Introduction A digital computer, microprocessor based system or any other digital system uses binary numbers for its

operation. They understand information composed of only 0s and 1s. Various kinds of binary codes are used by digital systems such as BCD, Excess-3, Gray code, ASCII, EBCDIC, hexadecimal, octal, etc. The user is allowed to use decimal numbers and alphabetic characters while working on a digital system for his convenience. Hence a suitable interfacing circuit is required to convert decimal numbers and alphabetic characters to proper binary forms and vice versa. The process of generating binary codes is known as encoding and the circuit or device used for this is the encoder. The decoding is the reverse process of encoding, which is the process of generating decimal numbers and alphabetic characters from binary codes. Decoder is the circuit or device which generates alpha-numeric characters from binary data or converts binary codes into alpha-numeric characters. The 7-segment LED display is a multiple display. It can display all decimal digits and some letters. It is very popular among multiple displays as it has the smallest number of separately controlled LEDs. In 7-segment displays there are seven LEDs. Each LED can be controlled separately. To display a digit or letter the desired segments are made ON. There are two types of 7-segment displays namely, common cathode type and common anode type. In common cathode type displays all the seven cathodes of LEDs are tied together and connected to the ground. When a +5V dc (logic 1) is applied to any segment, the corresponding LED emits light. In a common anode type display all the seven anodes are tied together and connected to +5V dc supply. A particular segment will emit light when 0 logic is applied to it. The 7segment displays are not connected to I/O ports directly. They are

connected through decoders/drivers. The decoders/drivers for common cathode type 7-segment displays are 7448, 74LS48, etc. and for common anode type 7-segment displays are 7447, 74L47, 74LS47, etc. Decoder/driver 74LS48 The 74LS48 is a BCD to 7-segment decoder. This device converts BCD input data in to control signals for 7-segment displays. The circuit accepts 4-bit binary-coded-decimal (BCD) and, depending on the state of the auxiliary inputs, decodes this data to drive other components. The BCD code is fed to inputs A through D, and after decoding in the IC, provides 7-segment display control data outputs a through g. The outputs are open collector, but with an internal 2K pullup resistor. The decoder outputs are active high.

(Pin diagram of 74LS48)

It consists of NAND gates, input buffers and seven AND-ORINVERT gates. Seven NAND gates and one driver are connected in pairs to make BCD data and its complement available to the seven decoding AND-OR-INVERT gates. The remaining NAND gate and three input buffers provide lamp test, blanking input/ripple blanking input for the LS48. The LS48 circuit incorporates automatic leading and/or trailing edge zero-blanking control (RBI and RBO). Lamp Test (LT) may be activated any time when the BI/RBO node is HIGH. Lamp Intensity Modulation Capability (BI/RBO) Internal Pull-Ups Eliminate Need for External Resistors Input Clamp Diodes Eliminate High-Speed Termination Effects

 It contains an overriding blanking input (BI) and

when a

LOW level is applied to the blanking input (forced condition) all segment outputs go to a LOW level, regardless of the state of any other input condition. This can be used to control the lamp intensity by varying the frequency and duty cycle of the BI input signal or to inhibit the outputs. When the blanking input/ripple-blanking output (BI/RBO) is open or held at a HIGH level and a LOW level is applied to lamp-test input, all segment outputs go to a HIGH level. When ripple-blanking input (RBI) and inputs A, B, C, and D are at LOW level, with the lamp test input at HIGH level, all segment outputs go to a HIGH level and the rippleblanking output (RBO) goes to a LOW level (response condition).