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UNIT 2
SEQUENTIAL CIRCUITS
RANJANA.K.K
ASSISSTANT PROFESSOR ,
ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE STUDIES.
 SEQUENTIAL CIRCUTS
DEFINITION:A sequential circuit is a type of digital circuit that produces
outputs based on both the current and previous inputs.

OR

Sequential circuits in computer architecture (CA) refer to digital logic circuits

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where the output depends not only on the current input but also on the
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previous history of inputs.

Output depends on current as well as past inputs

∗ Depends on the history

∗ Have “memory” property

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 Different Types of Sequential Circuits
Sequential circuits are mainly categorized into two types:
1. Asynchronous sequential circuits
2. Synchronous sequential circuits

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 Asynchronous Sequential Circuits:
• Circuit in which output change at the time the inputs change. They do
not use clock pulses.
• These circuits do not use a clock signal but uses the pulses of the
inputs.
• These circuits are faster than synchronous sequential circuits.
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Click to Edit • We use asynchronous sequential circuits when speed of operation is
important and independent of internal clock pulse
• But these circuits are more difficult to design and their output
is uncertain.
 Synchronous Sequential Circuits: These circuits use a clock signal to
determine when state transitions occur. Synchronous sequential circuit:
1.These circuits uses clock signal and level inputs (or pulsed)
(with restrictions on pulse width and circuit propagation).
2.The output pulse is the same duration as the clock pulse for the
clocked sequential circuits.
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Click to Edit 3.Since they wait for the next clock pulse to arrive to perform
the next operation, so these circuits are bit slower compared to
asynchronous.
4.Level output changes state at the start of an input pulse and
remains in that until the next input or clock pulse.
 Difference between combinational and sequential circuits
Combinational circuits Sequential circuits

Memory The output depends only on the The output depends not only on the current
Dependency current input values. input but also on past inputs

These circuits operate based on clock

These circuits are instantaneous,
signals or timing events. The output may
meaning the output changes as soon
Timing change based on the clock's edge or a
as the inputs change. They do not rely
specific timing interval.
on a clock signal.

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There is no feedback from output to They involve feedback where the output
Click to Edit Feedback input. Once an input is applied, it can influence future inputs due to the stored
generates an immediate output. state information.

Adders, multiplexers, decoders, and

Examples logic gates are common examples of Flip-flops, counters, shift registers
combinational circuits.

A clock signal is typically required to

Clock signal No clock signal is required. control state transitions and
synchronization.
 In sequential circuits, clock pulses are regular, periodic signals used to synchronize the
operations of different components. They control when changes occur in the circuit, ensuring
that all components update their states in a coordinated manner.

• Synchronization: Sequential circuits rely on a clock to determine when data

should be processed, stored, or transferred between different elements like flip-
flops, registers, and counters. Without the clock, different parts of the circuit might
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Edit not operate in sync, leading to errors.
• Clock Edge: The clock signal typically alternates between two states, high (1) and
low (0). Changes in the circuit's state usually occur at specific points called clock
edges:
• Rising edge: When the clock transitions from low to high.
• Falling edge: When the clock transitions from high to low
Dept. A clock is a Square wave form with two states 0 and 1 as shown.Inputs to the sequential circuit
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can only affect the storage element at given, discrete instances of time.
Edge-triggered circuits change state on the rising edge, or falling edge of the clock pulse.
Level-triggered circuits change state when the clock voltage reaches its highest or lowest level.
A clock is used by a sequential circuit to decide when to update the state of the circuit. This means
that inputs to the circuit can only affect the storage element at given, discrete instances of time.
 The two most popular varieties of storage cells used to build
sequential circuits are: latches and flip-flops.
 Latch: level sensitive storage element
Common examples of latches: S-R latch, \S-\R latch,
D latch (= gated D latch)
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 Flip-Flop: Edge triggered storage element

Common examples of flip-flops: D-FF, D-FF with enable, SR-FF,
JK-FF
 LATCHES AND FLIP-FLOPS
Flip-flop :
 It is an electronic circuit or device which is used to store a data in binary
form.
 Flip-slop is an one-bit memory device and it can store either 1 or 0.
 Flip-flops is a sequential device that changes its output only when a
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Latch:
 It is a sequential device that checks all its inputs continuously and
changes its outputs accordingly at any time independent of a clock signal.
 They are not dependent on the clock signal for their operation.
 FLIP FLOPS
 It is a one bit memory cell which stores either 0 or 1

 A circuit that has two stable states is treated as a flip flop.

 These stable states are used to store binary data that can be changed by applying

varying inputs.

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 The flip flops are the fundamental building blocks of the digital system.

 Flip flops and latches are examples of data storage elements.

 In the sequential logical circuit, the flip flop is the basic storage element.

 The latches and flip flops are the basic storage elements but different in working.
 TYPES OF FLIPFLOPS

There are 4 types of flip-flops :

• SR Flip-Flop

• JK Flip-Flop
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• D Flip-Flop

• T Flip-Flop
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 Flip-flop input equations
 Flip-flop input equations are used to define the behavior of flip-flops
based on their current inputs and the current state.

 These equations describe the conditions required to set or reset the

flip-flop and determine its next state.
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Click to Edit  Flip-flops are fundamental elements of sequential circuits and are
widely used in digital electronics for storing binary data.

 There are different types of flip-flops, each with its own characteristic
equations, which include:
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 State table
The state table for flip-flops (and sequential circuits in general) is a
structured representation that describes how the outputs change based on
the current state and input signals.
Here are the key components of a state table:
Components of a State Table
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1. This column represents the present state of the flip-flop before the
clock pulse is applied. It indicates the output value (Q) of the flip-flop
in its current state.
2. The current state is usually denoted as Qn, where "n" indicates the
current state number.
 2.Input(s):
• These columns represent the input signals that affect the state of the
flip-flop.
• The number of input columns depends on the type of flip-flop:
• SR Flip-Flop: Two inputs (S, R)
• D Flip-Flop: One input (D)
• JK Flip-Flop: Two inputs (J, K)
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Click to Edit • T Flip-Flop: One input (T)
Next State (Qn+1):
This column indicates the state the flip-flop transitions to after the
clock pulse is applied, based on the current state and input values.
It is denoted as Qn+1, representing the state after the transition.
 Output(s):
• This column (if included) represents the output of the flip-flop based on the current
state and input conditions.
• In many cases, the output is the same as the next state, especially in D flip-flops.
• Depending on the design, the output column can provide additional insight into how
the flip-flop behaves.

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 State Diagram
 A state diagram is a graphical representation of a finite state
machine (FSM) that shows the various states of a system and how it
transitions from one state to another based on inputs and outputs.
 In the context of flip-flops and sequential circuits, state diagrams
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provide a visual way to understand how a particular flip-flop
operates over time, illustrating the relationships between its states
and transitions.
 Components of a State Diagram
1.States: Represented as circles or ovals, states correspond to the possible values that the
flip-flop can hold. For example, in the case of a D flip-flop, the states would be
represented as Q = 0 and Q = 1.
2.Transitions: Arrows connecting the states represent the transitions from one state to
another. These transitions are triggered by input conditions or clock signals.

Dept. of BCA 3.Inputs/Outputs: Labels on the transitions often indicate the input values or conditions
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that cause the transition from one state to another. The output state may also be labeled,
especially in cases where the output depends on the state.
4.Initial State: Usually indicated by an arrow pointing to the state from nowhere, showing
where the system starts.
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 Registers

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 Registers with parallel load

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 A group of flip flops which is used to store multiple bits of data and the data is
moved from one flip flop to another is known as Shift Register.
The bits stored in registers shifted when the clock pulse is applied within and
inside or outside the registers.
To form an n-bit shift register, we have to connect n number of flip flops. So, the
number of bits of the binary number is directly proportional to the number of flip
flops.
The flip flops are connected in such a way that the first flip flop's output becomes
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the input of the other flip flop.
A Shift Register can shift the bits either to the left or to the right.
A Shift Register, which shifts the bit to the left, is known as "Shift left
register", and it shifts the bit to the right, known as "Right left register".
 The shift register is classified into the following types
I. Serial-In, Serial-Out (SISO): In SISO shift registers, data is entered serially
and shifted out serially. They have one input and one output.
II. Serial-In, Parallel-Out (SIPO): SIPO shift registers accept serial input but
produce parallel output. They are useful for converting serial data to parallel
form.
III. Parallel-In, Serial-Out (PISO): PISO shift registers accept parallel input and
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Click to Edit produce serial output. They are used in applications such as LED displays.
IV. Parallel-In, Parallel-Out (PIPO): PIPO shift registers accept parallel input
and produce parallel output. They can be used for data storage or conversion
between parallel and serial formats.
 What is a Bidirectional Shift Register?
A Bidirectional shift register is a circuit which shifts data in both left and right
directions.
It stores the data suing a number of flip-flop to shift in accordance with control signal.
Its ability to also perform wide-range data motion makes it extremely useful in
environments where robust adaptability is needed, such as serialization to parallelism

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Structure of a Bidirectional Shift Register
A bidirectional shift register is a sequential circuit that can shift data both leftwards and
rightwards.
 It consists of a series of flip-flops connected in a chain, allowing the data to be shifted
in either direction.
The number of flip-flops used determines the size of the shift register and its data
 Bidirectional Shift Register

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 Working Principle of Bidirectional Shift Register
The bidirectional shift register operates based on clock pulses and control signals.
It has two modes of operation: shift right and shift left.
Shift Right: In the shift right mode, the data is shifted from the leftmost bit to the
rightmost bit.
 Each clock pulse triggers the transfer of data to the adjacent flip-flop on the right.
The rightmost bit receives the input data, while the leftmost bit is discarded.
Shift Left: In the shift left mode, the data is shifted from the rightmost bit to the
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leftmost bit.
 Each clock pulse triggers the transfer of data to the adjacent flip-flop on the left.
The leftmost bit receives the input data, while the rightmost bit is discarded.
 Counters
 A counter is a digital circuit capable of counting, sequencing through a predetermined sequence
of numbers, typically in binary form.
 A Counter is a device which stores (and sometimes displays) the number of times a particular
event or process has occurred, often in relationship to a clock signal.
 Counters are used in digital electronics for counting purpose, they can count specific event
happening in the circuit.
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Click to Edit Counters are broadly divided into two categories
 Asynchronous counter
 Synchronous counter
 1. Asynchronous Counter
 In asynchronous counter we don’t use universal clock, only first flip flop is driven by main
clock and the clock input of rest of the following flip flop is driven by output of previous flip
flops
 2. Synchronous Counter
Unlike the asynchronous counter, synchronous counter has one
global clock which drives each flip flop so output changes in parallel.
The one advantage of synchronous counter over asynchronous
counter is, it can operate on higher frequency than asynchronous
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counter as it does not have cumulative delay because of same clock
is given to each flip flop.
 Binary 4-bit Synchronous Counter

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  It can be seen above, that the external clock pulses (pulses to be counted) are fed directly to each
of the J-K flip-flops in the counter chain and that both the J and K inputs are all tied together in
toggle mode, but only in the first flip-flop, flip-flop FFA (LSB) are they connected HIGH, logic
“1” allowing the flip-flop to toggle on every clock pulse.
 Then the synchronous counter follows a predetermined sequence of states in response to the
common clock signal, advancing one state for each pulse.
 The J and K inputs of flip-flop FFB are connected directly to the output QA of flip-flop FFA, but

the J and K inputs of flip-flops FFC and FFD are driven from separate AND gates which are also
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 These additional AND gates generate the required logic for the JK inputs of the next stage.
 If we enable each JK flip-flop to toggle based on whether or not all preceding flip-flop outputs
(Q) are “HIGH” we can obtain the same counting sequence as with the asynchronous circuit but
without the ripple effect, since each flip-flop in this circuit will be clocked at exactly the same
time.
 Then as there is no inherent propagation delay in synchronous
counters, because all the counter stages are triggered in parallel
at the same time, the maximum operating frequency of this type
of frequency counter is much higher than that for a similar
asynchronous counter circuit.
Because this 4-bit synchronous counter counts sequentially on
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every clock pulse the resulting outputs count upwards from 0
( 0000 ) to 15 ( 1111 ).
Therefore, this type of counter is also known as a 4-bit
Synchronous Up Counter.
 Integrated circuits
Integrated circuits (ICs), also known as microchips or simply chips, are miniature
electronic circuits consisting of semiconductor devices such as transistors, diodes, and
resistors, as well as passive components like capacitors and inductors, all fabricated on a
single piece of semiconductor material.
These components are interconnected to perform a specific function, such as amplification,
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signal processing, or digital logic operations.
ICs revolutionized the field of electronics by enabling the integration of complex circuits
into compact, reliable, and cost-effective packages.
There are various types of integrated circuits designed to serve different purposes:
 Small-Scale Integration (SSI):
SSI ICs typically contain a low number of logic gates or components.
SSI ICs typically have up to 10 logic gates or equivalent components integrated onto a single chip.
Examples of SSI ICs include basic logic gates (AND, OR, NOT), flip-flops, and simple digital circuits.
Medium-Scale Integration (MSI):
MSI ICs contain a moderate number of logic gates or components.
MSI ICs typically have between 10 and 100 logic gates or equivalent components integrated onto a
single chip.
Examples of MSI ICs include multiplexers, demultiplexers, registers, and small counters.
Dept. of BCA Large-Scale Integration (LSI):
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LSI ICs contain a high number of logic gates or components.
LSI ICs typically have between 100 and 10,000 logic gates or equivalent components integrated onto a
single chip.
Examples of LSI ICs include microprocessors, memory chips, complex digital controllers, and
moderate-sized application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).
 Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI):
VLSI ICs contain an extremely high number of logic gates or components.
VLSI ICs typically have over 10,000 logic gates or equivalent components integrated onto a single chip.
Examples of VLSI ICs include modern microprocessors, advanced memory chips (such as DRAM and NAND
flash), system-on-chip (SoC) designs, and highly complex ASICs.
Super Large-Scale Integration (SLSI):
SLSI ICs typically have an even higher number of logic gates or components integrated onto a single chip compared
to VLSI ICs.
SLSI technology enables the integration of extremely complex and sophisticated digital circuits onto a single chip.
Examples of SLSI ICs include advanced microprocessors, high-capacity memory chips, and highly specialized
Dept. of BCA application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) with extensive functionality.
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Ultra Large-Scale Integration (ULSI):
ULSI ICs feature an extraordinarily large number of logic gates or components integrated onto a single chip, often
numbering in the billions.
ULSI technology enables the creation of highly advanced and powerful microprocessors, memory chips, system-on-
chip (SoC) designs, and other complex integrated circuits.
ULSI ICs play a crucial role in enabling the development of cutting-edge computing systems, including
supercomputers, high-performance servers, and advanced consumer electronics devices.
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THANK YOU
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