450 C H A P T E R 9 • Counters and Shift Registers
Count sequence The specific series of output states through which a counter progresses.
Counter A sequential digital circuit whose output progresses in a predictable repeating pattern, advancing by one state for each clock pulse.
Count-sequence table A list of counter states in the order of the count sequence.
Dataflow design A VHDL design technique that uses Boolean equations to define relationships between inputs and outputs.
DOWN counter A counter with a descending sequence.
Excitation table A table showing the required input conditions for every possible transition of a flip-flop output.
Full-sequence counter A counter whose modulus is the same as its maximum modulus (m 2n for an n-bit counter).
GENERIC A clause in the entity declaration of a VHDL component that lists the parameters that can be specified when the component is instantiated.
Johnson counter A serial shift register with complemented feedback from the output of the last flip-flop to the input of the first. Also called a twisted ring counter
Left shift A movement of data from the right to the left in a shift register. (Left is defined in MAX PLUS II as toward the MSB.)
Maximum modulus (mmax) The largest number of counter states that can be represented by n bits (mmax 2n)
Memory section A set of flip-flops in a synchronous circuit that hold its present state.
Modulo-n (or mod-n) counter A counter with a modulus of n.
Modulus The number of states through which a counter sequences before repeating.
Next state The desired future state of flip-flop outputs in a synchronous sequential circuit after the next clock pulse is applied.
Parallel load A function that allows simultaneous loading of binary values into all flip-flops of a synchronous circuit. Parallel loading can be synchronous or asynchronous.
Parallel-load shift register A shift register that can be preset to any value by directly loading a binary number into its internal flip-flops.
Parallel transfer Movement of data into all flip-flops of a shift register at the same time.
Present state The current state of flip-flop outputs in a synchronous sequential circuit.
UP counter A counter with an ascending sequence.
P R O B L E M S
Problem numbers set in color indicate more difficult problems; those with underlines indicate most difficult problems.
9.1Basic Concepts of Digital Counters
9.1A parking lot at a football stadium is monitored before a game to determine whether or not there is available space for more cars. When a car enters the lot, the driver takes a ticket from a dispenser which also produces a pulse for each ticket taken.
The parking lot has space for 4095 cars. Draw a block
Presettable counter A counter with a parallel load function.
Recycle To make a transition from the last state of the count sequence to the first state.
Right shift A movement of data from the left to the right in a shift register. (Right is defined in MAX PLUS II as toward the LSB.)
Ring counter A serial shift register with feedback from the output of the last flip-flop to the input of the first.
Ripple carry out or ripple clock out (RCO) An output that produces one pulse with the same period as the clock upon terminal count.
Rotation Serial shifting of data with the output(s) of the last flip-flop connected to the synchronous input(s) of the first flipflop. The result is continuous circulation of the same data.
Serial shifting Movement of data from one end of a shift register to the other at a rate of one bit per clock pulse.
Shift register A synchronous sequential circuit that will store and move n-bit data, either serially or in parallel, in n flip-flops.
SRGn Symbol for an n-bit shift register (e.g., SRG4 indicates a 4-bit shift register).
State diagram A diagram showing the progression of states of a sequential circuit.
State machine A synchronous sequential circuit.
Status lines Signals that communicate the present state of a synchronous circuit from its memory section to its control section.
Structural design A VHDL design technique that connects predesigned components using internal signals.
Synchronous counter A counter whose flip-flops are all clocked by the same source and thus change in synchronization with each other.
Terminal count The last state in a count sequence before the sequence repeats (e.g., 1111 is the terminal count of a 4-bit binary UP counter; 0000 is the terminal count of a 4-bit binary DOWN counter).
Truncated-sequence counter A counter whose modulus is less than its maximum modulus (m 2n for an n-bit counter)
Universal shift register A shift register that can operate with any combination of serial and parallel inputs and outputs (i.e., serial in/serial out, serial in/parallel out, parallel in/serial out, parallel in/parallel out). A universal shift register is often bidirectional, as well.
diagram which shows how you can use a digital counter to light a LOT FULL sign after 4095 cars have entered. (Assume no cars leave the lot until after the game, so you don’t need to keep track of cars leaving the lot.) How many bits should the counter have?
9.2Figure 9.86 shows a mod-16 which controls the operation of two digital sequential circuits, labeled Circuit 1 and Circuit 2. Circuit 1 is positive edge-triggered and
clocked by counter output Q1. Circuit 2 is negative edgetriggered and clocked by Q3. (Q3 is the MSB output of