Chapter 5: simplification of switching Functions

Minimization of Logic (Boolean) Expressions

Minimized or simplified boolean expressions require fewer logic elements Most of the elements required q for this reduced form, , have fewer inputs than those in the original The smaller the number of inputs to a logic element, the less complicated and subsequently the cheaper it will be The h smaller ll the h number b of f components used d in any circuit, the lower the chance of a component failure when the circuit is in use Thus, the more simple form is probably the more reliable one and it should be cheaper to maintain

Chapter 5: Minimization of Logic (Boolean) Expressions Minimization of a Boolean function consists of expressing that function as a sum of products (min-terms) with the least number of inputs or the least number of terms One of the commonly used methods of achieving this hi is i by b inspecting i i its i minterms i represented d on a Karnaugh map When five or fewer variables are involved one of the most useful techniques q is that which uses a Karnaugh map

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

A Karnaugh map is a graphical representation or an arrangement g of cells representing p g the combinations of variables in a Boolean expression and used for a systematic simplification of the logic expression The Karnaugh map provides a convenient method of simplifying sum sum-of-products of products in Boolean equations The function to be simplified is displayed diagrammatically on a map of squares Each square maps one term of the function

Chapter p 5: Karnaugh g Map p

The number of squares is equal to 2n where n is the number of literals (input variables) in the function Thus, Thus if the equation to be simplified has three literals, A, B, and C, then n = 3 and the number of squares q 2 n = 23 = 8 The rows and columns of the Karnaugh map can be labelled as shown below

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

The variable combinations are labeled in the cells ( (squares) q ) only y for purposes p p of illustration In practice, the map is actually arranged with the variable labels outside the cells as shown below

The variable to the left of a row of cells applies pp to each cell in that row

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

The variable above a column of cells applies to each cell in that column Often, a Karnaugh map is labeled in a slightly different manner to that shown earlier on
00 00 01 11 10 01 11 10

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

To produce a minimal form of Boolean expression p with the aid of a Karnaugh g map, p
The map must be completed by entering either 1 or 0 in every square of the map Each square corresponds to one minterm 1 is i put t in i those th squares which hi h correspond d to t the th cases for which the circuit output is required to be 1 0 is entered when the output is to be 0

If a circuit has several outputs, p , a separate p map p should be drawn for each output

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

The number 1 written in a square indicates the presence of a particular term in the mapped function 0 means that, the particular term is not present in the mapped function In simplifying p y g equations q using g the Karnaugh g map, p, adjacent squares containing 1 are looped together Adjacent in this context means
Side-by-side in the horizontal and in the vertical directions (but not diagonal) The right-hand and left-hand sides, and the top and bottom of the map and The four corner squares

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

This grouping together of adjacent squares is the method by which a sum-of-products expression is simplified with the aid of a Karnaugh map For the greatest degree of minimization to be achieved, the smallest possible number of groups should be formed The process of minimization of logical expressions using a Karnaugh map may be summarized as follows
The function is expressed as a sum sum-of-products of products and Each term is represented on a Karnaugh map whose size is defined by the number of variables

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

All the 1s are grouped together so as to form the largest possible block of cells in binary groups of 2 4, 2, 4 8, 8 etc Overlapping O l i groups are desirable d i bl to reduce d the h expression to its simplest form The sum of all the logical expressions gives the minimized function Mapping will often yield a result more quickly than simplification based on Boolean algebra alone

Chapter 5: Karnaugh Map

When each of the terms in a logic g expression p contains every variable, the expression is said to be in its canonical form