Sequential Circuit Analysis

State tables show the inputs, outputs, and flip-flop state changes

for sequential circuits.

State diagrams are an alternative but equivalent way of showing
the same information.

Inputs

Combinational
circuit

Outputs

Memory

Sequential circuit analysis

How do you analyze a sequential circuit?

For a combinational circuit we could find a truth table, which shows how
the outputs are related to the inputs.
A state table is the sequential analog of a truth table. It shows inputs
and current states on the left, and outputs and next states on the right.
For a sequential circuit, the outputs are dependent upon not only the
inputs, but also the current state of the flip-flops.
In addition to finding outputs, we also need to find the state of the
flip-flops on the next clock cycle.

Sequential circuit analysis

Flip-flop input equations

Finding the next states is harder. To do this, we have to figure out how
the flip-flops are changing.
Step 1:
Find Boolean expressions for the flip-flop inputs.
I.e. How do the inputs (say, J & K) to the flip-flops
depend on the current state and input
Step 2:
Use these expressions to find the actual flip-flop input values for
each possible combination of present states and inputs.
I.e. Fill in the state table (with new intermediate columns)
Step 3:
Use flip-flop characteristic tables or equations to find the next
states, based on the flip-flop input values and the present states.

Sequential circuit analysis

Derive the state table and state diagram.

X
Y
D
X

X'

A
Y
X
B

D Q

C
Z

Sequential circuit analysis

Derive the state diagram

J1

J1
K1

S
J
Q
C
KR Q

Q0

J2

J
Q
C
K2
K R Q

Q1

Q(t+1)

Operation

Q(t)

No change

Reset

Set

Q(t)

Complement

Z
X

Sequential circuit analysis

Step 3: Find the next states

Finally, use the JK flip-flop characteristic tables or equations to find

the next state of each flip-flop, based on its present state and inputs.
The general JK flip-flop characteristic equation is:
Q(t+1) = KQ(t) + JQ(t)

In our example circuit, we have two JK flip-flops, so we have to apply

this equation to each of them:
Q1(t+1) = K1Q1(t) + J1Q1(t)
Q0(t+1) = K0Q0(t) + J0Q0(t)

We can also determine the next state for

J K
each input/current state combination
0 0
directly from the characteristic table.

Q(t+1)

Operation

Q(t)

No change

Reset

Set

Q(t)

Complement

Sequential circuit analysis

Sequential circuit design procedure

Step 1:
Make a state table based on the problem statement. The table should
show the present states, inputs, next states and outputs. (It may be
easier to find a state diagram first, and then convert that to a table.)
Step 2:
Assign binary codes to the states in the state table, if you havent
already. If you have n states, your binary codes will have at least
log2 n digits, and your circuit will have at least log2 n flip-flops.
Step 3:
For each flip-flop and each row of your state table, find the flip-flop
input values that are needed to generate the next state from the
present state. You can use flip-flop excitation tables here.
Step 4:
Find simplified equations for the flip-flop inputs and the outputs.
Step 5:
Build the circuit!
Sequential circuit analysis

Class example revisited

1) Find non overlapping sequence: 1001. Design using D-flipflops.

Sequential circuit analysis

Blank Sheet
Q(t)

Q(t+1)

Operation

Reset

Set

Reset

Set

Sequential circuit analysis

Design a twos complementer using J-K flip-flops

Input:X,Y. Input Sequence: a binary number of arbitrary length. Sequence

represented by sequential values of X. Output: Z, the corresponding bit in
the twos complement. When y=1 => the sequence is complete, Y=0 =>
Sequence ongoing.
Solution: The trick is in identifying that whenever we compute a 2's complement, we complement each bit and add a 1. So
as long as we keep receiving 0's, we complement them to convert to 1's and then we add a 1. So until we hit our first 1,
we stay on the same state outputting 0's. As soon as we hit a 1, the complement for that is a 0 to which we add a 1
getting a 1. And then we have no carry so we move onto a state where we just complement each bit we receive.

Sequential circuit analysis

10

Blank Sheet
Q(t)

Q(t+1)

Operation

No change/reset

Set/complement

Reset/complement

No change/set

Sequential circuit analysis

11

Excitation tables for all flip-flops

Q(t)

Q(t+1)

Operation

Reset

Set

Reset

Set

Q(t)

Q(t+1)

Operation

No change/reset

Set/complement

Reset/complement

No change/set

Q(t)

Q(t+1)

Operation

No change

Complement

Complement

No change

Sequential circuit analysis

12

Summary

The basic sequential circuit design procedure:

Make a state table and, if desired, a state diagram. This step is
usually the hardest.
Assign binary codes to the states if you didnt already.
Use the present states, next states, and flip-flop excitation tables
to find the flip-flop input values.
Write simplified equations for the flip-flop inputs and outputs and
build the circuit.
Next, well look at common examples of sequential circuits, including
different types of counters.

Sequential circuit analysis

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