Basic Digital Logic Design

Digital design is based on the binary principle, where everything is either 0 or 1, either low or high. Few people realize that digital logic existed before the advent of the computer. Digital logic was used for control and communications systems even before semiconductors where invented. They worked using switches, relays and solenoids.

If you search the internet you will not find the phrase digital logic separate from computers. It's like the only purpose for digital logic was to invent the computer. I'm sorry, but as an electronics engineer before computers, I designed all kinds of control systems for transportation, farming, manufacturing, and many other industries, using digital logic. In fact it was a heck of a lot more fun than programming today's microprocessors.

Now days, much of the work of a system is accomplished in programs, but the programs must have a digital device to execute on. Today, almost all systems work using a microcontroller or microprocessor running software. But that's not always the most efficient way to do it. In a system there is always a trade-off between accomplishing a task with software or hardware (digital logic), each has its advantages.

With digital design you are involved with problem solving. You have a set of inputs and you must design the logic that will turn that into the desired output or outputs. To accomplish that task you can use Boolean algebra or Karnaugh mapping. This book will give you the basic principles you need to design digital logic circuits. I also show you an easy free open-source Logic Gate Simulator in case Boolean algebra and Karnaugh mapping are not for you.

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