VI.

COMBINATIONAL LOGIC
A. INTRODUCTION

Even though CAD tools are used to create combinational logic

circuits in practice, it is important that a digital designer should learn how
to generate a logic circuit from a specification. Understanding this process
allows the designer to better use the CAD tools, and, if need be, to design
critical logic sub-circuits by hand.

B. DEFINITION

A combinational circuit is the digital logic circuit in which the output

depends on the combination of inputs at that point of time with total
disregard to the past state of the inputs. The digital logic gate is the
building block of combinational circuits. The function implemented by
combinational circuit is depend upon the Boolean expressions. On the
other hand, sequential logic circuits, consists of both logic gates and
memory elements such as flip-flops. Figure below shows the combinational
circuit having n inputs and and m outputs. The n number of inputs shows
that there are 2^n possible combinations of bits at the input. Therefore,
the output is expressed in terms m Boolean expressions.

Combinational Logic Circuits are made up from basic logic NAND,

NOR or NOT gates that are “combined” or connected together to produce
more complicated switching circuits. These logic gates are the building
blocks of combinational logic circuits. An example of a combinational
circuit is a decoder, which converts the binary code data present at its
input into a number of different output lines, one at a time producing an
equivalent decimal code at its output.
 Combinational logic circuits can be very simple or very complicated
and any combinational circuit can be implemented with
only NAND and NOR gates as these are classed as “universal” gates.

The three main ways of specifying the function of a combinational

logic circuit are:
1. Boolean Algebra – This forms the algebraic expression
showing the operation of the logic circuit for each input variable
either True or False that results in a logic “1” output.

2. Truth Table – A truth table defines the function of a logic gate

by providing a concise list that shows all the output states in
tabular form for each possible combination of input variable that
the gate could encounter.

3. Logic Diagram – This is a graphical representation of a logic

circuit that shows the wiring and connections of each individual
logic gate, represented by a specific graphical symbol, that
implements the logic circuit.

These Three (3) Logic Representations are given below:

C.
COMBINATIONAL CIRCUIT DESIGN PROCEDURE

Following are the four steps to construct and analyze any combinational circuit.

1. Determine required number of inputs and outputs from the

specifications.
2. Derive the truth table for each of the outputs based on their relationships
to the input.
3. Simplify the boolean expression for each output. Use Karnaugh Maps or
Boolean algebra.
4. Draw a logic diagram that represents the simplified Boolean expression.
Verify the design by analysing or simulating the circuit.
5. The following are the steps:

Step-1: Identify the number of inputs and outputs of the circuit.

First of all, we have to think about the inputs and outputs of the circuit
by considering which type of logical operation we want to perform with the
circuit.

For example, we have to create a circuit that can add two bits. For thi s, we
require two inputs (one for the first bit (A) another for the second bit (B))
and two outputs one for sum (S) of two bits and another for carry (C). In
total, we require 2 inputs and 2 outputs. So here our first step is completed.

Step-2: Creating the Truth Table.

In this step we have to create truth table for our circuit so for this first
we will create input columns and list all the possible combinations of
inputs. In our case 2 bits can have maximum 4 combinations (00 01 10
11). Now in output, we have two columns (Sum and Carry) as discussed
earlier. Now we have to fill output columns in such a way that for which
logical operation we are constructing circuit.

In our circuit, we want addition so we will add those input bits and write
the sum of those bits in (Sum) column and if carry is generated, we will
write 1 else write 0 in (Carry) column.

Step-3: Simplify the Boolean function for each output.

In this step, we have to just create a simplified Boolean function according
to inputs and outputs of the truth table obtained in the previous step.

For Sum,

For Carry,

Step-4: Constructing circuit using Boolean function obtained from third

step. For sum, we have obtained (A XOR B) so we will connect A and B to
the inputs of XOR gate and take its output as a sum. For carry, we have
obtained (A AND B) so we will connect A and B to the inputs of AND gate
and take its output as a carry.

Now in this circuit, if you provide input at A and B ends. You will get
the output on sum and carry ends according to truth table we have created
above. So here we have completed our four steps for creating the
combinational circuit.
EXAMPLE:

Problem 1:
Design a circuit that has a 3-bit binary input and a single output (Z)
specified as follows:

• Z = 0, when the input is less than 510

• Z = 1, otherwise

Solution:

a. Determine the inputs and Outputs

1. Label the inputs (3 bits) as A, B, C

▪ A is the most significant bit
▪ C is the least significant bit
2. The output (1 bit) is Z
▪ Z = 1 -> 1012, 1102, 1112
▪ Z = 0 -> other inputs

b. Derive the Truth Table

c. Simplify the Boolean Expression

From the truth table, we use one of the following 2 methods to obtain the
simplified boolean expression

• Use Karnaugh Map to minimize the logic or

• From the truth table, get the Canonical Sum of
Products boolean expression.
 Z = A * ~B * C + A * B * ~C + A * B * C

Use Boolean Algebra to simplify the boolean expression to:

Z = (B + C) * A

d. Draw the logic diagram

Draw a logic diagram that represents the simplified Boolean
expression. Verify the design by analyzing or simulating the circuit.

Problem 2:

Design a logic circuit that has three inputs, A, B, and C, and whose
output will be HIGH only when a majority of the inputs are HIGH. Solution

Solution:

a. Set up the truth table

On the basis of the problem statement, the output x should be 1 whenever

two or more inputs are 1; for all other cases, the output should be 0
b. W rite the AND term for each case where the output is a 1.

There are four such cases. The AND terms are shown next to the
truth table. Again, note that each AND term contains each input variable
in either inverted or noninverted form.

c. W rite the sum-of-products expression for the output.

x = ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC

d. Simplify the output expression.

This expression can be simplified in several ways. Perhaps the

quickest way is to realize that the last term ABC has two variables in
common with each of the other terms. Thus, we can use the ABC term to
pair with each of the other terms. The expression is rewritten with the ABC
term occurring three times:

x = ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC + ABC

Factoring the appropriate pairs of terms, we have

x = BC(A + A) + AC(B + B) + AB(C + C)

Each term in parentheses is equal to 1, so we have

x = BC + AC + AB
 e. Implement the circuit for the final expression.

This expression is implemented in its corresponding logical diagram.

Since the expression is in SOP form, the circuit consists of a group of AND
gates working into a single OR gate.

PROBLEM SET 28

1. A bank wants to install an alarm system with 3 movement sensors.

To prevent false alarms produced by a single sensor activation, the alarm will
be triggered only when at least two sensors activate simultaneously.

2. Design a circuit that has a 3-bit binary input and a single output that

• output 1 if it is a prime number. eg 210, 310, 510, 710

• otherwise output 0.

3. Given two input bits A and B, produce three outputs X, Y, and Z so that

• X is 1 only when only when A > B,

• Y is 1 only when A < B, and
• Z is 1 only when A = B

4. If the circuit is Armed (A=1) and either B=1 or C=1 then Z=1, otherwise
Z=0

• C : Door Open Sensor

• B : Motion Sensor
 • A : Arm Alarm
• Z : Alarm

5. Design a circuit that has a 3-bit binary input B2,B1,B0 (where B2 is MSB
and B0 is LSB) and a single output (Z) specified as follows:

• Z = 0, even numbers
• Z = 1, odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7

D. SUMMARY

COMBINATIONAL LOGIC CIRCUIT consist of inputs, two or more basic logic

gates and outputs. The logic gates are combined in such a way that the output
state depends entirely on the input states. Combinational logic circuits have “no
memory”, “timing” or “feedback loops”, there operation is instantaneous. A
combinational logic circuit performs an operation assigned l ogically by a Boolean
expression or truth table. As combinational logic circuits are made up from
individual logic gates only, they can also be considered as “decision making
circuits” and combinational logic is about combining logic gates together to
process two or more signals in order to produce at least one output signal
according to the logical function of each logic gate.