Minimum Flip-Flop Count for Mod-N Counter
Every custom counter design begins with determining the exact number of storage elements required to hold the sequence state. A Mod-N counter cycles through exactly N distinct states before returning to zero. The circuit relies on an array of flip-flops to represent these states in binary.
Because flip-flops provide states in powers of two, any Mod-N counter where N is not a power of two will contain unused or invalid states. The design is presented with two target specifications: a Mod-100 counter and a Mod-12 counter.
Calculate the minimum number of flip-flops required for each specification. Determine the exact number of invalid states the logic must handle and evaluate the architectural trade-offs for self-correction.
Constraints
- All flip-flops are standard D-type edge-triggered devices.
- The counter must strictly follow a binary sequence starting from zero.
- Invalid states must be accounted for to ensure the state machine does not latch into an unrecoverable loop.
Topics
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