The Use of A Simple Methodology for Flip Flop Conversion as an Aid in Teaching Synchronous Sequential Circuits in a Digital Systems Design Course

Most digital systems textbooks treat the topic of converting one flip flop to another by simply giving the student certain simple conversion circuits, such as the use of an inverter between the R and S inputs of an RS flip flop to form a D flip flop, or tying together the inputs of a JK flip flop to make a T flip flop. However, a more general, but very simple, methodology for flip flop conversion has advantages when used to teach synchronous sequential circuits to students in a digital systems course. The use of this methodology removes a source of student confusion (how did they come up with that circuit in the first place?) and allows the student to practice certain standard flip flop techniques before the student is required to use those techniques in a more general sequential circuit analysis. This paper describes this methodology.