Circuit Design Process
PLTW Engineering
Digital Electronics
Lesson 1.2: Introduction to Circuit Design
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Copyright 2021. Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Circuit Design Process
1. Word Problem: Identify and define the requirement
specifications. What are the inputs? What are the outputs?
Sometimes it is helpful to create a table that defines what is
means for a specification to be “high” or “low”
2. Identify Circuit Types Required: What ICs are required and
available for the design? Will any part of the circuit require an
analog design? Is there combinational logic required? Is there
sequential logic required? Is a clock signal needed? Do I have
the necessary Datasheets? Pin diagrams?
3. Truth Table for Combinational Logic Section
4. Hand Calculations and Sketches of Initial Circuit
5. Simulation
6. Breadboard and Test
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Copyright 2021. Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Circuit Design Recommended Practices
Prototype and test the circuit incrementally. Don’t design and build
the entire circuit only to find is does not work properly. It is easier to
trouble shoot the circuit in sections rather than try and troubleshoot
the complete circuit in its entirety
As you progress through this course, you will be introduced to
advancements in technology and in the circuit design process itself
As you learn about these advancements you will be able to make
even more choices that will help you design efficient circuits in
shorter amounts of time
In this lesson we will learn about the circuit design process by
exploring simple designs in combinational and sequential logic
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Copyright 2021. Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Combinational Logic
Design Process Version 1
Word Problem
Create Truth-Table
Write Logic Expression
Boolean
Simplification
NO
Simplification
AOI Logic
Implementation
4
Copyright 2021. Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Combinational Logic
Design Process Version 2
Word Problem
Create Truth-Table
Write Logic Expression
Boolean
Simplification
NO
Simplification
K-Mapping
AOI Logic
Implementation
NAND Only Logic
Implementation
5
NOR Only Logic
Implementation
Copyright 2021. Project Lead The Way, Inc.