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Activity 2.3.2 Seven-Segment Displays

Introduction ·
(0 , I • • -.a.;,•

Y
-What do alarm clocks, cable TV converter boxes, home answering machines, and inexpensive ·calculators
all have in common? In addition to being built from electronics, many also include seven-segment
di~plays as part of their design. · -- ·
) here are two types of seven-segment displays: common cathode and common anode. Understanding
1

,; ho; thesidisplays work and the differences between the~ i~ fundamental to designing many different
;typ:es of,electronic devices.
; In :i°his ~ctivity you will learn how to use seven-segment displays to display both alpha and numeric _
: characters. You .will also·b:'e'!int'r6cltfceg '.tqJ he-Severi-Seg_
me'rif Displ!3y Q_r.iver.-> .- -~--~., ._· ,. -·: .-. · ·., .

Equipment
• Circuit Design Software (CDS)
• Breadboard (DMS or DLB)
• #22 Gauge solid wire
.'. ' • Integrated Circuits (74LS04 & 74LS32)
·.: • - Com_mon Cathode ?even-Segment Display
•-;:·
:Procedure
l 1. Let's investigate what alpha-numeric characters vv~·~~ ~,.dis~lay on a se~en~segm~nt .display.
Common Cathode Common Anode

· 5V
GND

-- - -
,
- ., ___
... ~ - ~_.,..~--~

;; J
 a. - Using th CD
- e S, enter th . • below.
Please note th - · -e common cathode seven-segment display test ~ircurt shown
th
at e seven-segment display is a common cathode display.

GND

5V

Key=A

Key= B

Key= D

Key= E 2200

~
~~ -"
Key= F 2200

Key=G

GND

- b. For the seven switches (i.e., A through G), determine the settings required so that the seven-
segment display will_display 0-~- Use the _results to compl~te the ta~le shown below.
~t-· ·. -· -·:._ ·-· ·. . '·_-. · . - __ ,,~-- .. --, "· _-,:;,__ ;. ., _ - . .. ··- . ·,;
.... .-.. ..· .. ~:0~, -- i------:-7r- - ~ - - r - - - - r - - - - r -_.:..:_-,---=----,--.:...._---, ..
Display A B C D E F G

1 0 \
2
\ 0 n '() 0
l
\ 0 \ \ 0
3

4
l
(}
l \ \ 0 0 '
\
I \ 0 0
5
I 0 \ \
\ \
6
'I -- 0 \
0 ' I
7 - \ \

8 '
l
\
- l ---
~

~
u ' 0 0
\ 0
0
9 ---r-L_ l r--- __ \
- \ \ \ l\,.
------- \
--------- a--;
---
' \
'
~
'J

0
 c. Using the seven SEDT switches (i.e., A thru.G), cletermine at l~a.st, ten .alph~ characters that you
cou\d disp\ay-u~ing-th~ seven-segm~nt display." ,Don't forget to indud-e lower case characters.
Record your findings in the table shown below.
..

· Display ·· .. A- '8 . C .D S ·
·E F _. g

0 l \ ~ l 0 l \
0 ,o_:· ,-0 \ \ \ \ \
C 0 L) \ 0 I
'° I

__c\ to \ \ t, J..,
,, .. ·-·:;· _·,:
·- -·· .. ..
~
' \
;

t \
\
\
f)

0
0

0
\
'(J
\
l
\
l
' I
·5
h 0
\ \
D
\
\ ~
\ 0

l \
\
\
'
'/
-, - ,. ..
.~. ,_ ,
-·
.. ;_
,..·
··~ \_1 0- o . ._'() _··.) .. \ \ 0
ri_J\ 0 . .(9. .. \ 6 . \ 0 \

2. Now, let's see how you can use a seven-segment display in a logic circuit.
a. Analyze the seven-segment display circuit shown below and complete the display table
shown. The display is a common cathode. _
b. What message do you predict'will be disi:>layed? . \-\"1. .
GND
-~ .::..- ~~ ~ .... ~ --.-:,_ ~---=--
--
J K
5V SY • __ .,..... ...!_ • -

~~~:;~~~- i~ --- ~:.

Key= J

2200
2200
2200
2200

J K Display

0 0 \-\
~ ..
0. . . -~
,,.., - ' . . \· ,, ..
1
.. ., ___ . .\ ..
1 0 \
1 1 \-\
 ·th your analysis.
C. Simulate the circuit to see if you were correc t WI

. ·seve-n-Segnie~t Display Dri~ers - . . .- - . . I The Digital Hex Display

1. In a previous activity, you were introduced to the D1g1tal Hex Disp ay.
translates four lines of binary into hexadecimal.
··· 1
I
'DCD_HEX_BLUE
vcc

Key=A

Key=S

Key=D

Key=F
GND

2. To display numbers on a seven-segment display, you will need to use a specific driver that will
translate four lines of binary into seven-segment numerical code.
• The-74LS48 SSD Driver is designed for the Common Cathode SSD.
• The 74LS47 SSD Driver is designed for the Common Anode SSD.
Simulate the circuit shown below.

GND

DCBA ABCDEFG
vcc
vcc
B
................._-_-_- .._+--_- __,
-1 ! §!
D 8~
- -:'-. Key= A -LT 8F
=~URB8
2200
Key=S 74LS48N

· . - ~- . K:ey =D ··

Key= F
GND

74LS48N Seven-Segment Display Driver with Common Cathode SSD

a. If output QA is on "high", is segment A on or off? -~;;....:..:._ __

b. Enter 00002 to 11112 and note the number displayed on the SSD. How is it di.f ferent
from what is displayed on the Digital Hex Display?

0 0 Cc) 't- ~h M . J (,l \l u._""' rj\ \1'""') ( N• -~ \ \ \ \ 2 s ~ ..)'1,v\ "'- 0

4
 · - · - . h c mmon Anode SSD.
Now let's simulate the 74LS47N SSD Driver wit o vcc
3.

ABCDEFG
DC BA VCC

vcc

. · . . · .. : .·... • .

Key =A . 2200 ;,

Key= S 74LS47N

. : -,,·
- ··· Key.=·F-' · . .a-·: . •. '. ~ r • • :• • '

GND

74LS47N Seven-Segment Display Driver with Common Anode SSD

a. If output QA is on "high" is segment A on or off? OV\

b._ Enter 0000i to 11112 and note the number displayed on the SSD. What is the major
_. difference bet~een a Common Cathode Display and a Common Anode Display?
O<)_Q o-.. -~ ""~) Ck\ \ -6iftp Jh M. \Jv\ ~ \Ji..<.i\J\l ~~ f{J'41, ' \\\\ ;sh 'IV), CA . D
4 . What if you only had access to a Common Anode Seven-Segment Display with a 74LS48 55D
Driver? Could you modify the circuit to display the numbers correctly? Make the necessary edits
without changing the 7448 or the Common Anode display.

vcc

DCBA
vcc

JOO~!J
-ki
'
:azJ
Key=S 220Q
74LS48N

Key=D

Key = F

GND

... , .._.. ,, ... a"., .~i_n.wl_ate on.~,QS.§.Qf!w.a.~~-~be_rn odJfied circui.t using.a CA sso ancJ 74 Ls 4 ~.s~~ ~;~~ ~-'-. -.- .
0
b. Explain below what you needed to do to modify the circuit. ··· · · ---···· · --.. - ·-··· -· ·· .,.

.i -_:- s. ·
Using.the DLB, build and test the seven~segment circuit that you analyz d d •
•t -- - · . · .' ' · . · · •· ; . · e an srmu 1ated in #2
, above. L1m1t your 1mplementat1on to a 74LS48 SSD Driver and a common cath d
, •· display. o e seven-segment

Teacher verification fVr"v'. I ), I L

5
 t they will display your
- . shown below so tha ommon anode
-- Conc\~sio_
n .. g of the seven-segment d1splaysh d display and a (5) on the c
. 1. Complete the w,nn . {1) on the common cat o e
age. If you are 15, display a 5V
display.

GND

. ""-,, ·- 2. List five words of three characters or more that you could spell out using a seven-segment
. ·. ~ --~_,,
display. Don't forget about lower-case characters. Be creative . Be polite .
:~~~.
- --~,
•
. ·'· - • C Ab . -.
·:'3i:,;,~-~~iI!1:~::·;__ -:~- ~~:~c~; ~- \j_,i~J~\-:=· :'~ ---~-:_~-- :c·-_:<> 0--~-
..-: -- ::-· ~---=-- ~--.
-~~::.
:,:;_1 - - •

• J E f-\ c\
•

-3. Describe what you should look for if you designed a circuit with an SSD that appears to work
in simulation, but does not appear to be working when you create the circuit. (Hint: it may
actually be working)

\ O\J '::::,,~O'-J~ \ o~\~ \(\;1--J c,"'-._.5~\ ,,<--~ ~, ~Q.e~~),_ v-.r-.-\1.,,- -\V\ c c_'w c ,~\-

~\.µ , c\M cl-,.. ~(A,1 ""''v-\. -s.""t\-. 'L'- \ c::"'-,,,, ~ -