Combinational logic

transistors
• There are several techniques to optimize combinational
circuits for lower delay and energy. One such technique is
gate sizing and supply voltage optimization.
• This technique involves changing the sizes of the gates
and the power supplies to map each circuit topology to a
region of the energy-delay plane, where delay can be
traded for energy.
• The objective is to determine the shape of these energy-
efficient curves in their respective topologies by proper
selection of the gate sizes and the supply voltage .
• Another technique is gate-level pipelining.
• This technique involves dividing the
combinational logic into smaller sub-circuits
and inserting flip-flops between them.
• This reduces the delay of the circuit by
breaking it down into smaller parts and
allowing the output of each part to be
computed independently .
• A third technique is logic restructuring.
• This technique involves changing the structure
of the combinational logic to reduce the
number of gates and the length of the critical
path.
• This can be done by using different logic gates
or by rearranging the existing gates .
Combinational Logic Circuits are made up
from basic logic NAND, NOR or NOT gates that
are “combined” or connected together to
produce more complicated switching circuits.
These logic gates are the building blocks of
combinational logic circuits.
An example of a combinational circuit is a
decoder, which converts the binary code data
present at its input into a number of different
output lines, one at a time producing an
equivalent decimal code at its output.
Combinational logic circuits can be very simple
or very complicated and any combinational
circuit can be implemented with
only NAND and NOR gates as these are classed
as “universal” gates.
• The three main ways of specifying the function of a combinational
logic circuit are:
• 1. Boolean Algebra – This forms the algebraic expression showing
the operation of the logic circuit for each input variable either True
or False that results in a logic “1” output.
• 2. Truth Table – A truth table defines the function of a logic gate by
providing a concise list that shows all the output states in tabular
form for each possible combination of input variable that the gate
could encounter.
• 3. Logic Diagram – This is a graphical representation of a logic
circuit that shows the wiring and connections of each individual
logic gate, represented by a specific graphical symbol, that
implements the logic circuit.
• As combinational logic circuits are made up from individual
logic gates only, they can also be considered as “decision
making circuits” and combinational logic is about
combining logic gates together to process two or more
signals in order to produce at least one output signal
according to the logical function of each logic gate.
• Common combinational circuits made up from individual
logic gates that carry out a desired application
include Multiplexers, De-
multiplexers, Encoders, Decoders, Full and Half Adders etc.
Classification of Combinational Logic
• The three main ways of specifying the function of a combinational
logic circuit are:
• 1. Boolean Algebra – This forms the algebraic expression showing
the operation of the logic circuit for each input variable either True
or False that results in a logic “1” output.
• 2. Truth Table – A truth table defines the function of a logic gate by
providing a concise list that shows all the output states in tabular
form for each possible combination of input variable that the gate
could encounter.
• 3. Logic Diagram – This is a graphical representation of a logic
circuit that shows the wiring and connections of each individual
logic gate, represented by a specific graphical symbol, that
implements the logic circuit.
three of these logic circuit representations
are shown below
• One of the most common uses of
combinational logic is in Multiplexer and De-
multiplexer type circuits.
• Here, multiple inputs or outputs are
connected to a common signal line and logic
gates are used to decode an address to select
a single data input or output switch.
• A multiplexer consist of two separate
components, a logic decoder and some solid
state switches, but before we can discuss
multiplexers, decoders and de-multiplexers in
more detail we first need to understand how
these devices use these “solid state switches”
in their design.
 SOLID STATE SWITCHES
• Standard TTL logic devices made up from
Transistors can only pass signal currents in one
direction only making them “uni-directional”
devices and poor imitations of conventional
electro-mechanical switches or relays.
However, some CMOS switching devices made
up from FET’s act as near perfect “bi-
directional” switches making them ideal for
use as solid state switches.
 CONTINUED
• Solid state switches come in a variety of different
types and ratings, and there are many different
applications for using solid state switches. They
can basically be sub-divided into 3 different main
groups for switching applications and in this
combinational logic section we will only look at
the Analogue type of switch but the principal is
the same for all types including digital.
 SOLID STATE SWITCH APPLICATIONS
• Analogue Switches – Used in Data Switching and
Communications, Video and Audio Signal
Switching, Instrumentation and Process Control
Circuits …etc.
• Digital Switches – High Speed Data Transmission,
Switching and Signal Routing, Ethernet, LAN’s, USB
and Serial Transmissions …etc.
• Power Switches – Power Supplies and General
“Standby Power” Switching Applications, Switching
of Larger Voltages and Currents …etc.
 Analogue Bilateral Switches
• Analogue or “Analog” switches are those types
that are used to switch data or signal currents
when they are in their “ON” state and block
them when they are in their “OFF” state. The
rapid switching between the “ON” and the
“OFF” state is usually controlled by a digital
signal applied to the control gate of the
switch.
Solid State Analogue Switch
• By connecting an N-channel MOSFET in parallel
with a P-channel MOSFET allows signals to pass
in either direction making it a “Bi-directional”
switch and as to whether the N-channel or the
P-channel device carries more signal current
will depend upon the ratio between the input
to the output voltage. The two MOSFET’s are
switched “ON” or “OFF” by two internal non-
inverting and inverting amplifiers.
 Contact Types

• Just like mechanical switches, analogue

switches come in a variety of forms or contact
types, depending on the number of “poles”
and “throws” they offer. Thus, terms such as
“SPST” (single-pole single throw) and “SPDT”
(single-pole double-throw) also apply to solid
state analogue switches with “make-before-
break” and “break-before-make”
configurations available.
Analogue Switch Types
• Individual analogue switches can be grouped together into
standard IC packages to form devices with multiple switching
configurations of SPST (single-pole single-throw) and SPDT
(single-pole double-throw) as well as multi channel
multiplexers.
• The most common and simplest analogue switch in a single IC
package is the 74HC4066 which has 4 independent bi-
directional “ON/OFF” Switches within a single package but the
most widely used variants of the CMOS analogue switch are
those described as “Multi-way Bilateral Switches” otherwise
known as the “Multiplexer” and “De-multiplexer” IC’s and
these are discussed in the next tutorial.
 Combinational Logic Summary

• Then to summarise, Combinational Logic Circuits consist of inputs,

two or more basic logic gates and outputs.
• The logic gates are combined in such a way that the output state
depends entirely on the input states.
• Combinational logic circuits have “no memory”, “timing” or
“feedback loops” thus, there operation is instantaneous.
• A combinational logic circuit will perform a switching operation
assigned logically by a Boolean expression and corresponding truth
table.
• As we will see in the following tutorials. Examples of common
combinational logic circuits include: half adders, full adders,
multiplexers, demultiplexers, encoders and decoders