University Engineering Design Project: 4-Bit Up-Down Counter

This engineering design project focuses on the creation of a 4-Bit Up-Down counter, a fundamental component in digital electronics. The project encompasses the entire design process, starting with design specifications, stakeholder requirements, and project scheduling, and moving through planning techniques, and current industry standards. The design utilizes Multisim software for simulation, employing various flip-flops and Boolean equations to achieve the desired functionality. The project details the design, modeling, simulation, and evaluation of the counter's performance. The project includes evaluation tools, design techniques, modeling, and potential limitations. The design also includes a detailed discussion of safety, risk management, and product effectiveness. The final design solution includes communication strategies, potential improvements, and conclusions, providing a comprehensive overview of the design and implementation of the 4-Bit Up-Down counter. The project also includes a detailed analysis of the design, including potential limitations, safety considerations, and future improvements.

ENGINEERING DESIGN
By Name
Course
Instructor
Institution
Location
Date

Table of Contents
Table of Contents........................................................................................................................................2
Table of Figures...........................................................................................................................................3
List of tables................................................................................................................................................3
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
TASK 1:......................................................................................................................................................4
Design Specification................................................................................................................................4
Stakeholder’s Design Brief......................................................................................................................5
Project Schedule......................................................................................................................................7
Planning Techniques...............................................................................................................................7
Critical path:............................................................................................................................................9
Current Industry Standards....................................................................................................................10
TASK 2.....................................................................................................................................................11
Evaluation tools.....................................................................................................................................11
Design Techniques................................................................................................................................11
Modeling of Design...............................................................................................................................12
Technical Solutions...............................................................................................................................13
Task 3........................................................................................................................................................13
Engineering Design:..............................................................................................................................13
Potential Limitations:............................................................................................................................20
Finished Product Specification..............................................................................................................21
Safety and Risk Management Issues......................................................................................................21
Product effectiveness.............................................................................................................................22
Task 4........................................................................................................................................................23
Design Solution.....................................................................................................................................23
Communication Strategies.....................................................................................................................25
Communication strategy............................................................................................................................25
Justify potential improvements for the design...........................................................................................25
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................26
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................................27

Table of Figures
Figure 1: Showing the four units of the flip flops which were employed in the design of this 4 bit
Up-Down counter............................................................................................................................5
Figure 2: Showing the project Schedule..........................................................................................6
Figure 3: Showing state diagram...................................................................................................15
Figure 4: Showing diagrams of the 4 Bit Up Down counters being simulated using Multisim
software..........................................................................................................................................22
List of tables
Table 2: Showing the truth table....................................................................................................15
Table 3: Showing Boolean equations............................................................................................16
Table 4: Showing Boolean equations............................................................................................16
Table 5: Showing Boolean equations............................................................................................16
Table 6: Showing Boolean equations............................................................................................17

Introduction
The project involves the design of a 4 Bit Up-Down. Subsequent tests will be carried out by the
use of simulator software called Multisim. The project design will involve the adoption of four
various flip flops in order to achieve the 4 bit. There exists a possibility of providing displays for
various numbering of the computer. This project design will however involve the adoption of
HEX numbering for the computer. It is important to employ some vital design specifications in
order to achieve the desired product once the design phase is completed. The stated
specifications of design are compared against the specifications stated by the various
stakeholders in order to produce a product that will be more efficient than the already existing
products that are available in the market. Preceding the project design phase, it is equally
important to have in place a project plan that will help in coming up with the best designs for the
development of the actual design prototype.
TASK 1:
Design Specification.
The specification of design involves a counter that is carried out in either descending or
ascending manner. In case either either of the inputs have a high value, 1. It implies that the
counter will begin counting from zero up to a higher level of 15. The counting occurs within
hexadecimal numbers of the computer i.e. ( 1,2,3,4, 5, 6,7,8,9, A, B, C, D, E, F). The counter
then gets back to zero and the sequences starts up all over again. Whenever all the inputs have a
low value, 0, the counter will begin counting rom a maximum value to a minimum value. The
product represents a 4 bit wide counter that equally possesses the ability to count in all
directions, i.e. in both decreasing and increasing orders. The orders can be programmed through

the interface. A 4 bit width enables the counter to cycle beginning at a minimum value of 0x0 all
through a maximum value of 0xF. This therefore represents the specification design for the 4 bit
up- down counter that is designed and simulated through Multisim software.
Stakeholder’s Design Brief.
The intended design needs the counter with as well as a control signal that is bound together in
order to achieve the counters course. Basically, the counters can have an n bit width and also has
the possibility of counting in one direction either in an ascending order or descending order. The
specification equally needs a counter that should have the ability to count in all the directions.
All the stated design requirements have all been incorporated in the design by means of
restricting the amount of flops to 4 units. The circuit is also designed to allow foe selection of
increments or decrements of direction for the counter1.
At the same time, the stakeholders are equally inquired for the inclusion as well as the adoption
of the JK flip flops all through the stages of circuit designing. This implies that a given amount
of flip flops still exist, including the D flip flop that is used during the circuit design. As a result
of the criterion of adopting the JK flip flops, the circuit will consider the JK flip flops features as
well as their excitation tables. Putting into consideration of the logic of combination towards
1 Reeder, John. 2011. Using MultiSIM 6.1: Troubleshooting digital circuits. Liverpool: Delmar.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=3GVYAAAAYAAJ&q=MUltisim+software&dq=MUltisim+software&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEw
iekv32oMPhAhXiJaYKHVV6CrQQ6AEITzAI.
Tokheim. 2014. Digital Electronics: Principles and Applications Se W/Student Tutorial CD-ROM.
manchester: McGraw-Hill Education. https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=kSmUAAAACAAJ&dq=4+Bit+Up+Down+Counter&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiZ7qWymMPhA
hWULqYKHWA5BqcQ6AEIXTAI.

inputs of the flip flop drives, there is a realization of a custom that is suited to fit into the
specifications and needs of the design. An illustration of the flip flop 4 units that were adopted in
this four bit up down counter design can be given in the diagram below.
Figure 1: Showing the four units of the flip flops which were employed in the design of this 4 bit
Up-Down counter
Project Schedule
Design specification
Design freeze

Initial phase
HDL implementation
Debug cycle
Implementation
Figure 2: Showing the Project Schedule
Planning Techniques
The procedure that was adopted for the product was mainly reliant on the concept of using
computers to perform the simulation design. This was carried out before the actual item could be
made on the hardware. This represents an approach that is common and largely used in the
industry. The approach has got preferences on decreased time during the redesign of the item
mainly in the occurrence of undesired issues of possibility2. During the HDL implementation
phase, the design is able to capture several issues that could arise in a similar circuit. There are
options that could lead to comparison of different diverse scrutiny and implementation of the
benefits of a given type of design over other types of design. Late adjustments to any kind of
design lead to increased costs of accommodating the design adjustments. Approaches that are
based on modeling will often lower this stated cost greatly. The only concern with this type of
approach is the lack of capacity to recognize an actual product that functions in real
circumstances. The stages of regular modeling operate the product model at reduced rates as
2 Lee, Byeong Kil. 2015. Digital Systems Design Using Verilog. Beijing: Cengage Learning.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=Qi1BBAAAQBAJ&dq=4+Bit+Up+Down+Counter&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
Maini, Anil. 2017. Digital Electronics: Principles, Devices and Applications. Hull: John Wiley &
Sons. https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=Ljsr7UA83ScC&dq=Flip+Flops+digital+electronics&source=gbs_navlinks_s.

compared to the anticipation of running the model under a real world scenario. This makes it
highly important to conduct a test on the design in order to fully achieve a demonstration of the
environment as well as in the scenario of actual realization. It is also recommendations to
perform the design using software and testing should also be carried out by the use of the same
software up to the moment it attains a full guarantee that it will work effectively. This is
important given that it is able to lower the incurred costs in case the design was conducted
without the use of a simulation model to check out for errors. The adoption of computer and
model simulations is beneficial in saving time that could have otherwise been wasted in case the
actual item had errors and was also fabricated. Not using appropriate simulations imply that the
product would be constructed over and over again until it attains the desired specification which
is also difficult to attain due to several human errors. Simulation is therefore important before the
actual product is constructed.
Critical path:
For any project that is conducted this way, it is important to carry out various activities in order
to achieve the idea of designing the overall product in its desired features. Every activity has got
its own objectives and input requirements. In several cases, the output of a given activity can
become the input of another activity3. In case the tasks are not concluded within the desired
3 U.A.Bakshi. 2010. Digital And Linear Integrated Circuits. Chicago: Technical Publications.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=RkLbWuaBz4gC&dq=4+Bit+Up+Down+Counter&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
Vahid, Frank. 2010. Digital Design with RTL Design, Verilog and VHDL. Tokyo: John Wiley & Sons.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=-
YayRpmjc20C&dq=4+Bit+Up+Down+Counter&source=gbs_navlinks_s.

timeframe, the next activity could be affected in terms of its starting time. Considering the delays
in the completion of the activity, the given task could be the holdup for further progression of the
project. The definition of the method of critical path within the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK) can be given as; the scheduled activities sequence that the project
duration depends on.
Each given project has got a group of activities that are considered vital and those that are not so
vital. This equally has the possibility of altering the project execution given that a few activities
that were initially considered less vital becomes vital in the concept that their completion
becomes a bottleneck to the whole project leading it to carried out with utmost urgency. The
basic path understands the assignment chains that have to be effectively completed within the
right time in order to prevent postponement of the project.
Current Industry Standards
The current design has got a specification that follows the necessity document of the
stakeholders. There exist numerous variations of a similar circuit within the market that allows
for additional functionality of the design at extra size and cost of the product that is designed.
Upcoming versions of the product are expected to have additional functionalities such as the
parallel load, hold and reset functions depending on the need. The additional functionalities are
important in assisting the item to operate more efficiently than the existing products that are
already in the market. They will also invite more customers to purchase them.

TASK 2
Evaluation tools
Currently, there is different software that can be used in designing the circuit. Most software can
be used in both small and large scale production. Their implication in these platforms solely
relies on the user specifications. For the development of the current product employed the
following platforms; Orcad Pspice from Cadence, Multisim from Nation Instruments and open
source software such as Logically and Logisim. This project employed the use of multisim
software for the testing and development of the device given that it valued as reliable and
standard software. It is also easy to operate during the design of the circuit diagram as well as for
perfoming a test on the 4bit Up-Down counter4. . An illustration of the circuit diagram derived
from multisim is as was shown above.
Design Techniques
The standard strategies of design are often considered when performing a design of the
components of digital utilizing system. The strategies currently exist within the market and have
got a demonstrated determination and functionality. There also is a mapped plan a table diagram
state with each state representing one of the count values. The arrow of transition represents the
4 Herniter, Marc E. 2013. Schematic Capture with Electronics Workbench Multisim. Stoke: Pearson
Prentice Hall. https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=a2pOPQAACAAJ&dq=MUltisim+software&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiekv32oMPhAhXiJaYKH
VV6CrQQ6AEIOTAE.
Iskander, Magued. 2017. Innovations in E-learning, Instruction Technology, Assessment and
Engineering Education. Liverpool: Springer Science & Business Media.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=X2ifByY_JKwC&dq=MUltisim+software&source=gbs_navlinks_s.

machine state that is based on the current state as well as the values of input. After recognition of
all the transition states, mapping of the diagram is carried out to a truth table that represents a
similar data within the digital domain. The finalized truth table is then reduced to the important
Boolean equations within the reduced form. After derivation of the equation, the design of the
circuit is conducted in a simulation environment and is subsequently thoroughly tried for all the
specifications of function. In case an error occurs during the process of testing, the error is then
debugged up to a point that the final circuit diagram is operational in accordance to the
specifications of the designer.
Modeling of Design
The solution of design that has been created is then modeled and subsequent testing
carried out using the Multisim software in accordance to the standard components of library that
exist with the software place tab. The expected circuit inputs are emulated by the use of the
existing gadgets. The circuit performs a test for all the probable conditions of input for the
altering the time lengths. After checking and confirming that the conditions are in the desired
state, the circuit is categorized as mature for the next implementation stage. The simulation
involved joining a clock signal and then allowing it to drive all the flip flops within the circuit at
its pose edge. All the flip flop inputs are joined to their circuits of combination using the AND
OR doors arrangement. The Up/ Down control flag is also driven as a part of the test bench.
Testing for the circuit can be carried out under the condition where the input has been affirmed
high so as to count upward counts as well as where the input has been affirmed low in order to
count downward counts.

Technical Solutions
At the present, there exist several options that can be adopted in order to attain the functional
circuit by the use components of high level such as the MUX and the ROM mainly for its
combinational sections. An approach that is based on individual gate was adopted given that it
indicated the most efficient approach considering the gate counts as well as optimized speed and
reduced area. The costs of designing the product through the use of gates were lower as
compared to other high level components of design. For this case, the design that is based on
gates was deduced and subsequently adopted. For each design in the large scale production, it is
important to look into the design cost as well as efforts towards lowering the costs in order to
achieve high amounts of profits.
Task 3
Engineering Design:
“A counter is a circuit that counts from its current value to maximum value when counting up.
Once it reaches maximum designed value it wraps around to minimum value and starts
incrementing once more5. The exact inverse happens when the counter is counting down.”
5 Hayes-Gill, Barrie. 2010. Introduction to Digital Electronics. Liverpool: Elsevier.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=97w8luwEIAsC&dq=Flip+Flops+digital+electronics&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
Herniter, Marc E. 2013. Schematic Capture with Electronics Workbench Multisim. Stoke: Pearson
Prentice Hall. https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=a2pOPQAACAAJ&dq=MUltisim+software&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiekv32oMPhAhXiJaYKH
VV6CrQQ6AEIOTAE.
Iskander, Magued. 2017. Innovations in E-learning, Instruction Technology, Assessment and
Engineering Education. Liverpool: Springer Science & Business Media.
https://books.google.co.ke/books?
id=X2ifByY_JKwC&dq=MUltisim+software&source=gbs_navlinks_s.