Lecture 10: Combinational Circuits Design Problems

Recall:

Till now we have studied 6 different methods to draw the logic circuit diagram
from the truth table, and these are mentioned below;

1. Write the SOP expression of Boolean function from truth table, and directly
draw the circuit from this expression without using K-map simplification
2. Write the POS expression of Boolean function from truth table, and directly
draw the circuit from this expression without using K-map simplification
3. Simplify SOP expression written from truth table using K-map and draw the
circuit from simplified SOP expression
4. Simplify POS expression written from truth table using K-map and draw the
circuit from simplified POS expression
5. Implement the simplified SOP expression using NAND gates
6. Implement the simplified POS expression using NOR gates

If it is not mentioned in problem statement, then you are free to choose any of
the above describe method for drawing the logic circuit for design problems.

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Design Problem (1): Microwave Oven Control

A microwave oven requires that the main power supply be on, the door be
latched, and timer set other than zero before the oven will function. Draw a logic
diagram for the operation of the oven.

Solution:

The inputs and outputs of the logic circuit are defined as;

Variable Type Brief Description

A Input If A = 1, Main power supply is ON else it is OFF.
B Input If B = 1, Door is latched else not
C Input If C = 1, timer is set other than zero, else not
F Output If F = 1, Microwave oven is functioning else not

The truth table is given as;

0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 1 0 0
0 1 1 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 1 0
1 1 0 0

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 1 1 1 1

The Boolean function derived from above truth table is given as;

The circuit diagram is shown below;

Design Problem (2): Lighter Control Circuit

A lighter is being sold that uses a light beam to light the lighter. The lighter has a
cutout on its die that has been fixed with a light source and light sensor. Opening
the lid of the lighter activates the light source; interrupting the light source causes
the lighter to light. Draw a logic diagram for the function of the lighter.

The inputs and outputs of the logic circuit are defined as;

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 Variable Type Brief Description
A Input If A = 1, Lid is Opened else it is not.
B Input If B = 1, Interrupt is present else not
F Output If F = 1, lighter is lightning else not

The truth table is given as;

0 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 1

The Boolean function derived from above truth table is given as;

(i.e. lighter should light if lid is opened and interrupt is present)

The circuit diagram is shown below;

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Design Problem (3): Automatic Parking Lot

An automatic parking lot gate extends a ticket to the customer, when the
customer car’s drives over a sensor S and the driver presses button B on the ticket
vendor. Draw the logic diagram to control the release of the ticket. Once the
extended ticket is taken from dispenser D, the arm A will raise to let the car
through. Draw the logic diagram that control the raising of the arm.

The inputs and outputs of the logic circuit are defined as;

Variable Type Brief Description

S Input If S = 1, Car is present on sensor else it is not.
B Input If B = 1, driver pressed the button on ticket vender else not
Output R is output of ‘Ticket Release Control’, while it is input of
R
/ Input ‘Arm Control’. If R = 1, Ticket is released else not.
D Input If D = 1, Ticket is taken from dispenser else not
A Output If A = 1, Arm is raised else not

Two separate truth tables can be drawn to implement the ‘Ticket Release Control’
and ‘Arm Control’.

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Ticket Release Control Arm Control

0 0 0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 1 0
1 0 0 1 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1

From above truth tables, the following Boolean expressions are derived;

The circuit diagram is shown below;

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Design Problem (4): BCD Code to Excess-3 Code Conversion

Design a combinational circuit that convert BCD input code to the excess 3 output
code.

Solution:

Note that: Minimum BCD number is 010 (0000)2

Maximum BCD number is 910 (1001) 2

Excess-3 Code = BCD Code + 3

Inputs (BCD Code) Outputs (Excess-3 Code)

A B C D
0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1
0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0
0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1
0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0
1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1
1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
1 0 1 0 X X X X
1 0 1 1 X X X X
1 1 0 0 X X X X
1 1 0 1 X X X X
1 1 1 0 X X X X
1 1 1 1 X X X X

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K-maps for output variables and their simplified expressions are presented below;

Combinational logic circuit is drawn below;

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Design Problem (5): Circuit Design to Find 2’s Complement

Design a combinational circuit with inputs A, B, C, D and output w, x, y, z. Assume

that the inputs A, B, C, D represent a 4-bit signed number. The output is also a
signed number, which is the 2’s complement of the input.

Solution:

Note that: 2’s complement of positive signed number is number itself.

2’s complement of negative signed number = 1’s complement + 1

Truth table for the given problem is shown below;

Signed Input Output

Number
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
2 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
3 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1
4 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
5 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1
6 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0
7 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1
-8 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
-7 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1
-6 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
-5 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1
-4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
-3 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1

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 -2 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
-1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1

K-maps for output variables and their simplified expressions are presented below;

Combinational logic circuit is drawn below;

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