2017 IEEE 2nd International Conference on Signal and Image Processing

A VHDL Based Moore and Mealy FSM Example for Education

Sultana Alsubaei1, S. M. Qaisar1, W. Alhalabi2

1
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Effat University, Jeddah, KSA
2
Computer Science Department, Effat University, Jeddah, KSA
e-mail: 1saalsubaie@effat.edu.sa, 1sqaisar@effatuniversity.edu.sa

Abstract—With recent technological advancements, modern

societies are becoming more and more dependent on the
automated machines. It is in order to cope with their fast-going
lives. Modern automated machines adapt their sequence of
actions depending on their environment and events. The FSM
(Finite state machine) is used to mathematically express those
sequences of actions or instructions. In this article two FSM
machines types, Moore and Mealy, are discussed. Showing
different results in order to demonstrate the importance of
FSM modeling. An edge detector circuit is designed by
employing both Moore and Mealy machines. It is a FSM design
example, can be used for students concepts building and
demonstration. These designs are implemented in VHDL. A
comparison is also made based on both implementations.
Keywords-FSM,; automation; VHDL;, Xilinx-ISE;, timing
diagram; computer aided design
states [7]–[9]. Only one machine state can be active at a
given instant. It is done as a function of the inputs
combination, previous sate and the system memory
elements status [7].
The FSM can be modeled by either FSM model
designing or by ASM (Algorithmic State Machines) method,
which is mainly used for designing FSMs and for digital
integrated circuits diagram representation by flowcharts
methodology [12], [13]. ASM shares conceptual similarities
with FSM modeling except that ASM is easier for
understanding due to its informality as shown on Figure 1,
illustrating modulo three counters [14]. ASM can be
compiled by using ASM++ compiler. Moreover, certain
other interesting state machine synthesizers examples are
available in the literature [15], [16].

I. INTRODUCTION
Because of ever wanted features, the DSP (Digital
Signal Processing) has replaced the analog processing in
most of the modern systems [1]–[3]. A smart digital signal
processing design can lead towards an efficient solution and
vice versa [1]–[3].
Information in digital systems is classified as, data or
control information [4]. Data is known as discrete element
of information that can be altered in order to preform
arithmetic, logic and other data-processing tasks which is
implemented with digital components such as decoders,
adders and counters [5]. While control information provides
Figure 1. Modulo three counters
command signals that supervises the operations held in the
data section to ensure the desired output [4], [5].
There are two distinct modules of all digital processing II. THE FSM PRINCIPLE
system. One is dealing with the performance of data The FSM is typically used as a type of control system
processing by designing the suitable digital circuit. The where knowledge is represented in the states and actions are
other part deals with the design of the operation supervisor, constrained by rules [17]. The general FSM model is shown
the control circuit [5]. on Figure 2.
The control logic uses status conditions from the data Figure 2, illustrates the form and function of a state
processor to serve as decision variables to determine the machine. Usually drawn as a bubble-and-arrow diagram.
sequence of control signals. The control logic provides a State is a uniquely identifiable set of values measured at
sequence of time signals, which is essential for operation various points in a digital system. Where next State is the
initiation in the data processor, and also the determination of state to which the state machine makes the next transition,
the next state of the control subsystem [6]. determined by the inputs present when the device is clocked.
Finite state machine FSM [7]–[9] or also known as Branch explains the change from present state to next state.
finite- state automaton FSA [10], [11]. The word automaton For any given state, there is a finite number of possible next
expresses a machine that functions based on already stored states. On each clock cycle, the state machine branches to
and determined coded instructions, with a wide range of the next state. One of the possible next states becomes the
programmed capabilities based on different circumstances new present state, depending on the inputs present on the
[10], [11]. It simplifies the meaning of FSM to be a clock cycle [7], [17].
mathematical model of computation that is based on a
hypothetical machine that consists of a finite number of

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 the inputs present on the triggering edge of clock [17]. The
Mealy machine principle is illustrated with the help of a
diagram, shown on Figure 4 [17]. The Outputs are shown on
transitions since they are determined in the same way as is
the next state.

Figure 2. The general FSM model

Figure 4. Mealy state machine diagram [17].

III. ILLUSTRATING EXAMPLE

In order to illustrate the FSM design process a Rising
Edge Detector circuit is designed. This circuit is frequently
employed in a variety of modern applications and act as a
signal level or state change indicator [21]–[23]. This circuit
generates a one clock cycle pulse, a tick, when the input
Figure 3. Moore state machine diagram [17]. signal changes its logic from low to high. This functionality
is frequently employed to indicate the low-to-high transition
There are two main categories of FSM. The first one is of a slow time-varying input signal. The circuit is designed
deterministic FSM, meaning that for a given input and the by employing both Moore and Mealy machines. These
current state, the state transition can be predicted [17]. The designs are implemented in VHDL. A comparison of both
second type is Non-deterministic finite state machine. In this implementations is also made.
case, for a given input and current state the state transition is The state machine diagram of a Moore machine based
not predictable [17]. The non-deterministic finite state edge detector implementation is shown on Figure 5.
machine is employed in the case of event driven systems
control units design [18], [19], [25], [26].
The deterministic and non-deterministic FSMs are
further classified as transducers, acceptors, classifiers and
sequencers [20]. In the automat and control applications,
two FSM types named as Mealy and Moore machines are
frequently employed. A brief description of the Moore and
Mealy machines is provided in the following subsections.
A. The Moore Machines
The Moore machine is a FSM whose output is
determined only as a function of the present state [7], [17].
The output has no relation with the input. The Moore
machine principle is illustrated with the help of a diagram,
shown on Figure 3 [17].
In Figure 3, the Moore State machine output is shown
inside the State bubble, because the output remains the same
as long as the state machine remains in that state. The output Figure 5. The state machine diagram of Moore machine based edge
can be arbitrarily complex but must be the same every time detector [24].
the machine enters in that state [17].
B. The Mealy Machines In Figure 5, the zero and one states show that the input
signal has been low and high for a while. The rising edge
In the case of Mealy machine the output is determined as occurs when the input changes to high in the zero state. The
a function of the current input and present state [7], [17]. FSM moves to the edge state and the output, tick, is asserted
Therefore, it is capable of generating a variety of different in this state.
output patterns for the same state. It is done as a function of

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 The state machine diagram of a Mealy machine based
edge detector is shown on Figure 6. The zero and one states
have similar meaning. When the FSM is in the zero state
and the input changes to high, the output is asserted
immediately. The FSM moves to the one state at the rising
edge of the next clock and the output is de-asserted.

Figure 8. The Moore machine based edge detector technology schematic.

Figure 9. The Mealy machine based edge detector RTL schematic.

Both implemented circuits functionality is also verified

with the Xilinx-ISim. The timing simulation results obtained
for the Moore and the Mealy based edge detectors are
Figure 6. The state machine diagram of Mealy machine based edge detector shown respectively on Figures 10 and 11.
[24].

For both Moore and Mealy machine based designs, the

circuit are implemented in VHDL and are synthesized with
the Xilinx-xst for the XC6LXT240T component from the
Virtex-6 family. The circuit block diagram is shown on
Figure 7. The Moore machine based circuit technology
schematic and the Mealy machine based circuit RTL Figure 10: The Moore machine based edge detector Timing Diagram.
(Register Transfer Level) schematic are respectively shown
on Figures 8 and 9.

Figure 11. The Mealy machine based edge detector Timing Diagram.

Figures 10 and 11 show that both Moore and Mealy

Figure 7. The edge detector Block Diagram, generated with Xilinx-ISE.
machine based designs can generate a short tick at the rising
edge of the input signal. However, there are still certain
understandable differences. The Mealy machine-based
design requires fewer states and responds faster (cf. Figures
5, 6, 8 and 9), but the width of its output may vary and input
glitches may be passed to the output [24]. The choice
between the two designs depends on the system module,
employs the output of edge detector. Most of the time the
subsystem is a synchronous system that shares the same
clock signal, employed by the edge detector. In this case, the
edge detector output is sampled only at the rising edge of
the clock, the width and glitches do not matter as long as the
output signal is stable around the edge [24]. As the Mealy
machine based circuit responds faster than the Moore

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 machine based circuit. Therefore, the Mealy machine based
edge detectors are preferred for the synchronous system
implementations. However, in the case of asynchronous
system implementations, the employment of Mealy machine
based edge detectors can lead towards the system instability
[24]. Therefore, in this case, because of a consistent width
tick generation, the Moore based edge detectors
employment is preferred over the Mealy based counter
circuits [24].
IV. CONCLUSION
In recent era, we are becoming more dependent on the
automated machines. Modern automated machines adapt
their sequence of actions depending on their environment
and events. The FSM (Finite state machine) is extensively
employed for a systematic design and mathematical
representation of the sophisticated automates. In this context,
an introduction of the FSM principle has been made. The
FSM categories like deterministic and non-deterministic
FSMs are discussed. Moore and Mealy machines based FSM
design principles are described. An edge detector has been
designed based on Moore and Mealy machines for students
concepts building and demonstration. These designs have
been implemented in VHDL. The circuits are successfully
synthesized with the Xilinx-XST for the XC6LXT240T
component from the Virtex-6 family. The synthesized circuit
block diagram has been presented. Moreover, the Moore
machine based circuit technology schematic and the Mealy
machine based circuit RTL schematics have also been
shown. The designed circuits functionality is also verified
with the help of Xilinx-ISim based timing simulations. The
simulation results have been shown on Figures 10 and 11. It
confirms a proper functionality of the designed edge
detectors. A comparison between both Moore and Mealy
machines based edge detector implementations has been
made. It has been shown that for the implemented edge
detectors, the Mealy machine based implementation is faster
than the Moore machine one. However, the Mealy machine
based implementation can only be employed in the
synchronous systems. On other hand, the Moore machine
based implementation is suitable for both synchronous and
asynchronous systems. Moore and Mealy based machines
design of other elementary circuits like period counter,
frequency counter, code converters, etc. is a prospect.
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