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wilfleth
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2 years ago
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16 bit ripple counter

Is this a valid way to implement a 16 bit ripple counter with 4 bit ripple counters?
  • _AK6DN_'s avatar
    2 years ago

    Best answer is NO, but hard to be definitive without knowing how the clock/reset works on your 4b blocks.

    Assuming positive edge clk and active high reset, then when you set rst low to enable the counter on the left, all

    the other counters are held in reset because of the inverter in the reset line.

    But if reset is high to enable all the counters on the right, then the one on the left is disabled.

    So nothing will happen. Ever.

    That being said, most ripple counters would just be a chain of, say, 4b counters, where q[3] of the prior block goes

    to the clock input of the next higher block, and you would need falling edge triggered counters (or an inverter

    in the path, assuming positive edge counters).

    So, just google 'ripple counter' and you will see literally hundreds of examples.