PRACTICE #4

Exclusive OR (XOR) and Inclusive OR (IOR) Gates

A XOR gate compares if two bits are equal or different. Another common application is the controlled
inverter, also known as a Polarity controller. The Truth table for the XOR/IOR gates is in Table 4.1. The
classical CMOS XOR chips are the CD4070, and 74HC76.

A B XOR IOR
0 0 0 1
0 1 1 0
1 0 1 0
1 1 0 1
Table 4.1: Truth table for XOR and IOR gates.
From the truth table, we can get the logic equations for the XOR and IOR gates as follows:
XOR = Ᾱ * B + A * /B
IOR = Ᾱ * /B + A * B

Figure 4.1 shows how to solve the XOR gate Truth table using Minterms and Maxterms.

Figure 4.1: XOR truth table and reduction using Minterms and Maxterms.

Inclusive OR gates (IOR) are also called XNOR gates. In Figure 4.2a, you can see four ways to use
IOR Gates: (a) as an Inverter, (b) as a follower, (c) as a driver with an output equal to 5V, (d) as a
driver with its output always grounded.
 Figure 4.2: Four ways to use a XOR gate.

4-BIT COMPARATOR WITH XOR GATES

XOR gates find their main applications in identity comparators. Figures 4.3a and 4.3b
show two ways to design a 4-bit equality comparator using XOR gates. The circuit in Fig.
4.3a has three propagation delay times Tpd, while circuit in Fig. 4.3b has two Tpd’s. You
can see that by the number of vertical stages formed by those gates.
Figure 4.3a, b: Two methods to design a 4-bit equality comparator

MAKING a XOR GATE WITH NAND GATES

When you do not have a XOR gate available, you can make it with five NAND gates.
Figure 4.4 shows the solution with Boolean algebra. Bear in mind that this solution has
three times the standard Tpd. This solution is suitable or Low speed applications.
Figure 4.4: XOR gate made of five NAND gates.