Chapter ONE

Hawassa University, Institute of Technology School

of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Introduction to Digital Systems

DIGITAL LOGIC DESIGN

By nigatu a.
1
 Introduction to Analog and Digital Quantities
 In science, technology, business and, most other fields of
endeavor, we are constantly dealing with quantities.
 Quantities are measured, monitored, recorded, manipulated
arithmetically, observed, or in some other way utilized in most
physical systems.
 It is important when dealing with various quantities that we be
able to represent their values efficiently and accurately.
 There are basically two ways of representing the numerical value
of quantities:
 Continuous (Analog) Quantities
 Discrete (Digital) Quantities
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 Analog Quantity Representations
 Most natural quantities that we see are analog and vary
continuously.
 Analog quantities are represented by a continuous variables like
voltage, current, or meter movement that is proportional to the
value of that quantity.
 For Example :
 Sound through a microphone causes voltage changes.
 Automobile speedometer changes with speed.
 Mercury thermometer varies over a range of values with
temperature.

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 Analog Quantity Representations
 The cited analog quantities in above, have an important characteristic:
 they vary over a continuous range of values.

Figure 1-1 Graph of an analog quantity (temperature versus time).

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 Digital Quantities Representations
 Digital quantities representation varies in discrete (separate
or step by steps).
 Digital quantities are represented by symbols (discrete
values) called digits.
 For Example:
 Passing time is shown as a change in the display on a
digital clock at one minute intervals.
 A change in temperature is shown on a digital display
only when the temperature changes at least one degree.

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 Digital Quantity Representations
 If we take the temperature at each hour, we are sampling the above
figure 1.1.

Figure 1-2 Sampled-value representation of the analog quantity in Figure 1-1.

 Each value represented by a dot can be digitized by representing it as

a digital code that consists of a series of 1s and 0s.
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 Analog and Digital Quantities
 In general, the major difference between analog and digital
quantities, then, can be simply stated as follows:
 Analog quantity is equivalent to Continuous
 Digital quantity is equivalent to Discrete (Step By Step)

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 Digital and Analog Systems
 A Digital System:-
 A combination of devices designed to manipulate
logical information or physical quantities that are
represented in digital form;
 The quantities can take on only discrete values.
 Some of the more familiar digital systems include:-
 Digital computers and calculators,
 Digital audio and video equipment, and
 The telephone system, the world’s largest digital
system.

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 Digital and Analog Systems
 An analog system:-
 Contains devices that manipulate physical quantities that are
represented in analog form.
 In an analog system, the quantities can vary over a continuous
range of values.
 For example:
 The amplitude of the output signal to the speaker in a radio
receiver can have any value between zero and its maximum limit.
 Other Common analog systems are audio amplifiers, magnetic
tape recording and playback equipment.

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 Advantages of Digital System
1. Digital systems are generally easier to design.
 This is because the circuits that are used are switching
circuits.
2. Information storage is easy.
 This is accomplished by special devices and circuits that can
latch onto digital information and hold it for as long as
necessary.
3. Accuracy and precision are greater:-
 Digital data can be stored more compactly/easily and
reproduced with greater accuracy and clarity.

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 Advantages of Digital System
4. Digital circuits are less affected by noise:-

 Since the exact value of voltage is not important in digital

systems.

5. More digital circuits can be fabricated on IC chips:-

 Due to its relative Complexity and economical problem,

analog system can’t achieve the same degree of integration.

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 Drawback of Digital System
 The other major drawback when using digital system is, the real
world is mainly analog.
 Most physical quantities are analog in nature, not digital.
 Example:
 Temperature, Pressure, velocity, liquid levels, …etc.
 To take advantage of digital systems when dealing with analog
inputs and outputs, we need to go through three main steps:
 Convert the real-world analog inputs data to digital form.
 Process the digital information using digital system.
 Convert the digital outputs back to real-world analog form.

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 For Example:
 Consider Recording of audio Using Compact disks(CDs), as
shown below:
 First, sound from instruments and human voices produces an
analog voltage signal in the micro phone
 Then, this analog signal is converted to digital using ADC.
 The digital information is stored on the CD’s surface.
 Then the process shown on the fig. below takes place during play
back.

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 Binary Digits
 Binary digits are represented with two numbers 1 and 0.
 Each of the two digits in the binary system, 1 & 0, is called a bit.
 In digital circuits, two different voltage levels are used to
represent the two bits.
 Generally, 1 is represented by the higher voltage, which we will
refer to as a HIGH, and a 0 is represented by the lower voltage
level, which we will refer to as a LOW.
 HIGH = 1 and LOW = 0
 Groups of bits, called codes, are used to represent numbers,
letters, symbols, instructions, and anything else required in a
given application.

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 Logic Level
 The voltages used to represent a 1 and a 0 are called logic levels.
 Ideally, one voltage level represents a HIGH and another voltage
level represents a LOW.
 In a practical digital circuit, however, HIGH can be any voltage
between a specified minimum value and a specified maximum
value.
 Likewise, a LOW can be any voltage between a specified
minimum and a specified maximum.
 Figure illustrates the general range of LOWs and HIGHs for a
digital circuit.

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 Logic Level
 The variable VH(max) represents the maximum HIGH voltage
value, and VH(min) represents the minimum HIGH voltage value.

 The maximum LOW voltage value is represented by VL(max), and

the minimum LOW voltage value is represented by VL(min)

 The voltage values between VL(max) and VH(min) are unacceptable

for proper operation.

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 Logic Level
 For example,
 The HIGH values for a certain type of digital circuit called
CMOS may range from 2V to 3.3V and the LOW values
may range from 0V to 0.8V.
 So, for example, if a voltage of 2.5V is applied, the circuit
will accept it as a HIGH or binary 1.
 If a voltage of 0.5V is applied, the circuit will accept it as a
LOW or binary 0.
 For this type of circuit, voltages between 0.8V and 2V are
unacceptable.

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 Digital Waveforms
 Digital waveforms change between the LOW and HIGH levels.
 A positive going pulse is one that goes from a normally LOW
logic level to a HIGH level and then back again.
 Digital waveforms are made up of a series of pulses.

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 Timing Diagrams
 A timing diagram is used to show the relationship between two
or more digital waveforms,

Clock

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