COMBINATIONAL LOGIC DESIGN

Introduction
Basically, digital circuits are divided into two broad categories:
(i) Combinational circuits, and
(ii) Sequential circuits
In combinational circuits, the outputs at any instant of time depend upon the inputs
present at that instant of time. Thus, these circuits have no memory.
There are other types of circuits in which the outputs at any instant of time depend upon
the present inputs as well as the past inputs/outputs. This implies that they have
memory. Such circuits are known as sequential circuits.
The design requirements of combinational circuits may be specified in any of the
following ways:
(i) A set of statements
(ii) Boolean expression, and
(iii) Truth table
The number of gates and the number of input terminals for the gates required for the
realization of a logical expression, in general, get reduced considerably if the expression
can be simplified. Expressions can be simplified using two methods:
(a) Boolean Algebra theorems, laws and rules
(b) The Karnaugh Map (K-map)

(a) Boolean algebra and logic simplification

Boolean algebra is a convenient and systematic way of expressing and analyzing the
operation of logic circuits. It’s named after George Boole who invented it.

Laws and rules of Boolean algebra

1) OR Rules
(i) A  0  A
(ii) A 1  1
(iii) A A  A
(iv) A A  1

2) AND Rules
(i) A .0  0
(ii) A .1  A
(iii) A . A  A
(iv) A . A  0
3) Laws of Complementation
(i) 0  1
(ii) 1  0
(iii) If A  1, then A  0
(iv) If A  0, then A  1

(v) A  A

4) Commutative laws
These laws allow changes of position of variables in OR and AND expressions
(i) A  B  B A
(ii) A . B  B . A

5) Associative laws
These laws allow removal of brackets from logic expressions and regrouping of variables.
(i) A (B C)  (A B)  C
(ii) (A B)  (C D)  A B C D
(iii) A.(B.C)  (A.B).C

6) Distributive laws
These laws permit factoring or multiplying out of an expression
(i) A(B C)  AB AC
(ii) A BC  (A B)(A  C)
(iii) A AB  A B

7) Absorptive laws
These laws are used in reduction of a complex expression to a simpler form by absorbing
some of the terms into existing terms
(i) A AB  A
(ii) A(A  B)  A
(iii) A( A  B)  AB

Applications of Laws and Rules of Boolean Algebra

Example : Prove the following Boolean identity AC  ABC  AC

Solution
AC  ABC  AC(1  B) (But 1  B  1 )
Then
AC(1  B)  AC .1  AC
 AC  ABC  AC

Example : Prove that the following Boolean identity (A B)(A  C)  A BC

Solution
Let y  (A B)(A  C)
 AA  AC  BA  BC
 A  AC  BA  BC
 A(1  B)  AC  BC
 A  AC  BC
 A(1  C)  BC
 A BC

Example : Prove the following Boolean identity A AB  A B

Solution
Let y  A  AB
 A .1  AB
 A(1  B)  AB
 A AB AB
 A B(A  A)
 A B

Example : Using the truth table, show that the Boolean expression A AB  A

A B AB A+AB
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0
1 0 0 1
1 1 1 1

Hence, from the table, the columns of A and A+AB are the same and hence A AB  A

Example : Using the truth table, show that the Boolean, A AB  A B

 A B A AB A AB A+B
0 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 1 1
1 0 0 0 1 1
1 1 0 0 1 1

An inspection of the fifth and sixth columns indicates that they are the same. This verifies
that A AB  A B .

Example : Using the truth table, show that the Boolean expression,
( A  B)( A  C)  A  BC
A B C A+B A+C (A+B) (A+C) BC A+BC
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1
1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1
1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

The sixth and the eighth columns are the same. This verifies that ( A  B)( A  C)  A  BC

Example : Using the Boolean laws and rules simplify the expression and implement the
minimized expression using logic gates: y  ABD AB D
Solution
y  AB D  AB D
 AB(D  D) (Using distributive law)
 AB(1) (Using the rule A A  1 )
 AB
B
Y  AB
A

Example: Using Boolean algebra techniques, simply the expression:

z  AB A(B C)  B(B C)
Solution
z  AB A(B C)  B(B C)
 AB  AB  AC  BB  BC (Using distributive law)
 AB  AB  AC  B BC (Since BB  B )
 AB  AC  B BC (Since AB  AB  AB )
 AB  AC  B (Since B B C  B )
 AC B (Since AB  B  B )

B z  B AC
A
C AC

Example: Using laws and rules of Boolean algebra simplify the Boolean the following expression
and implement the simplified expression: z  [AB(C BD)  AB] C
Solution
z  [AB(C BD)  AB] C
 (ABC ABBD  AB) C (Using distributive laws)
 (ABC A .0. D AB) C (Since BB  0 )
 (ABC 0  AB) C (Since A .0. D  0 )
 ABC C ABC (Using distributive laws)
 ABC ABC (Since CC  C )
 (A A) BC (Factoring out BC )
 1. BC (Since A A )
 BC

B
z  BC
C

Exercise
Simplify the following Boolean expression and draw the logic circuits for the simplified
expressions.
(a) y  ABC ABC ABC BC
(b) y  B(A C)  C(A  B)  AC
(c) z  ABC  ABC ABC ABC ABC

(b) De Morgan’s Theorem

De Morgan proposed the following theorems that are an important part of Boolean
algebra:
Theorem 1: The complement of a product of variables is equal to the sum of the
complements of the variables i.e.
AB  A B
Theorem 2: The complement of a sum of variables is equal to the product of the
complements of the variables i.e.
A B  A . B
In terms of logic circuits, theorem 1 can be illustrated as
A A
AB A B
B B

In terms of logic circuits, theorem 2 can be illustrated as

A A
A B A.B
B B

Application of De Morgan’s Theorems

Example: Apply De Morgan’s theorems to the following Boolean expressions with 3
variables:
a) XYZ and
b) X  Y  Z
Solution
a) XYZ , applying De Morgan’s theorem 1
XYZ = X Y Z
b) X  Y  Z applying De Morgan’s theorem 2
X  Y  Z = X.Y. Z

Example: Using Boolean algebra simplify the following expression: Z  AB  AC  ABC

Solution
Z  (AB) .(AC)  A B C
 (A B).(A C)  ABC
 AA AC AB BC ABC
 A  AC  AB  BC
 A  AB  BC
 A  BC
Example: Determine the Boolean expression for the output of the logic circuit shown below.

A
B

C
Y

Solution
The Boolean expression for the output of the logic circuit is,
Y  BC( AB  C )
Simplifying the expression, have
Y  BC( AB  C )
 BC( AB.C )
 BC ( AB.C )
 BC[ A  B ]C
 BC[ A C  B C ]
 A BCC  BCB C
 A BC  0
 A BC
The simplified expression can be implemented as

A
Y ABC
B

Example: Using Boolean algebra minimize the logic circuit shown below.

A Y
B
Solution
The output of the logic circuit is Y  A  ( A  B )
Applying De Morgan’s theorem 2 to the right side, have,
Y  A .( A  B )
 A( A  B )
 AA  AB )
 A  AB )
 A(1  B )
A
Hence, a minimized logic circuit has no logic gate. The output is equal to the value of A
itself. In other words, the given logic circuit is redundant.