Digital Electronics

Principles & Applications

Seventh Edition

Roger L. Tokheim
Chapter 6

Encoding, Decoding, and Seven-Segment Displays

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

INTRODUCTION
The BCD Code The Excess-3 Code The Gray Code The ASCII Code Decoders BCD-to-SevenSegment Decoder/ Driver

Encoders
Seven-segment Displays Seven-segment LED Displays

Liquid Crystal Displays

Vacuum Fluorescent Displays

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

The 8421 BCD Code

BCD stands for Binary-Coded Decimal.

A BCD number is a four-bit binary group that represents one of the ten decimal digits 0 through 9. Example:

Decimal number 4926

8421 BCD coded number 0100 1001 0010 0110

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QUIZ
Convert the BCD coded number 1000 0111 0001 into decimal.

BCD Coded Number

Decimal Number

1000 0111 0001

8 7 1

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QUIZ
Convert the decimal number 350 to its BCD equivalent. Decimal Number 3 5 0

BCD Coded Number

0011 0101 0000

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The Excess-3 Code

Add 3 to each digit of decimal and convert to 4-bit binary form A BCD code (not 8421 BCD)
Decimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Binary +3 Excess-3 0000 0011 0011 0001 0011 0100 0010 0011 0101 0011 0011 0110 0100 0011 0111 0101 0011 1000 0110 0011 1001 0111 0011 1010 1000 0011 1011 1001 0011 1100

Sample Problem:
Decimal

Excess-3

0110 1000 1100

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QUIZ
1. To form an excess-3 coded number, decimal 3 is added to the decimal number and this is converted to its 4-bit binary code. (True or False) 2. The excess-3 BCD number 1010 0100 equals __________ in decimal. 3. The decimal number 428 equals what excess-3 number.

True

71
0111 0101 1011

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The Gray Code

The Gray codes most important characteristic is that only one digit changes as you increment or decrement the count. The Gray code is commonly associated with input/output devices such as an optical encoder of a shafts angular position. The Gray code is NOT a BCD code.
Decimal 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Gray code 00000 00001 00011 00010 00110 00111 00101 00100 01100 01101 01111 01110 01010 01011 01001 01000 11000

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QUIZ
1. The Gray code is not a type of BCD code. (True or False) 2. The most important characteristic of the ____________ (BCD, Gray code) is that only one digit changes state as you increment or decrement the count. 3. The Gray code is commonly associated with input/output devices such as an optical encoder of a shafts angular position. (True or False) True Gray code

True

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The

ASCII

Code

ASCII is an acronym for American Standard Code for Information Interchange

Represents numbers, letters, punctuation marks and control characters

Standard ASCII is a 7-bit code (127 characters) Extended ASCII (IBM ASCII), an 8-bit code, is also very popular Extended ASCII adds graphics and math symbols to code (total of 256 symbols)
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QUIZ
1. A common 7-bit code used to represent numbers, letters, punctuation marks, and control characters is known by the acronym __________.

ASCII

2. The acronym ASCII stands for __________________________.

3. Extended ASCII code is a(n) __________ (8-bit, 10-bit) code which adds graphic and math symbols to ASCII for a total of 256 symbols.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange

8-bit

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Electronic Encoder - Decimal to BCD

BCD output Decimal input

00 10 0 11
Decimal to BCD Encoder

7 5

3
0

Encoders are available in IC form. This encoder translates from decimal input to BCD output.
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Seven Segment Displays

LED (light emitting diode) display High power consumption Viewing best under low light conditions Commonly red but available in other colors LCD (liquid crystal display) Commonly dark characters on a silvery background Very low power consumption Viewing only OK in good light Backlighted displays can be viewed in low light VF (vacuum fluorescent) display Commonly blue-green display (without filters) Medium power consumption Viewing good from dark to lighter conditions Based on vacuum tube triode technology
2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

QUIZ
1. The type of 7-segment display based on vacuum tube technology which usually has blue-green characters and can be viewed in dark to lighter conditions is the vacuum fluorescent display (VF). (True or False) 2. The type of 7-segment display that shows dark characters on a silvery background, uses very little power, and is good for viewing in bright light is called the liquid crystal display (LCD). (True or False)
3. The seven-segment LED display is best viewed in

True

True False

very bright sunlight. (True or False)

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7-Segment LED Display Operation

Inputs 7-segment code

7-segment b & c inputs display active Note reads that therefore decimal inputs 1 are (segments segments active-LOW b b& &c c light are on lit) display

H L b L c H H H H

+5V

Limiting resistors Cathode terminals (a thru g)

Common anode

7-segment LED display (common anode)

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QUIZ
Q#4#1-What What the decimal the 7-segment LED Q #2iswill the be decimal outputoutput on the on display for the new set display? of inputs? #3-

Inputs 7-segment code

L H L H L H L H L H L H L

a b b c d e f g

+5V

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Decoders: BCD to 7-Segment Decoder/Driver

BCD input Decimal output LED

01 00 10 1
BCD-to7-Segment Decoder/ Driver

Electronic decoders are available in IC form.

This decoder translates from BCD to decimal. Decimals are shown on an 7-segment LED display. This IC also drives the 7-segment LED display.
2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

QUIZ
Q #5#1- What is the decimal output from the decoder that #2#3#4appears on the 7-segment display?

Answer: 6 3 0 9 7

BCD input

Decimal output

10 1 0 00 0 00 1 11 0
BCD-to7-Segment Decoder/ Driver

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Liquid Crystal Displays

LCDs control available light (do not generate light) Nematic fluid (also called liquid crystal fluid) is sandwiched between two glass plates

Monochrome twisted-nematic field-effect LCDs display dark figures on a silvery background.

LCDs are commonly used on watches, calculators, and laptops. LCD monitors and TVs are becoming common. Color LCDs use either passive-matrix or active-matrix technology.

Active-matrix color LCD screens are more expensive.

Active-matrix color LCD screens use thin-film transistors (TFT) and red, green, blue, and white filters. Most laptop screens are backlighted for brightness.
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Liquid Crystal Display

Metalized segments Polarizer Conductive pattern on glass Contacts

Liquid crystal
Metalized layer

Glass backplane
Polarizer

100 Hz out-of-phase signal activates segment

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QUIZ
1. While VF and LED displays emit light, LCDs __________ (control available, sublimate red) light. 2. The nematic fluid sandwiched between the glass plates of a LCD is also called _______ _______ (green phosphor, liquid crystal). 3. Monochrome twisted-nematic field-effect LCDs display __________ (dark, white) figures on a silvery background.

control available

liquid crystal

dark

4. Liquid crystal displays are difficult to read under low light conditions however most laptop computer flat screens are backlighted True to add brightness. (True or False)
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Driving an LCD Display

BCD Input
0111
a b c LCD d driver e f g Phase 100 Hz Clock Common
The LCD segments with out-of-phase signals are active (a, b, & c are active)
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QUIZ
Q#1: Q#2: What is the output on the LCD display? Q#3: What Whatis isthe theoutput outputon onthe theLCD LCDdisplay? display?
ANS: 2 ANS: ANS: 0 5

BCD Input

A B LCD C Driver D E F G

?
LCD Common

100 Hz Clock

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Vacuum Fluorescent Displays

VF displays are commonly used in automobiles because they operate at the proper voltages, have a pleasing blue-green color, are easy to see even when viewed under lower light conditions, and will operate at wide extremes of temperature. VF displays are based on an older triode vacuum tube technology. VF displays are also commonly used in point-ofsale terminals and some desktop calculators.
2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

QUIZ
1. A vacuum fluorescent display is based on an older vacuum tube technology and is commonly referred to as a _____ _________ (TFT display, VF display).

VF display

2. One of the most common applications of VF displays is in _________________ (flat-screen laptop computer screens, automobiles).
3. The VF display has the advantage of being easily readable in either light or dark conditions. (True or False)

automobiles

True

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Vacuum Fluorescent Display

Cathodes (heaters)

Grid

KG f a

g d c

Plates

Glass back

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QUIZ
Q#1thin wires atsection A are called heaters or ___. Q#2The segments at B are ___. Q#3-The The screen like at C called is called the ___. A ANS: Cathodes ANS: Plates ANS: Grid

B C
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Operating a VF 7-Segment Display

+12 V Pa +12 V Pb Pc Pd Pe 0V Pf Pg
Plates

Grid

Cathodes (heaters)

To light a segment: 1. Heaters must be hot 2. Grid must be at +12V 3. Plate must be at +12V
2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

QUIZ
Q#1Part A is theheaters ___.at +12V. Q#2Q#4Part The B points grid is at normally the or ___. Q#5To Q#3light Parts a plate C are it must the ___. be grounded. Q#6- To light a plate it must be at +12V. (T or F) (T (Tor orF) F) ANS:cathodes grid ANS: ANS: plates ANS: True ANS: ANS: False True

A B
Schematic diagram of VF display with heaters connected to battery.
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REVIEW
The BCD Code The Excess-3 Code The Gray Code The ASCII Code Decoders BCD-to-SevenSegment Decoder/ Driver

Encoders
Seven-segment Displays Seven-segment LED Displays

Liquid Crystal Displays

Vacuum Fluorescent Displays

2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.