UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG

ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design

Chabalala Chabalala
2021
ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Combinational Logic Design

Sections: 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

In the previous lecture …

• Noise,

• Logic Levels,

• Noise Margin,

• DC Transfer Characteristics, and

• Power Consumption.

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Summary of points from the previous lecture…

• Noise affects the operation of digital circuits, but noise margin
allows for reliable operation.

• Power consumption depends on static (constant) power and

dynamic (switching) power.

• Dynamic power depends on switching frequency, the faster

the switching, the more the power.

• Logic families are well defined and must be clearly understood

to build digital circuits.

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

In this lecture …

• Rules of combinational logic

• Boolean equations

• Boolean algebra

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Introduction
A logic circuit is composed of:
• Inputs
• Outputs
• Functional specification
• Timing specification

functional spec
inputs outputs
timing spec

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Circuits
• Nodes
– Inputs: A, B, C
– Outputs: Y, Z A E1
n1

– Internal: n1 B E3 Y
C E2 Z
• Circuit elements
– E1, E2, E3
– Each a circuit

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Types of Logic Circuits

• Combinational Logic
– Memoryless,
– Outputs are determined by current values of inputs.
• Sequential Logic
– Has memory,
– Outputs are determined by the previous and the current
values of inputs.

functional spec
inputs outputs
timing spec

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Rules of Combinational Logic

• Every element is combinational,

• Every node is either an input or connects to
exactly one output.
• The circuit contains no cyclic paths: every path
visits each node in the circuit at most once

• Example:

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Equations
• Functional specification of outputs in terms of
inputs
• Example: Y = F(A, B) = A + B

• Possible implementations of Y = F(A,B) = A + B

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Multiple-output combinational circuit

• Full adder: specifies the outputs S and Cout, in

terms of the inputs A, B, and Cin.

• Example: S = F(A, B, Cin)

Cout = F(A, B, Cin)

A
C S
B L
Cout
Cin
S = A  B  Cin
Cout = AB + ACin + BCin
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Some definitions for Boolean Equations

• Complement: variable with a bar over it
𝑨, B, 𝑪
• Literal: variable or its complement
A, A, B, B, C, C
• Implicant: product of literals
ABC, AC, BC
• Minterm: product that includes all input variables
ABC, ABC, ABC
• Maxterm: sum that includes all input variables
(A+B+C), (A+B+C), (A+B+C)
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Sum-of-Products (SOP) Form

• All equations can be written in SOP form.
• Each row has a minterm.

minterm
A B Y minterm name
0 0 0 A B m0
0 1 1 A B m1
1 0 0 A B m2
1 1 1 A B m3
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Sum of Products (SOP) Form…

• All equations can be written in SOP form.
• Each row has a minterm.
• A minterm is a product (AND) of literals.
• Each minterm is TRUE for that row (and only that row).

minterm
A B Y minterm name
0 0 0 A B m0
0 1 1 A B m1
1 0 0 A B m2
1 1 1 A B m3
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Sum of Products (SOP) Form…

• All equations can be written in SOP form.
• Each row has a minterm.
• A minterm is a product (AND) of literals.
• Each minterm is TRUE for that row (and only that row).
• Form function by ORing minterms where output is 1.
• Thus, a sum (OR) of products (AND terms).
minterm
A B Y minterm name
0 0 0 A B m0
0 1 1 A B m1
1 0 0 A B m2
1 1 1 A B m3
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Sum of Products (SOP) Form…

• All equations can be written in SOP form.
• Each row has a minterm.
• A minterm is a product (AND) of literals.
• Each minterm is TRUE for that row (and only that row).
• Form function by ORing minterms where output is 1.
• Thus, a sum (OR) of products (AND terms).
minterm
A B Y minterm name
0 0 0 A B m0
0 1 1 A B m1
1 0 0 A B m2
1 1 1 A B m3
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Sum of Products (SOP) Form…

• All equations can be written in SOP form.
• Each row has a minterm.
• A minterm is a product (AND) of literals.
• Each minterm is TRUE for that row (and only that row).
• Form function by ORing minterms where output is 1.
• Thus, a sum (OR) of products (AND terms).
minterm
A B Y minterm name
0 0 0 A B m0
0 1 1 A B m1
1 0 0 A B m2
1 1 1 A B m3
Page 17 Y = F(A, B) = AB + AB = Σ(1, 3)
ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Product-of-Sums (POS) Form

• All Boolean equations can be written in POS form.
• Each row has a maxterm.

maxterm
A B Y maxterm name
0 0 0 A + B M0
0 1 1 A + B M1
1 0 0 A + B M2
1 1 1 A + B M3
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Product-of-Sums (POS) Form…

• All Boolean equations can be written in POS form.
• Each row has a maxterm.
• A maxterm is a sum (OR) of literals.
• Each maxterm is FALSE for that row (and only that row).

maxterm
A B Y maxterm name
0 0 0 A + B M0
0 1 1 A + B M1
1 0 0 A + B M2
1 1 1 A + B M3
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Product-of-Sums (POS) Form…

• All Boolean equations can be written in POS form.
• Each row has a maxterm.
• A maxterm is a sum (OR) of literals.
• Each maxterm is FALSE for that row (and only that row).
• Form function by ANDing maxterms where output is 0.
• Thus, a product (AND) of sums (OR terms).
maxterm
A B Y maxterm name
0 0 0 A + B M0
0 1 1 A + B M1
1 0 0 A + B M2
1 1 1 A + B M3
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Y = F(A, B) = (A + B)(𝑨 + B) = Π(0, 2)
ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Equations Example

• You are going to the cafeteria for lunch:
– You won’t eat lunch (E)
– If it’s not open (O) or
– If they only serve hotdogs (C)
• Write a truth table to determine if you will eat (E).

O C E
0 0
0 1
1 0
1 1
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Equations Example

• You are going to the cafeteria for lunch:
– You won’t eat lunch (E)
– If it’s not open (O) or
– If they only serve hotdogs (C)
• Write a truth table to determine if you will eat (E).

O C E
0 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

SOP and POS Forms

SOP – sum-of-products
O C E minterm
0 0 O C
0 1 O C
1 0 O C
1 1 O C
POS – product-of-sums
O C E maxterm
0 0 O + C
0 1 O + C
1 0 O + C
1 1 O + C
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

SOP and POS Forms

SOP – sum-of-products
O C E minterm
0 0 0 O C E = OC
0 1 0 O C
1 0 1 O C
= Σ(2)
1 1 0 O C
POS – product-of-sums
O C E maxterm
0 0 0 O + C E = (O + C)(O + C)(O + C)
0 1 0 O + C
1 0 1 O + C = Π(0, 1, 3)
1 1 0 O + C
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Algebra

• Axioms and theorems of Boolean algebra are used

to simplify Boolean equations.
• Like regular algebra, but simpler: variables have
only two values (1 or 0).
• Duality in axioms and theorems:
– ANDs and ORs, 0’s and 1’s interchanged.
• Theorems can be applied to simplify logic towards
building smaller and less costly circuits.

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Axioms

Number Axiom Name

A1 B = 0 if B ≠ 1 Binary Field
A2 0=1 NOT
A3 0•0=0 AND/OR
A4 1•1=1 AND/OR
A5 0•1=1•0=0 AND/OR

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Axioms

Number Axiom Name

A1 B = 0 if B ≠ 1 Binary Field
A2 0=1 NOT
A3 0•0=0 AND/OR
A4 1•1=1 AND/OR
A5 0•1=1•0=0 AND/OR

Dual: Replace: • with +

0 with 1
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Axioms

Number Axiom Dual Name

A1 B = 0 if B ≠ 1 B = 1 if B ≠ 0 Binary Field
A2 0=1 1 =0 NOT
A3 0•0=0 1+1=1 AND/OR
A4 1•1=1 0+0=0 AND/OR
A5 0•1=1•0=0 1+0=0+1=1 AND/OR

Dual: Replace: • with +

0 with 1
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Theorems of One Variable

Number Theorem Name

T1 B•1=B Identity
T2 B•0=0 Null Element
T3 B•B=B Idempotency
T4 B=B Involution
T5 B•B=0 Complements

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Theorems of One Variable

Number Theorem Name

T1 B•1=B Identity
T2 B•0=0 Null Element
T3 B•B=B Idempotency
T4 B=B Involution
T5 B•B=0 Complements

Dual: Replace: • with +

0 with 1
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Boolean Theorems of One Variable

Number Theorem Dual Name

T1 B•1=B B+0=B Identity
T2 B•0=0 B+1=1 Null Element
T3 B•B=B B+B=B Idempotency
T4 B=B Involution
T5 B•B=0 B+B=1 Complements

Dual: Replace: • with +

0 with 1
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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

T1: Identity Theorem

• B●1=B
• B+0=B
B
1 = B

B
0 = B

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

T2: Null Element

• B●0=0
• B+1=1
B
0 = 0

B
1 = 1

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

T3: Idempotency

• B●B=B
• B+B=B
B
B = B

B
B = B

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

T4: Involution

• B=B

B = B

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

T5: Complement Theorem

• B●B=0
• B+B=1

B
B = 0

B
B = 1

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Summary
• Rules of combinational logic, whereby the output depends
only on the current values of inputs.

• Described how to derive Boolean equations for logic

functions from any truth table.

• Any Boolean function can be described by a truth table, or

equivalently, in terms of AND/OR/NOT operations.

• The Axioms and theorems of Boolean Algebra, which can

be applied to simplify digital circuits.

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Next Lecture: Thursday 15 April 2021 @ 12h30

• Theorems of Several Variables.

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ELEN2021 : Microprocessors
Digital Logic and Design
Combinational Logic Design

Thank you!

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