Master-Slave Flip-Flops

• A third type of triggering is also possible – this is called

Master-Slave configuration
• A Master-Slave flip-flop is built with two latches – a
Master latch followed by a Slave latch
• The Master Latch responds directly to the inputs while
the CLK is HIGH – during this time the Slave is
disconnected from the Master and stays in the same
state
• When CLK is LOW, the Master Latch is disconnected
from the inputs and its output drives the Slave Latch.
During this time, the Master will not change state.
Master-Slave SR Flip-Flop

S S Q S Q Q

Master Slave

R R Q R Q Q

Clock

logic 1
Clock
signal
logic 0

Master follows inputs Master disconnected

Slave disconnected from inputs
Slave follows Master
Operation of a SR Flip-Flop

(Rn, Sn)
R Q Qn+1

CLK

S Q
Tn-1 Tn Tn+1

Rn Sn Qn+1
0 0 Qn
0 1 1
1 0 0
SR Flip-flop with PRESET and CLEAR Inputs

CLEAR and PRESET are Asynchronous Inputs – They

take precedence over S and R

Clear = 0 Preset = 1 Q=0 Q=1

Clear = 1 Preset = 0 Q=1 Q=0
Clear
R Q
Clear = 1, Preset = 1
CLK Normal SR Flip-flop Operation
S Q
Preset If Clear=0, Preset=0, then –
Q=0, Q=1 if Clear Overrides Preset
Q=1, Q=0 if Preset Overrides Clear
Other Types of Flip-Flops
D Flip-flop Shifts one bit of data from
input to output; only one
input required

T Flip-flop Toggles the bit stored (from

1 to 0 or 0 to 1); only one
input required

JK Flip-flop Like the SR flip-flop

except that it allows both inputs
being high; two inputs required
One can change from one type of flip-flop to another
with fairly simple additional circuitry
D Flip-flop with PRESET and CLEAR Inputs

Clear = 0 Preset = 1 Q=0 Q=1

Clear = 1 Preset = 0 Q=1 Q=0
Clear
D Q
Clear = 1, Preset = 1
CLK Normal D Flip-flop Operation
Q
Preset Dn=0 Qn+1=0
Dn=1 Qn+1=1

If Clear=0, Preset=0, then –

Q=0, Q=1 if Clear Overrides Preset
Q=1, Q=0 if Preset Overrides Clear
T Flip-flop with PRESET and CLEAR Inputs

Clear = 0 Preset = 1 Q=0 Q=1

Clear = 1 Preset = 0 Q=1 Q=0
Clear
T Q
Clear = 1, Preset = 1
CLK Normal T Flip-flop Operation
Q
Preset T=0 Qn+1= Qn

T=1 Qn+1= Qn

If Clear=0, Preset=0, then –

Q=0, Q=1 if Clear Overrides Preset
Q=1, Q=0 if Preset Overrides Clear
 JK Flip-flop with PRESET and CLEAR Inputs

Clear = 0 Preset = 1 Q=0 Q=1

Clear Clear = 1 Preset = 0 Q=1 Q=0

J Q
Clear = 1, Preset = 1
CLK Normal J-K Flip-flop Operation
K Q
Preset
Jn Kn Qn+1
0 0 Qn
If Clear=0, Preset=0, then – 0 1 0
Q=0, Q=1 if Clear Overrides Preset 1 0 1
Q=1, Q=0 if Preset Overrides Clear 1 1 Qn
Converting One Type of Flip-flop to Another

Example: SR to D

Dn Qn+1
0 0
Clear 1 1
D R Q

Clock CLK Rn Sn Qn+1

0 0 Qn
S Q
Preset 0 1 1
1 0 0
 Converting One Type of Flip-flop to Another

Example: SR to JK

Jn Kn Qn+1
0 0 Qn

∙
Clear 0 1 0
K R Q
1 0 1
1 1 Qn
CLK

∙
Rn Sn Qn+1
J S Q
0 0 Qn
Preset
0 1 1
1 0 0
 Example: SR to JK

Table of (Rn, Sn) required given Jn Kn Qn+1 Rn Sn Qn+1

Jn, Kn and Qn 0 0 Qn 0 0 Qn
1 0 0
Rn,Sn 0 1 0

Jn,Kn 1 0 1 0
1
1
1
1
x
1 1 Qn
Qn 00 01 11 10
0 x0 x0 01 01
1 0x 10 10 0x

This gives –
K R
Clear
Q
∙
Clock CLK

Rn=KnQn Sn=JnQn
J S
Preset
Q
∙
Converting One Type of Flip-flop to Another

Example: D to JK

∙
Clear
K Q

Clock CLK
Preset
Q ∙
Example: D to JK

Table of Dn required given Jn,

Kn and Qn

Jn,Kn
Qn 00 01 11 10 Qn Jn Kn Dn
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1
0 0 1 0
1 1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1
0 1 1 1
This gives –
1 0 0 1
1 0 1 0
Dn=JnQn + KnQn
1 1 0 1
1 1 1 0
Converting One Type of Flip-flop to Another

Example: SR to T

∙
Clear

T ∙ R Q

Clock CLK

S
Preset
Q ∙