Problem: Design a 7-segment decoder using mux.

Input: BCD

Ouput: 7 signals control 7-segment LED

Solution:

First I use four bits to represent ten digits from 0 to 9 of the BCD code. I denote them as x,
y, z and w. After that, I denote seven segments of the 7-segment LED as a, b, c, d, e
following the figure below:
a

f b
g

e c

Accordingly, I obtain the truth table, where x notation represents the don’t-care term.

x y z w a b c d e f g
0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1
0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1
0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1
0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1
0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1
1 0 1 0 x x x x x x x
1 0 1 1 x x x x x x x
1 1 0 0 x x x x x x x
1 1 0 1 x x x x x x x
1 1 1 0 x x x x x x x
1 1 1 1 x x x x x x x

Evaluate the output a:

Here I have 4 inputs, thus I use 8-to-1 MUX, that means 3 inputs are connected to the
selector gate, the remained input is connected to any of 8 input gates, that depends on the
above truth table:
 Input connected
x y z w a
gate no. term
0 0 0 0 0 1 1
1 0 0 0 1 0 x
2 0 0 1 0 1 1
3 0 0 1 1 1 1
4 0 1 0 0 0 1
5 0 1 0 1 1 0
6 0 1 1 0 1 0
7 0 1 1 1 1 1

0 1 0 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 0 1 1 x
2 1 0 1 0 x 1
3 1 0 1 1 x 1
4 1 1 0 0 x 1
5 1 1 0 1 x 0
6 1 1 1 0 x 0
7 1 1 1 1 x 1

Therefore I obtain the selector of output a:

Similarly, I obtain the configuration for b, c, d, e, f and g:

The final circuit: