Abstract

A seven-segment display less commonly known as a

seven-segment indicator, is a form of electronic
display device for displaying decimal numerals that
is an alternative to the more complex dot-matrix
displays. Seven-segment displays are widely used in
digital clocks, electronic meters, and other electronic
devices for displaying numerical information.

Introduction

A seven segment display, as its name indicates, is

composed of seven elements. Individually on or off,
they can be combined to produce simplified
representations of the arabic numerals. Often the
seven segments are arranged in an oblique (slanted)
arrangement, which aids readability.

Each of the numbers 0, 6, 7 and 9 may be
represented by two or more different glyphs on
seven-segment displays. The seven segments
are arranged as a rectangle of two vertical segments
on each side with one horizontal segment on the top,
middle, and bottom. Additionally, the seventh
segment bisects the rectangle horizontally. There are
also fourteen-segment displays and sixteen-segment
displays (for full alphanumerics); however, these
have mostly been replaced by dot-matrix displays.
The segments of a 7-segment display are referred to
by the letters A to G, as shown to the right, where the
optional DP decimal point (an "eighth segment") is
used for the display of non-integer numbers.
The BCD-to-decimal decoder used in this project is
MSI IC 7447a decoder which has an active low,
open collector output. Seven segment display is the
most popular display used in digital systems. For
displaying data using this device, the data have to be
converted from BCD to 7 segment code.
The decoder circuit has 4 input lines for BCD data
and 7 output lines to drive a 7 - segment display.
Output terminals a through g of the decoder are to be
connected to a through g terminals of the display
respectively.
In IC 7447a the output is active- low, hence 7-
segment display LED is the common anode type.

Seven segments are, effectively, the fewest required

to represent each of the ten Hindu-Arabic numerals
with a distinct and recognizable glyph. Bloggers have
experimented with six-segment and even five- Connection Diagram:
segment displays with such novel shapes as curves,
angular blocks and serifs for segments; however,
these often require complicated and/or non-uniform
shapes and sometimes create unrecognizable glyphs.
ABCD (pins-7, 6, 2, 1) are the BCD inputs.

The functions of LT, RBI, RBO, are given as

follows:

LT: Lamp Test

RBI: Ripple Blanking Input

RBO: Ripple Blanking Output

BI: Blanking Input

LT: This is used to check the segments of LED. If it Implementation

is connected to logic 0 level, all the segments of the
display connected to the decoder will be ON. For
In order to achieve the implementation of BCD to 7
normal decoding operation, this terminal is to be
segment display we have chosen to use IC 7447
connected to logic 1 level.
decoder and D5611 7 segment display. For loading of
the segment display we have provided 7 resistors
valued at 330 ohms.

RBI: It is to be connected to logic 1 for normal

decoding operation. If it is connected to 0 level, the
segment outputs will generate data for normal 7-
segment decoding for all BCD inputs except zero.
Whenever the BCD inputs correspond to zero, the 7-
segment display switches off.

BI: If it is connected to logic 0 level, the display is

switched off irrespective of BCD inputs. This is used
for conserving power in multiplexed displays.

RBO: This output, which is normally at logic 1 goes

to logic 0 during zero blanking interval. This is used
for cascading purposes and is connected to RBI of the
succeeding stage.
First all the connections were soldered according to
The following is the truth table for the 7-segment the pin diagram of IC 7447 decoder as follows:
display decoder:
Supply voltage of 5 V is given.

The seven segment display used is D5611. It is a 10

pin IC and requires no supply. The diagram of the IC
is as shown:
Conclusion
Thus we have successfully studied and constructed
the BCD to 7 segment display and achieved the
desired result according to the truth table from 0-9 as
above.

References

1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

2)’Digital Electronics’—Godse and

Godse

IC D5611 3)Modern Electronics—TATA McGraw Hill

Publications
Testing of the display is done in 2 ways as follows:

1) For Common Anode,

Pin 3 (Common) is connected to Vcc (positive

supply) of 5V and all other pins are connected to
ground one by one to check operation.

2) For Common Cathode,

Pin 3 (Common) is connected to ground and all other

pins are connected to Vcc (positive supply) of 5V
one by one to check operation.

Result

The result for BCD to Seven segment decoder was

achieved .

Where the output on the display was achieved as

follows: