complete system that
solves a real world problem. The circuits are designed to show how the material can be used in
the real world, yet are simple enough to be included in the first logic design course. The
effectiveness of the circuits was measured using student surveys and was compared to the results
of more traditional example circuits.

Game Show Circuit

Many game shows use a circuit to determine which of the contestants ring in first. This circuit
makes a good example for a sequential logic circuit because it performs a recognizable function
with which students are familiar, yet it is quite simple. A circuit can be designed to determine
which of two contestants rings in first. It has two inputs S1 and S0 which are connected to the
contestants' buttons. The circuit has two outputs Z1 and Z0 which are connected to LED's to
indicate which contestant rang in first. There is also a reset button that is used by the game
show host to asynchronously reset the flip-flops to the initial state before each question. If
contestant 0 rings in first, the circuit turns on LED 0. Once LED 0 is on, the circuit leaves it on
regardless of the inputs until the circuit is asynchronously reset by the game show host. If
contestant 1 rings in first, the circuit turns on LED 1 and leaves it on until the circuit is reset. If
there is a tie, both LED's are turned on.
The circuit requires four states: reset, contestant 0 wins, contestant 1 wins, and tie. One way to
map the states is to use state 00 for reset, state 01 for contestant 0 wins, state 10 for contestant 1
wins, and state 11 for a tie. With this mapping, the outputs are equal to the current state, which
simplifies the output equations.
In the state table shown in Table 1, q1q0 is the current state, q1*q0* is the next state, and Z1Z0 is
the current output. There are four columns of values for the next state q1*q0*. The first column
contains the values of the next state when S1S0 = 00, the second column contains the next state
when S1S0 = 01, and so on.
Table 1: State Table for Game Show Circuit
q1q0
q1*q0*
Z1Z0
S1S0 =
00 01 10 11
00
00 01 10 11
00
01
01 01 01 01
01
10
10 10 10 10
10
11
11 11 11 11
11
It can be seen from Table 1, after the circuit is reset to state 00, it will stay in state 00 and both
LED's will be off as long as neither contestant presses a button (that is as long as S1S0 = 00). If
contestant 0 is the first to press the button (S1S0 = 01), the circuit goes to state 01, and the circuit
stays in state 01 regardless of the inputs until the game show host resets the circuit using the
asynchronous reset. While the circuit is in state 01, the output Z0 is 1 and the output Z1 is 0, and
so LED 0 is on and LED 1 is off to show that contestant 0 rang in first. Likewise if contestant 1
presses the button first (S1S0 = 10), the circuit goes to state 10 and turns LED 1 on and turns
LED 0 off, and the circuit stays in state 10 regardless of the inputs until an asynchronous reset.
If both inputs are pressed at the same time, the circuit goes to state 11 and both LEDs are turned
on to indicate a tie.

Using K-maps, the excitation and output equations for D flip-flops can be found to be as follows:
D0 = q0 + S0q1'
D1 = q1 + S1q0'
Z0 = q0
Z1 = q1
In the circuit diagram shown below in Figure 1, Vcc is 9 Volts, and a 555 timer is used to
generate the clock signal with a frequency of about 100 kHz. The values of R2, R3, and C can
be changed to generate other clock frequencies (see the 555 datasheet for details). It is unlikely
that a tie will occur if the clock frequency is very high.
A breadboard with the circuit was passed around during the lecture so that students could see the
circuit in operation (see Figure 2).
Vcc
CD4013BE 14
6
S
q 1
5
D
D-FF
3
q 2
4
R

Vcc
Vcc
S0

q1'

q0'

3
7

4
CD4011BE

1k

1 14

Vcc

LED 0
q0
100 Ohms
q0'

Reset
1k

CD4013BE
8
Vcc
S1
1k

q0'

q1' 13

10

11

12

S
D

11
10

D-FF

q 13 q1
100 Ohms
q 12
q1'

Vcc
8
4
R2=1k
R3=1k
C=0.5nF

3
7
6
2

LM555
Timer

5
C1 = 0.01F

Figure 1: Schematic of Game Show Circuit

LED 1

Figure 2: Breadboard with Game Show Circuit

12-Hour Clock
The 12-hour clock is a standard commercial product. It performs a useful function, yet it is
simple enough that it can be used as either an example in lecture, or can be designed by the
students as a series of homework problems or in project. In the author's course, part of the clock
is presented as an example in lecture, and the students design the rest of the clock in a group
project and homework problems.
Digital clocks are usually set up to start at 12:00, and they count 12:01, 12:02, 12:03, 12:04,
12:05, 12:06, 12:07, 12:08, 12:09, 12:10, and eventually the clock gets to 12:58, 12:59, 1:00, and
so on. The one's place of the minutes (the right-most digit) counts 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and
then repeats, and a circuit that counts in this way is called a mod-10 counter. The ten's place of
the minutes (second digit from the right) counts 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and then repeats, which is called
a mod-6 counter. The hour counter counts 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and repeats. One
way to design the clock is to break it up into smaller parts as shown in Figure 3 below.

Minutes
Ones Place

Mod-10
Counter
CLK

CLR

q0
q1
q2
q3
Z

z
y BCD-toSeven
x
Segment
w Decoder

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
Minutes
Tens Place

EN

Mod-6
Counter
CLR

q0
q1
q2

z
y BCD-toSeven
x
Segment
w Decoder

a
b
c
d
e
f
g

Hours
Ones Place

EN

12 Hour
Counter
CLR

A0
A1
A2
A3
B0

z
y BCD-toSeven
x
Segment
w Decoder

a
b
c
d
e
f
g

CLR_L

Hours
Tens Place
z
y
x
w

BCD-toSeven
Segment
Decoder

Figure 3: Block Diagram of 12-Hour Clock

a
b
c
d
e
f
g

The output from each counter is a binary coded decimal (BCD) number that represents one of the
digits in the time, and BCD-to-Seven segment decoders are used to drive the seven segment
displays.
This circuit is a clocked synchronous circuit where all of the flip-flops have the same clock
signal. If the clock signal is set up to have one pulse per minute, the mod-10 counter will
increment every minute and needs to have an output Z that indicates when it is at the maximum
count (1001). Since the mod-6 counter only increments every 10 minutes, it needs to have an
enable input which is connected to the maximum count indicator from the mod-10 counter.
Furthermore, the mod-6 counter needs to have a maximum count indicator Z that is 1 when the
mod-6 counter is at the maximum count (0101) and it is enabled. The hour counter needs to
have an enable input which is connected to the maximum count indicator from the mod-6
counter.
The state table for the mod-10 counter is shown in Table 2. Don't care conditions (x's) were
placed in the unused states to help simplify the excitation equations.
Table 2: State Table for Mod-10 Counter
q3q2q1q0
q3*q2*q1*q0*
Z
0000
0001
0
0001
0010
0
0010
0011
0
0011
0100
0
0100
0101
0
0101
0110
0
0110
0111
0
0111
1000
0
1000
1001
0
1001
0000
1
1010
xxxx
x
1011
xxxx
x
1100
xxxx
x
1101
xxxx
x
1110
xxxx
x
1111
xxxx
x
The excitation equations for D flip-flops and the output equation for the mod-10 counter were
found using K-maps and are shown below.
D0 = q0'
D1 = q3'q1'q0 + q1q0'
D2 = q2'q1q0 + q2q0' + q2q1'
D3 = q3q0' + q2q1q0
Z = q3q0

The state table for the mod-6 counter is shown in Table 3, and the excitation and output
equations for the mod-6 counter are shown below.
D0 = q0'E + q0E' = q0 E
D1 = q2'q1'q0E + q1E' + q1q0'
D2 = q2E' + q2q0' + q1q0E
Z = q2q0E
Table 3: State Table for Mod-6 Counter
q2q1q0
q2*q1*q0*
Z
E=0 E=1
E=0 E=1
000
000 001
0
0
001
001 010
0
0
010
010 011
0
0
011
011 100
0
0
100
100 101
0
0
101
101 000
0
1
110
xxx xxx
x
x
111
xxx xxx
x
x
The hour counter has 12 states, and so it requires four flip-flops. Since the hour counter has four
flip-flops and one input, the excitation equations are functions of five variables. In order to
avoid requiring five-variable K-maps, the enable function was implemented separately by
designing a flip-flop with an enable input as shown in Figure 4. When EN = 0, the multiplexer
selects the current state q and applies it to the input of the flip-flop so that the next state will be
the same as the current state (q* = q). When EN = 1, the multiplexer selects the input D and
applies it to the input of the flip-flop so that the circuit behaves like a standard flip-flop.

EN

S0

2-to-1
D0 Multiplexer
D

D1

CLK

Figure 4: D Flip-Flop with Enable

Therefore the hour counter was designed without an enable input so that the excitation equations
are functions of only four variables, but it was constructed using flip-flops with enable. As
shown in Table 4, the state counts from 0000 to 1011, and the output functions generate BCD
numbers for the one's place (B3B2B1B0) and for the ten's place (A0). Note that only one bit is
needed for the ten's place because its value is either 0 or 1.

Table 4: State Table for Hour Counter (No Enable)

q3q2q1q0
q3*q2*q1*q0*
A0
B3B2B1B0
Display
0000
0001
1
0010
12
0001
0010
0
0001
01
0010
0011
0
0010
02
0011
0100
0
0011
03
0100
0101
0
0100
04
0101
0110
0
0101
05
0110
0111
0
0110
06
0111
1000
0
0111
07
1000
1001
0
1000
08
1001
1010
0
1001
09
1010
1011
1
0000
10
1011
0000
1
0001
11
1100
xxxx
x
xxxx
1101
xxxx
x
xxxx
1110
xxxx
x
xxxx
1111
xxxx
x
xxxx
The excitation and output equations are shown below.
D0 = q0'
D1 = q1 q0
D2 = q3'q2'q1q0 + q2q0' + q2q1'
D3 = q2q1q0 + q3q1' + q3q0'
A0 = q3'q2'q1'q0' + q3q1
B0 = q0
B1 = q3'q2'q0' + q3'q1
B2 = q2
B3 = q3 q1'
The clock signal, which needs to have one pulse every minute, can be generated by dividing the
signal from a crystal oscillator down to the required frequency. The time can be set by having a
button that allows the user to temporarily select a clock that has a higher frequency so that the
clock counts quicker than normal.
In order to demonstrate the circuit, the 12-hour clock was implemented using a custom integrated
circuit fabricated through the MOSIS program16 and four BCD-to-seven segment decoders. A
breadboard with the circuit was circulated around the class (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Breadboard with 12-Hour Clock

Car Alarm
A fairly simple circuit can be designed that could operate a car alarm. The circuit has one input
Y which would be connected to the car's door switch to determine if the car door is open or shut.
When the door is shut Y = 0, and when the door is open Y = 1. The circuit has one output Z
which is used to operate a relay that honks the horn by shorting the wires that go to the horn
switch in the steering wheel. When Z = 1, the relay is activated and the horn honks. The circuit
would be asynchronously reset by the accessories power line that is high when the ignition is
turned on or is in accessory-only mode, both of which require the key to the car.
The state table is shown in Table 5 below. While the ignition is on, the flip-flops are forced into
state 000 by the asynchronous reset. Then, when the ignition is turned off, the circuit stays in
state 000 while door is closed (Y = 0) to wait for the driver to get out of the car. When the driver
opens the door (Y = 1), the circuit goes to state 001. The circuit stays in state 001 while the
door is open (Y = 1), and when the driver closes the door (Y = 0) the circuit proceeds to state
010. At this point, the alarm is "armed" in the sense that it is waiting for the door to open and to
honk the horn. As long as the door is closed (Y=0), the circuit stays in state 010, but when the
door is opened (Y = 1), the circuit moves to state 011. Once in state 011, the circuit does not
honk the horn yet because usually it is the driver returning to the car. If the clock is set to have

one pulse for every 20 seconds, there will be at least a 20 second delay before the circuit moves
to state 100 and honks the horn. The driver would use this time to insert the key into the ignition
and to turn the ignition on, which asynchronously resets the circuit and prevents the horn from
honking. If the ignition is not turned on within 20 seconds, the circuit proceeds to state 100
regardless of whether the door is open or not, and the horn is honked (Z = 1). The circuit will
stay in state 100 and honk the horn until it is reset by the ignition or the battery dies.
Don't cares (x's) were placed in the unused states to help simplify the excitation and output
equations.
Table 5: State Table for Car Alarm Circuit
q2q1q0
q2*q1*q0*
Z
Y=0 Y=1
000
000 001
0
001
010 001
0
010
010 011
0
011
100 100
0
100
100 100
1
101
xxx xxx
x
110
xxx xxx
x
111
xxx xxx
x
The excitation and output equations were found using K-maps as follows.
D0 = q1'q0Y + q2'q0'Y
D1 = q1'q0Y' + q1q0'
D2 = q1q0 + q2
Z = q2
In order to be practical, this circuit would also need to latch the input so that the circuit will
notice if someone opens the door, jumps inside, and closes the door in less than 20 seconds. (It
would also be desirable to redesign the circuit so that it turns the horn on and off repeatedly
instead of just turning the horn on constantly, and to automatically reset the circuit after the horn
is honked for say five minutes, but these features require many more states and a more
complicated circuit.)
Assessment
In an attempt to measure how interesting and effective the students find these examples, a survey
was given after each example was completed. The survey asked "Did you find the example
circuit interesting?" and "Was the example circuit helpful?". The students scored each question
on a five point scale where 1 was not at all interesting/helpful, and 5 was very interesting/helpful.
The survey also asked for optional comments about each example circuit. The survey was also
given after two conventional examples: 4-bit binary adder and 3-to-8 binary decoder. For each
question, the average student rating and the number of responses (N) are shown below in Table
6.

Table 6: Average Scores from Student Survey

Example
N
Interesting
Helpful
Binary Adder
33
4.2
4.5
Binary Decoder
31
3.9
4.1
Game Show Circuit
27
4.3
4.2
Digital Clock
29
4.5
4.4
Car Alarm
30
4.4
4.1
Comments from each example circuit are summarized below.
Binary Adder:
More like this!
The example was made much more interesting when you gave examples of devices it's
used in. (What actually makes this class awesome to me is solving practical problems
with solutions that are used (or seem to be)).
It was very interesting to see how these things work in an easily laid out format.
I find this stuff very interesting
Binary Decoder:
I'm still lost on some parts of the decoder
Hierarchical design is difficult to grasp with decoders
It was cool
Understanding how to put the circuits together for decoders, etc. is more challenging than
the beginning course content; takes more time to grasp
Interested in alternative ways circuit could be made. Also if there are benefits to the
different methods.
Game Show Circuit:
Cool real-life application
I always wondered how it worked.
Not much function, but a good example problem
Fun to problem to solve. Interesting thought andcool!
Digital Clock:
Cool example
It was very cool
Good!
Some of the underlying work would be nice to see
It would have been helpful to see some k-maps done

Car Alarm:
Entertaining, practical example
It was really cool to see a relevant example used in real life
Very cool
I thought this was my favorite example.
I didn't realize you could do this with sequential logic. Good example.
The students rated the game show circuit, digital clock, and car alarm as slightly more interesting
than the conventional examples binary adder and binary decoder. However, those circuits may
not be directly comparable to the binary adder and binary decoder because the game show
circuit, digital clock, and car alarm are all sequential logic circuits whereas the binary adder and
binary decoder are combinational logic circuits.
The binary adder and the digital clock were rated as being slightly more helpful than the others.
This result may have occurred because the students designed a binary adder and parts of the
digital clock as homework assignments and in a group project, so these two examples were
directly related to problems that the students were required to solve. However, the students also
designed a large binary decoder in the homework, but that example was not rated as high in
helpfulness. This result might be explained by the fact that at the time of the survey, the students
were struggling with understanding the decoder, as is made clear in the comments.
Overall, the students rated the game show circuit, digital clock, and car alarm as being highly
interesting and helpful. These circuits were rated as slightly more interesting than the more
conventional circuits, but they were not necessarily rated as being more helpful to them.
Conclusion
Three example circuits were described for a digital logic design course. Although the examples
were relatively simple, they were complete systems that solve real-world problems. A survey
found that the students seemed to find the complete system examples slightly more interesting
than the more conventional circuits, but not necessarily more helpful.

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