DIGITAL LOGIC

• Digital logic is the foundation, not only of computing but also many other
electronic devices and control systems found in almost every part of
modern life.
• Seven Basic Logic Gates
• AND, OR, NAND (Not AND), NOR (Not OR), XOR (Exclusive OR) XNOR
(Exclusive NOR) and NOT
• In binary logic there are only two states, 1 and 0 or ‘on and off,’ NOT in the
world of binary logic therefore means ‘the opposite of’. If something is not
1 it must be 0, if it is not on, it must be off. So NAND (not AND) simply
means that a NAND gate performs the opposite function to an AND gate.
• A logic gate is a small transistor circuit, basically a type of amplifier, which
is implemented in different forms within an integrated circuit.
TRUTH TABLE AND BOOLEAN ALGEBRA
• The logic rules for each type of gate can be described in different ways, by a
written description of the action, by a truth table, which is a table showing all the
possible logic states at the inputs and output of the gate, or by a Boolean algebra
statement.
• Boolean statements use letters from the beginning of the alphabet, such as A, B,
C etc. to indicate inputs, and letters from the second half of the alphabet, very
commonly X or Y and sometimes Q or P to label an output.
• The letters are then linked by a symbol indicating the logical action of the gate.
• The • symbol indicates AND although in many cases the • may be omitted. (A•B
may also be written as AB or A.B)
• The symbols • and + are the same as those used in normal algebra to
indicate product (multiplication) and sum (addition) respectively, in
binary logic the + symbol does not exactly correspond to sum. In
digital logic 1 + (OR) 1 = 1, but the binary sum of 1 + (plus) 1 = 102,
therefore in digital logic + must always be considered as OR.
• Three further types of logic gate give an output that is an inverted
version of the three basic gate functions listed above, and these are
indicated by a bar drawn above a statement using the AND, OR, or
XOR symbols to indicate NAND, NOR and XNOR
• An AND gate gives an output of logic 1 when input A AND input B are
at logic 1, but a NAND gate would give a logic 0 output for the same
input conditions. Also where the AND gate gives a logic zero for a
particular input combination, the NAND gate would give a logic 1.
• The ‘N’ in the gate’s name, or the bar above the Boolean expression
therefore indicates that the output logic is ‘inverted’. In digital logic
NAND is ‘NOT’ AND or the opposite of AND. Similarly NOR is ‘NOT’
OR and XNOR is ‘NOT’ XOR.
• The NOT gate or inverter is a single input gate that has an output
having the opposite logic state, or the inverse of the input.
LOGIC FUNCTIONS
The seven basic logic functions can also be
described using a ‘truth table’ to show the
relationship between the output (X) and all
possible input combinations for inputs A
and B, shown as a four value binary count from
00 to 11.
LOGIC FUNCTIONS
Universal Gates
• Because gates are manufactured in IC form, typically containing two to
six gates of the same type, it is often uneconomical to use a complete IC
of six gates to perform a particular logic function.
• A better solution may be to use just a single type of gate to perform any
of the logic operations required.
• Two types of gate, NAND and NOR are often used to perform the
functions of any of the other standard gates, by connecting a number of
either of these ‘universal’ gates in a combinational circuit.
• This technique is especially useful in the design of complex ICs where
whole circuits within the IC can be fabricated using a single type of gate.
Similar conversions can be achieved using NOR gates,
but as NAND gates are generally the least
expensive ICs,
Combinational logic.
• Combining a number of basic logic gates in a larger circuit to produce
more complex logical operations is called combinational logic.
• Using such circuits, logical operations can be performed on any number
of inputs whose logic state is either 1 or 0 and this technique is the basis
of all digital electronics.
• To understand the operation of a combinational logic circuit, and what
logic state should be present at any particular point in the circuit, it is
necessary to accurately analyze the operation of the circuit. For this
purpose, several methods can be used, depending on the complexity of
the circuit.
• These include truth tables, Boolean algebra, Karnaugh maps and
computer software methods.
 Truth Tables.
• A truth table can be used for analyzing the operation of logic circuits.

Step 2:
Two more columns are
added next, for the
intermediate points D and
E in the circuit, showing
in column D, the result of
‘ANDing’ columns A and
Combinational Logic B, and in column E the
results of ‘ANDing’
columns A and C.
Step 1:
Each column is labelled with a
Three columns marked A, B and C are
Boolean expression for
needed, filled with a binary count from
that particular gate output
000 to 111, i.e. a decimal count from 0 to
7.
Step 3:
Then the final column X is completed by
‘ORing’ the intermediate columns D and E.
Circuit Simplification Using Truth Tables
A logic 1 is produced at output X whenever the circuit
inputs A, B and C are at logic 1. This can be described by
compiling an appropriate Boolean equation from the truth
table, which shows that X is 1 (is true) when A and B are 1,
or when A and C are 1, or when A and B and C are 1. This
can be written as:

X = (A•B) + (A•C) + (A•B•C)

A logic 1 at X is produced on the bottom row, where all three

inputs (A•B•C) are logic 1, the third row up from the
bottom of the table where A•C (shaded cells) also
provides a logic 1 in column E and at output X.
• Therefore it doesn’t matter whether columns D, E or F in the bottom row
are at logic 1 or not. With the inputs at 111 the logic 1s on inputs A and C
will still produce a logic 1 at E and therefore logic 1 at the output X.
• The bottom row for Columns D, E an F can therefore be marked with ✗ to
indicate “Don’t Care”, it doesn’t matter whether these cells are 1 or 0,
column X will still be logic 1.
• This means that column F (and the three input AND gate) are not needed,
also the three input OR gate can be replaced by a two input OR gate.
• The simplified circuit produced is then adequately described by the
shorter Boolean equation:
X = (A•B) + (A•C)
• For circuits using up to three or four inputs, better results can be obtained
by the direct manipulation of the Boolean algebra equations obtained
from a truth table.
Boolean Algebra.
• X = (A•B) + (A•C) + (A•B•C). How do we simplify?
Boolean Laws
• Commutative Laws
• In a group of variables connected by operators AND
or OR, the order of the variables does not matter.
1a. Boolean addition (OR): A+B = B+A
1b. Boolean multiplication (AND): A•B = B•A
• Associative Laws
• The order of calculation can be changed without affecting the result (Change which
terms are in brackets, or remove brackets). Note: This is only OK so long as all signs
(+ or •) are the same.
2a. Boolean addition (OR): (A+B)+C = A+(B+C) = A+B+C
2b. Boolean Multiplication (AND): (A•B)•C = A•(B•C) = A•B•C = ABC

• Distributive Laws
• The same answer is arrived at when multiplying (ANDing) a variable by a group of
bracketed variables added (ORed) together, as when each multiplication (AND) is
performed separately.
• Law 3a is similar to factoring in normal algebra, but law 3b is unique to Boolean
algebra because unlike normal algebra, where A x A=A2, in Boolean algebra A•A = A
3a. A•(B+C) = A•B+A•C
3b. A+(B•C) = (A+B) • (A+C)
• Identity Elements
• In rule 4a, when the variable A is ANDed with logic 1 (called the
Identity Element for the AND operator).
• The variable ANDed with 1 retains its identity.
• Rule 4b, shows that the Identity Element for the OR operator is 0, and
any variable (e.g. A) ORed with 0 it retains its identity.
4a. A•1 = A
4b. A+0 = A
5a and 5b show how by ‘forcing the Identity Element’, (in B column of the
truth tables) to the opposite states to those used in 4a and 4b, produces an
output that is the same as the Identity Element.
5a. A•0 = 0
5b. A+1 = 1

6a and 6b show that ANDing or ORing two

identical variables, produces an
output equal to a single variable, showing that
one of the variables is
redundant, a useful rule when simplifying
Boolean equations.
6a. A•A = A
6b. A+A = A
Duality Rules
It is possible to derive additional identities by
obtaining the Dual of an
identity. This involves changing the AND
operators to OR and the OR
operators to AND. Additionally any 0s are
changed to 1s and 1s to 0s
 The duality rule can be used to change a logic
expression containing both AND and OR
elements to its equivalent dual expression.
The table shows that A•(B+C) is the same as A+(B•C).

Simplifying Boolean Equations

Minimising complex Boolean expressions to their simplest form using Boolean laws
and rules is a matter of choosing the most appropriate law or rule to reduce the
expression step by step.
If the resulting minimisation is correct, the minimised equation and the original equation
should give identical output columns when truth tables for the original and minimised
circuits are compared.
 Boolean Simplification Examples

Example 1
Suppose the cash room at a store has access restricted to
certain employees, each of who has a key,
which produces a logic 1 at particular inputs to an
unlocking circuit.
Only the store manager (M) can enter alone. The assistant
manager (A) and the cashier (C) also have access, but
only when accompanied by each other, or by the store
manager. Design a combinational logic
circuit that will allow access by producing a logic 1 when
the above conditions are met.

The five Boolean AND expressions can be separated

by OR operators to form a complete Boolean
equation.
X = M + M•C + A•C + A•M + A•C•M
X = M + M•C + A•C + A•M + A•C•M
Since M + M•C = M (Reduction rule 8b)
X = M + A•C + A•M + A•C•M
And as M + A•C + A•M = M + A•M + A•C
(Commutative Law 1a)
X = M + A•M + A•C + A•C•M
And as M + A•M = M (Reduction rule 8b)
X = M + A•C + A•C•M
And as M + A•C + A•C•M = M + A•C•M + A•C
(Commutative
Law 1a)
X = M + A•C•M + A•C
And as M + A•C•M = M (Reduction rule 8b)
X = M + A•C
No further reduction possible.
The inversion bars have now disappeared because of the application of another very
useful Boolean algebra law, De Morgan’s Theorem. Before looking at how the
theorem works, note the difference in the use of the inversion bars in Boolean
expressions. This is an important feature in the application of De Morgan’s Theorem:

De Morgan’s Theorem

Not only is it used in the simplification of Boolean expressions but

can also be used to change the function of logic gates, so that NAND gates (or
NOR gates) can carry out any of the other standard logic functions of gates.
The theorem comprises two laws that describe how inverting the inputs to a
gate, changes the gate’s function.
De Morgan’s Law 1 De Morgan’s Law 2
• NAND 2 replaces the AND gate so that the bottom input to NAND 3 is
now A.C instead of A•C.
• Therefore both inputs to NAND 3 have been inverted (without actually using
any NOT gates) to make NAND 3 act, according to De Morgan’s theorem, as
an OR function, so giving the correct output of X = M + A•C.
• Boolean algebra gives a more compact way to describe a
combinational logic circuit than truth tables alone. It can also be used
for simplification of circuits, however this can also be cumbersome and
error prone.
• When circuits with more than two or three inputs are involved a better
method of circuit reduction that works well with circuits having up to
four or six inputs is the Karnaugh Map