This "LOGIC PROBE" shown here as a very basic simple example of using a CMOS IC HEF 4011 and a CMOS
ICM 7555 timer a CMOS version of the old NE-555 IC by NXP employing the NE-555 concept.
Basic NE-555 based Logic Probe: Figure 19A (above)
This logic Probe provides you with three visible indicators:- "Logic 1" (+, RED LED), "Logic 0" (-, GREEN LED), and
" Pulse " ( YELLOW LED ). Please note, at initial turn-on, the yellow led will "pulse" LED on/off very briefly.
In the design, the HEF4011BP was chosen as it was cheap and it had four two input NAND gates which made it ideal as there were plenty
of "spare gates" to go around and, as a bonus, to employ a CMOS version of the ubiquitous NE-555 as ICL7555 to use as a "pulse indicator",
a sort of "hold and display" chip.
While it can be argued that the whole LOGIC PROBE could be incorporated by redesigning the circuit to eliminate the NXP ICM-7555 IC,
the purpose here is to show a "NE-555" chip aka the ICM-7555 to work from 5 Volts D.C. through to 15 volts D.C.
   
The basic circuit as it is shown above is very good for both TTL and CMOS due to voltages in excess of 15.5 Volts.
Above 15.5V We may include the CMOS version at a later stage if requested. This will require a re-design of this circuit to comply with CMOS.
The yellow or 'pulse' LED comes on for approximately 190 milli Seconds to indicate a pulse without any regard to its pulse width.
This feature enables one to observe a short-duration pulse that would otherwise not be seen on the logic 1 and 0 LED's.
A small sub-miniature slider switch SW-2 across the R8 22K resistor with a 100 ohm R7 to limit the current to pins 6 and 7 can
be used to keep this "pulse" LED feature on permanent enough after a "pulse" occurs to confirm the existence of the pulse.
In operation, for a logic ' 0 ' input signal, both the ' 0 ' LED and the pulse LED will come 'ON', but the 'pulse' LED will go off after
about 190 mSec. The logic levels are detected via resistor R1 (1K), then amplified by Q1 a NPN, Silicon transistor Q1 set as a
pre-amplifier and driver and selected by the 4011 IC for what they are. Diode D1 is a small signal diode to protect the HEF4011BP
and the LEDs from excessive "inverse voltages" during capacitor discharge.
For a logic ' 1 ' input, only the logic ' 1 ' (red) LED will be 'ON'. With the switch SW-2 closed, the circuit will indicate whether a
negative-going or positive-going pulse has occurred. If the pulse is positive-going, both the ' 0 ' and 'pulse' LED's will be on.
If the pulse is negative-going, the ' 1 ' and 'pulse' LED's will be on.
|