Binary Decoders

Created by Pavly G.

Binary decoders are combinatorial logic circuits in which a group of inputs (n) can control the logic state of a group of outputs (m); where (n) is the number of inputs and (m) is the number of outputs such that (m <= 2^n).

Binary decoders can be constructed from: 1) NOT Gates (inverters). 2) Central data-lines. 3) AND (for active “HIGH” output) or NAND (for active “LOW” outputs) Gates.

This is a basic circuit of a 2-to-4 binary decoder:

The truth table of this circuit can be displayed as follows:

Usages of binary decoders: 1) Selectively activates and de-activates chips based on a provided address. 2) Controlling high voltage circuits by activitating and de-activating them through a transistor circuit. 3) Data routing in memory chips programming.

The 74LS138 Binary Decoder is one of the most useful 3-to-8 binary decoders that is used as Address Decoders.

Cracking the 74LS138 Datasheet

74LS138 is a 3-to-8 binary decoder/demultiplexer with 3 enable input lines.

This is the internal circuitry for 74LS138 Binary Decoder:

Connection Diagram	Logic Diagram

The main components of 74LS138 are Inverters and NAND Gates, other parts of construction are constructed using common data-lines.

The combinatoric digital circuit shows that 3-input data lines can be decoded into 8-output data lines, by inserting common data-lines (marked by green) before and after (marked by red triangles) the inverter gates reducing the need to use more input lines.

The DM74LS138 decodes one-of-eight lines, based upon the conditions at the three binary select inputs and the three enable inputs.

Note: The DM74LS138 decodes one-of-eight lines, based upon the conditions at the three binary select inputs and the three enable inputs.

Note: The DM74LS139 comprises two separate two-line-to-four- line decoders in a single package. The active-low enable input can be used as a data line in demultiplexing applications.

Examples on decoding addresses:

The following circuit is a (4k x 8) memory chip with 12 Address pins (A0-A11) representing (2^12) corresponding memory locations with 8 data pins (D0-D7) indicating input/output of 8-bits for the selected memory location, the MSB (Most Significant Bits) A12-A13-A14 selects this memory chip among others by bringing the CS to active LOW:

Color codes: 1) Green Data lines: represents the MSBs of the memory address, these bits define which memory chip will be selected. 2) Light-Red Data lines: represents Address Data lines, these bits define which memory location will be involved in the I/O operation when this chip is selected. 3) Dark-Red Data lines: represents I/O data lines, 8 I/O pins corresponding to a parallel input of 8-bits for the currently active memory location in this memory chip.

The total storage (4k x 8) bits can be calculated using the following equation: 2^12 Memory Locations (A0-A11) x 8-bits for each = 4K x 8 bits.

Constructing Boolean Functions

Boolean functions can be constructed using additional logic gates on the output side of decoders, for example:

This circuit corresponds to this boolean function:

Cascading Decoder Circuits

Cascading decoders aims at magnifying the number of input lines for a desired decoder with some available stock decoders.

For example, it’s possible to construct a 4-to-16 binary decoder with a 3-to-8 binary decoder by introducing 2 binary decoders, the number of the 3-to-8 binary decoders to utilize in this circuit can be calculated using this equation: 2^(N-n); where [N] is the number of input lines of the desired decoder (the 4-to-16 decoder) and [n] is the number of the input lines of the available decoder (the 3-to-8 decoder).

Here is the circuit diagram of the cascade construction:

This logic circuit will have up-to (2^4) or 16 different combinational inputs that will be decoded into 16-bits of output, the (D) input line selects which decoder will be activated, (0) to select the first decoder aka. the least significant decoder for the least significant 8-bits, while the (1) input at (D) selects the second decoder aka. the most significant decoder for the most significant 8-bits.

Resources:

• Electronics Tutorial: Binary Decoders
• Digital Electronics: Principles, Devices and Applications by Anil K. Maini
• AVR Microcontroller and Embedded Systems: Using Assembly and C