DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : M. Viswanatha Reddy
Designation : HECES
Branch : ECE
Institute : G.M.R.P., Madanapalle
Semester : III Semester
Subject : Digital Electronics
Subject Code : EC – 304
Topic : Sequential logic circuits
Duration : 150 Mts.
Sub-Topic : Up/down counter, Johnson
counter
Teaching Aids : PPT, Diagrams
EC304.46 to 48 1
OBJECTIVES
On completion of this period, you would be able
to know
 Working of Up/down counters

 Working of Odd sequence counter

 Working of Ring counter

 Working of Johnson counter

 Applications of counters

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UP/DOWN COUNTERS

 A Counter that is capable of progressing in either

direction through a certain counting sequence is
called UP/DOWN COUNTER.

 This is also called BIDIRECTIONAL COUNTER.

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3-Bit Up/Down synchronous counter

3 2 1

Fig.1

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Up/down sequence for a 3-bit binary counter

C B A

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 Up mode of operation

Control input Count -up must be HIGH.

 When A=1, the inputs of second flip-flop, J=K=1

 Now the output of the second flip-flop toggles

 When A=1, B=1, the inputs of third flip-flop,

J=K=1
 Now the output of the third flip-flop toggles

EC304.46 to 48 6
 Down mode of operation

Control input Count -down must be HIGH.

 When A=1, the inputs of second flip-flop, J=K=1

 Now the output of the second flip-flop toggles

 When A=1, B=1, the inputs of third flip-flop,

J=K=1
 Now the output of the third flip-flop toggles

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Asynchronous up/down counter

Fig 2.

EC304.46 to 48 8
Asynchronous up/down counter (contd.)

• It counts up or down depending on the status of the

control signals UP and DOWN.
• When UP = 1 and DOWN = 0, the NAND network
between FF0 and FF1 will gate the Q of FF0 into the
clock input of FF1.
• Similarly, Q of FF1 will be gated through other NAND
network into the clock input of FF2.
• Thus the counter will count up.

EC304.46 to 48 9
Asynchronous up/down counter (contd.)

• When control input UP = 0 and DOWN = 1, Q of FF0 and

FF1 are gated into the clock inputs of FF1 and FF2
respectively.
• The counter counts down (in descending order).

• asynchronous up-down counter is slower than an up

counter or a down counter because of the additional
propagation delay introduced by the NAND networks.

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Odd sequence counter

Fig.3

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 Working of odd sequence counter

• In this counter J0 = 1 and K0 =0

• The Q0 is always 1

• The J1 = 1, K1=1, Q1 toggles for ever clock pulse

• Q2 toggles only if Q1 = 1

• J2 = K2 = Q1 and J3 = K3 = Q1Q2

• Q3 toggles only if Q1 = Q2 = 1

• The truth table summarizes the function of the counter

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Truth table of odd sequence counter

EC304.46 to 48 13
 Johnson counter

 If the complemented output of the last Flip Flop is

connected back to control input of first Flip-Flop , this
feedback is called “inverse feedback”.

This type of counters are called “shift counters”..

EC304.46 to 48 14
 Johnson counter (Contd.)

Johnson counter is a type of shift counter.

This can be implemented by using S-R FF, JK FF

(OR) D FF.

 n-state Johnson counter will produce a modulus of

2n.

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 4-bit Johnson counter

CLK
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Johnson counter sequence

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 Timing diagram for Johnson counter

CLK

QA

QB

QC

QD
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Applications of counters

 Digital clock.

 Frequency dividers

 Parallel to serial data conversion

 Auto parking control.

 Industrial digital control system.

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SUMMARY

We have discussed about

 Up/down Counter

 Ring Counter

 Johnson Counter

 Applications of Counters

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Quiz

1. The counter that counts either in ascending or

descending order is known as

a) Up counter

b) Ripple counter

c) Ring counter

d) Up/ down counter

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Quiz (Contd..)

1. Which of the following counter is useful for providing

basic timing in digital computer

a) Up counter

b) Ripple counter

c) Up/ down counter

d) Ring counter

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Frequently asked questions

1. Draw the logic diagram of Synchronous UP/DOWN

counter and explain its working
2. Draw the logic diagram of Asynchronous UP/DOWN
counter and explain its working
3. Draw the logic diagram of odd sequence counter and
explain its working
4. Draw the logic diagram of ring counter and explain its
working
5. Draw the logic diagram of Johnson counter and explain
its working

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