Concordia university

MECH 368 ELECTRONICS FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERS

Course given by:

Dr. Hong

Experiment #5

Counters and Displays

by

Mohamed Baiazid # 9736573

Omar Assali #1289314

Hassan Mogharbel #6679374

TA:

Mostafa Mirzaei

Concordia University 2010

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OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this experiment are to get familiarized with the counter, decoder, driver
and LED display. We are required to build two circuits and display a number, corresponding to
the count from zero to nine (part 1) and from zero to 5 (part 2).

INTRODUCTION

In this experiment the team is to construct 2 logic circuits to display a sequence of

numbers on a seven segment display. This is done using a BCD to 7 segment
latch/decoder/driver circuit. In the first circuit, the numbers 0 to 9 are displayed over a time
period and reset after the #9 has been displayed. The second circuit’s binary counter resets back
to #0 after the seven segment display has displayed the #5. The procedure and circuitry is shown
and explained below. Also, in the “Questions and Discussion” section, we were asked to
construct a circuit, which would reset after displaying a number 7.

PROCEDURE

Required components:

 Binary Counter (74LS161A) X1

 BCD to 7-segment display driver X1

 IC (741S47) X1

 AND gate (74LS00) X1

 7-segment LED display X1

 Resistor (390Ω) X7

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Binary Counter Logic:

Number Binary QA (Pin QB (Pin 13) QC (Pin 12) QD (Pin 14)

Counter 14)
IC INA (Pin INB (Pin 1) INC (Pin 2) IND (Pin 6)
7)
0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 1
2 0 0 1 0
3 0 0 1 1
4 0 1 0 0
5 0 1 0 1
6 0 1 1 0
7 0 1 1 1
8 1 0 0 0
9 1 0 0 1
10 1 0 1 0

Part 1

In the first part of this experiment, we were asked to build a circuit and display the numbers on
the counter from zero to nine.

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Since our counter can only display numbers from zero to nine, the connections were made in a
way that the display will reboot to zero once it reaches ten in binary.

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Ten corresponds to 1010 in binary, thus:

AND gate Binary counter IC

Pin 1 Pin 12 Pin 2
Pin 2 Pin 14 Pin 7

Part 2

In the second part of this experiment, we were asked to build a circuit and display the numbers
on the counter from zero to five.

Since our task was to display numbers from zero to five, the connections were made in a way,
that the display will reboot to zero once it reaches six in binary.

Six corresponds to 0110 in binary, thus:

AND gate Binary counter IC

Pin 1 Pin 12 Pin 2
Pin 2 Pin 13 Pin 1

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Experimental Procedure:

1) Drawing the timing diagram of the 4 bit counter for 12 input pulses, taking into account the re-
set circuit. Indicate what count reset occurs.

Counter to 5 Counter to 9

2) Drawing the timing diagram of the decoder for the first 4 input pulses to the counter. (The seg-
ments that turn on and the number displayed should correspond to the count).

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5. Questions and Discussion:

1. Explain the approach taken to design the reset circuit used above.

The reset circuit is a simple a NAND gate which takes two inputs from outputs of 74161
(QA,QB,QC, or QD). Depending on what number we want to reset to, we use the next
number and use the active inputs so that the NAND gate provides the necessary voltage to
clear with logic 0 the node CLR. In the case of 5, we look for 6, which is 0110. Here, QA and
QD are logic 0 and QB and QC are logic 1. We should then use QB and QC to the input of the
NAND gate to clear the count with logic 0 at its output.

2. Comment in the propagation delay problems which can arise when implementing this reset
circuit
http://www.designcabana.com/knowledge/electrical/electronics/digital/propag/

3. Sketch a timing diagram showing relationship between the inputclock (CLK), the parallel
outputs (Qa-Qd) and the clear (CL) for the circuit in 2 above

4. The circuit so that the counter is reset when the LED display 6 exactly. If possible, use
the 7447 and the 2-input NAND gate provided.

Following the previous explanation, to clear at 6, we use 7, which correspond to 0111.

Since we need QA, QB, and QC to be logic one, we will need to use 3 NAND gates to get CLR
to be logic 0. The following diagram shows the appropriate connections.

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CONCLUSION
The experiment was a success. We were able to obtain the display readings demanded in
the lab manual for both circuits. One of the most important things to remember is to supply
voltage to the circuit components (IC’s) themselves and properly ground them. The laboratory
gave us a clear overview on how the digital counters and displays work. It is clear, that in the
electronics industry the breadboard is replaced by a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) because of the
dimensional issues.