4 Trigger

Ⅰ. Overview
Ⅱ. Circuit structure and action characteristics
of trigger
Ⅲ. Logical functions of trigger and how they

are described

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4.1、Overview

• A trigger is a device that stores and remembers 1-bit binary codes,

and is the basic unit circuit of a timing digital circuit.
• There are two output states of a trigger: 0 and 1.
• Trigger has four logical functions: set 0, set 1, trigger and hold.
• Trigger can be classified according to its mode of operation,
structure and logic function:
Tr igg e r is d iv i d e d i n t o b a s i c RS t r i g g e r ( n o c l oc k ) an d
synchronous RS trigger according to its mode of operation.
Trigger is divided into edge trigger and master-slave trigger
according to its structure.
Triggers are classified into RS triggers, JK triggers, D triggers,
T triggers and T’ triggers according to their logical functions.

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Basic RS trigger
1 Basic RS trigger Composed of NAND Gate
1.Circuit Structure
The basic RS trigger (RS latch) can be formed by cross connecting
two NAND gates or by cross connecting two NOR gates.
Q Q
R R Q
A B
S S Q

R S

Basic RS trigger output terminal: Q和 Q , The state is opposite.There

are two steady states：Q 0，Q  1； Q 1，Q  0。
Basic RS trigger input terminal: R和S. The R terminal is called the
direct "0" terminal, or reset terminal; S terminal is called the direct "1"
terminal, or set terminal.

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Basic RS trigger

2.Working Principle
The basic RS trigger has two steady states:
Q  1、Q  0； Q  0、Q  1
The original state (primary state) is denoted by Qn and
the new state (secondary state) is denoted by Qn+1.
Basic RS trigger Menu
Function
Set 0
Set 1
Hold
Disable

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Basic RS trigger

3.State Transition Diagram

A state transition diagram is a graphical representation
of a function table that can be used to describe the logical
function of a trigger.
Basic RS trigger Function Table
R S Qn 1 Q n 1 Function
0 1 0 1 Set 0
1 0 1 0 Set 1
1 1 Qn Qn Hold
0 0 1 1 Disable

S 0 R 1
S 1 S 
0 1
R  R 1
S 1 R 0
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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Basic RS trigger

2 Basic RS trigger Composed of OR Gate

The basic RS trigger can also be cross connected by the
NOR gate. The difference between it and a trigger
composed of NAND gates is that it uses a high level as the
trigger pulse. The two inputs are R and S.
Q Q
R S Qn1 Qn 1 Function
0 0 Qn Qn Hold
0 1 1 0 Set 1
1 0 0 1 Set 0
1 1 0 0 Disable
R S

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Synchronous RS trigger
The basic RS trigger has the function of setting 0 and 1. The trigger signal R
or S arrives, the basic RS trigger flips over.
Synchronous RS trigger/Clock trigger:
Flip under the control of the clock pulse signal CP (Clock Pulse).
Clock trigger are divided into RS trigger, JK trigger, D trigger, T trigger,
and T trigger based on their logical functions.

Q Q
Synchronous RS trigger/Clock trigger:
1.Circuit Structure A B

Two NAND gates, C gate and D gate, have

been added to the basic RS trigger.
The data inputs R and S are connected to the C D
inputs of the C and D gates respectively, and
are active high.
R CP S

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Synchronous RS trigger
When CP=0, the C and D gates are blocked, and the C and D gates output 1.
The basic RS trigger remains in its original state, while the clock RS trigger
remains in its original state.
When CP=1, the C gate and D gate output R and S respectively, which are
used as inputs to the basic RS trigger to obtain the output state of the clock
RS trigger.
In order to preserve the direct zero and direct one terminals of the original
basic RS trigger, the circuit was modified to add Rd and Sd terminals, which
are not controlled by the clock and are called asynchronous reset and
asynchronous set terminals.

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Synchronous RS trigger

Synchronous RS trigger logic symbol

Q Q

A B RD R
S 1S Q
Rd Sd
CP C1
R 1R Q
C D
SD S
R CP S

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Synchronous RS trigger
flipping
The phenomenon of synchronous RS trigger flipping multiple times
during a clock arrival is called flipping。
Q Q
CP
A B
S
R
C D Q
Q
R CP S
The trigger phenomenon defeats the purpose of constructing a
synchronised RS trigger in the first place. The trigger is only allowed to
trigger once per incoming clock. If it is flipped multiple times, the
circuit will have a state error. The circuit structure needs to be
improved to eliminate the rollover phenomenon.
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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Master-slave trigger

Master-slave RS
1.circuit structure
The D trigger has only one data input, D. When
D = 1 and CP = 1, the trigger output Q = 1. When
D=1 and CP=1, the trigger outputs Q=1. When CP
returns to 0, the trigger remains unchanged in 1 state.
When D=0 and CP=1, the trigger output Q=0. When
CP returns to 0, the trigger remains at 0.

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Master-slave trigger

Improve reliability by requiring that the output state be

changed only once per CP cycle.

Master trigger Slave trigger

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Master-slave trigger
Improve reliability by requiring that the output state be
changed only once per CP cycle.

Master trigger Slave trigger

When CP=1, the "master trigger" is flipped

according to S, R, and the "slave trigger" is held.
When the falling edge of CP arrives, the "master
trigger" holds and the "slave trigger" flips
according to the state of the "master trigger".
Therefore, the output state may change only once
per CP cycle.

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Master-slave trigger
Master-slave JK trigger
To lift the constraint, the output is deterministic even in the case of
S=R=1

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Master-slave trigger

(1)若 J  1, K  0则 CP  1时，
Q n  1“主”保持
, 1
 n  CP  后，“从”  1
 Q  0，“主”  1

(2)若J  0, K  1则CP  1时，

 Q n  1，“主” 0
 n  CP  后，“从” 0
Q  0，“主”保持0

(3)若J  K  0则CP  1时，

Qn  1
 n “主”保持  CP  后，“从”保持
Q  0

( 4 )若 J  K  1则 CP  1时，
若 Q n  1, 则“主”置 0 n
 n
CP  后，“从”  Q
 若 Q  0, 则“主”置 1

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Master-slave trigger

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Master-slave trigger

Characteristics of Pulse Trigger Mode

Two-step action:
The first step: CP = 1, "master trigger" to
accept the signal, "slave trigger" to maintain.
The second step: CP ↓ arrived, "slave trigger"
according to the "master trigger" state trigger
Therefore, the output state can only be changed
once.

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Edge trigger

In order to improve reliability and enhance anti-interference

ability, it is hoped that the secondary state of the trigger only
depends on the input signal state when the falling edge (or
rising edge) of the CP arrives, and has no relationship with
the input state before and after this.

Maintaining Blocking triggers with CMOS Transmission

Gate Edge triggers.
with Edge trigger of Gate Circuit TPD
···

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Edge trigger
Edge JK trigger
1. Logical Symbol

Logical symbol of Edge JK trigger

(a)Clock falling edge trigger (b)Clock rasing edge trigger

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4.2、Circuit structure and operating characteristics of the trigger
Edge trigger

2.Menubar

3.Characteristic equation

4. State transition diagram

J =1 K = 
J =0 J =
0 1 K =0
K =
J =  K =1
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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

1. RS trigger
1. Definition: any trigger with the following functions under
the action of a clock signal is called an RS trigger

2.Characteristic equation
Q n 1  S  R Q n

SR  0

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

1. RS trigger

State transition diagram

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

2. JK trigger
1.Logical Symbol

Logical symbol of Edge JK trigger

(a)Clock falling edge trigger (b)Clock rasing edge trigger

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

2. JK trigger
2. Menubar 3. Characteristic equation

4. State transition diagram

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

3. D trigger
1. Definition: any trigger with the following functions
D Qn Qn1 2.Characteristic equation:
0 0 0
3. State transition diagram
0 1 0
1 0 1
1 1 1

4.notation

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

4. T trigger
1. Logical Symbol
Rd R
T 1T Q
CP C1
Q
Sd S

2. Menubar

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

3. Characteristic equation
Q n 1 TQ n  T Qn

4. State transition diagram

T =1

T =0 0 1 T =0
T= 1

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

5. T trigger
1. Logical symbol

Q
CP C1
Q

2. Characteristic equation
Q n1  Q n
3. State transition diagram

0 1

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described
Conversion of triggers with Different Functions
[Exp]Convert a JK trigger to a T trigger.
Characteristic equation of flip Qn1  JQ n  KQn
flops to be converted：
Characteristic equation of Q n1  Q n
target trigger：
When Jn=Kn=1，the characteristic equation of the
trigger to be converted is equal to that of the target
trigger.
When J  Q n , K  Q n ，the characteristic equations
of the trigger to be converted and the target trigger
are equal. 1 R
1J Q
CP C1
1 Q
K
S
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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

[Exp]Convert a D trigger to a T trigger.

Characteristic equation of flip Q n1  D

flops to be converted：

Characteristic equation of Q n1  Q n

target trigger：

Comparison results： D  Qn

1 R
D 1D Q
CP C1

1 S Q

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4.3、Logical functions of trigger and how they are described

[Exp]Convert a D trigger to a JK trigger.

Characteristic equation of flip Q n1  D
flops to be converted：

Characteristic equation of Q n1  JQ n  KQn

target trigger：
Comparison D  JQn  KQn  JQn  KQn  J K  Q n Q n
results：
 (Qn  K )(Qn  J )  (Qn  J )Qn K

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