Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Computing Innovation and Applied Physics
DOI: 10.54254/2753-8818/14/20241013
Design and implementation of a digital clock using a seven-
segment display
Zilu Cheng
Materials Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819,
China
[email protected]
Abstract. A digital electronic clock is a sophisticated timing instrument that employs digital
technology to showcase the hours, minutes, and seconds. Distinct from traditional timekeeping
devices, these clocks offer unparalleled precision, eliminating the need for mechanical
transmission components. Their displays are not only clear and easy to read but also streamlined,
which enhances their appeal. In the ever-evolving urban landscape, where aesthetics and
functionality are paramount, digital electronic clocks have carved out a significant niche. These
modern marvels can now be found gracing numerous settings, from state-of-the-art office spaces
to contemporary homes. Their widespread adoption can be attributed to their ability to blend
seamlessly with diverse interior designs while offering the primary benefit of precise
timekeeping. Additionally, their low maintenance requirements and resilience to wear and tear
make them a preferred choice for many. As architectural and interior trends continue to
emphasize sleekness and modernity, the prevalence of digital electronic clocks is expected to
further soar, underscoring their relevance in today’s fast-paced world.
Keywords: Digital Electronic Clock, Crystal Oscillator Circuit, Counting Circuit, Anti-Shake
Circuit.
1. Introduction
The digital electronic clock primarily comprises the digital display, 60-base counter, 24-base counter,
frequency oscillator, and timekeeping components. Initially, a stable standard time pulse signal must
emanate from a chosen pulse source. In this design, a crystal oscillator serves as the pulse source,
providing a time reference signal [1]. The high-frequency pulse signal generated by this source
undergoes frequency division to transform it into the second pulse signal required for the experiment
(with a frequency of 1Hz). The frequency divider’s output is channeled to the counter for tallying.
Given that both seconds and minutes operate on base 60, and hours on base 24, it becomes imperative
to design counters for base 60 and 24 respectively [2]. Each counter’s output signal is relayed to the
digital display via the decoder, ensuring digital representation of the “hour”, “minute”, and “second”. In
this context, the 74LS90 counting terminal serves as the trigger. Subsequently, the decoding display
circuit interprets the status of the “hour”, “minute”, and “second” counters through the seven-segment
display decoder, exhibiting it on the six-digit LED seven-segment display. A time correction circuit
refines and modifies the real values of “hours”, “minutes”, and “seconds”. Furthermore, the design
incorporates an hourly chime feature. Beginning 10 seconds prior to the hour, a buzzer chimes five times,
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each for 1 second, followed by a 1-second pause. To ensure manual adjustments to hours and minutes,
another time correction circuit becomes necessary. This circuit refines and modifies the displayed values
of “hours”, “minutes”, and “seconds”.
2. Overall Design Scheme
2.1. Design Ideas
Digital electronic clocks adopt the development of digital integrated circuits and advanced quartz
technology, which make electronic clocks have the advantages of accurate time, stable performance,
and easy portability. Electronic clocks are automatically used in timing [3]. There are good
developments and applications in various fields such as alarms, automatic ringing on time, automatic
time program control, scheduled broadcast, and automatic control. The development of integrated
circuits and the widespread use of quartz crystal oscillators have made electronic clocks far more
accurate than old-fashioned clocks. The digitization of clocks has brought great convenience to people’s
production and life and has greatly expanded the original time-telling functions of clocks. Therefore, it
is of very practical significance for this newspaper to realize digital clocks and expand their applications
through logic chips [4].
This circuit design uses a logic chip to implement a digital clock. Quartz crystal is used to form a
pulse signal, and the second pulse signal is counted and reset through a counting circuit, corresponding
to hours, minutes, and seconds respectively, and then connected to the digital tube through a decoding
circuit to achieve the display function. It also has manual time correction and minute correction functions.
Hourly time chime function [5].
2.2. Design Schematic Diagram
Figure 1. Design schematic (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
The schematic design can be visualized in Figure 1, as illustrated below. This diagram provides a
detailed representation of the design’s architecture and its interconnected components.
3. Introduction to the Functions of Each Module
3.1. Body Oscillation Circuit
The crystal oscillator circuit is composed of a crystal oscillator 32768Hz and a capacitor to the digital
electronic clock. It provides a square wave signal with a stable and accurate frequency of 32768Hz,
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DOI: 10.54254/2753-8818/14/20241013
which can ensure the accuracy and stability of the digital electronic clock [6]. Whether it is an analog
electronic clock or a digital display electronic clock, a crystal oscillator circuit is used.
3.2. Frequency Divider Circuit
The frequency divider circuit divides the 32768HZ high- frequency square wave signal 15 times to
obtain a 1Hz square wave signal for the second counter to count. The frequency divider is actually a
counter [7].
3.3. Counting Circuit
The counting circuit is composed of second units and seconds counters, minute units, and minute tens
counters, timely ones and hour tens counter circuits, in which the second units and seconds counters,
minute units and minute tens counters are. It is a 60-digit counter, and according to the design
requirements, the hour ones and tens counters are 24- digit counters [8].
3.4. Decoding Circuit
The decoding drive circuit converts the 8421BCD code output by the counter into the logic state required
by the digital tube and provides sufficient operating current to ensure the normal operation of the digital
tube.
3.5. Calibration Circuit
When the power is turned on again or there is an error in the trend, the circuit must be calibrated [9].
Usually, calibration requires cutting off the direct counting path during division and summing, adding a
higher frequency signal source, or performing manual trigger counting to achieve the correction function.
3.6. Hourly Time Circuit
When the time of the digital electronic clock reaches 10 seconds before the hour, the buzzer will sound
5 times for 1 second and then for 1 second.
4. Design of Each Module of the Circuit
4.1. Oscillation Circuit
Option 1: Use a crystal oscillator of 32768Hz connected to a capacitor and a resistor to form a crystal
oscillation circuit. The crystal oscillator circuit provides the digital clock with a square wave signal of a
stable and accurate frequency of 32768Hz, which can ensure the accuracy and stability of the digital
clock.
Option 2: Use a 555 timer to form a multivibrator circuit. The period is 1Hz, so there is no need to
use a frequency dividing circuit and the second pulse signal can be obtained directly, but the time
accuracy is not as good as the crystal oscillator.
1. Because the second signal pulse is the core part of the digital electronic clock, it requires high
accuracy to achieve. Therefore, this design uses option one. Although it requires adding a frequency
division circuit compared to option two, the accuracy is accurate, and option two may have unstable
clock signals, so option one is better [10].
The module is realized by connecting a crystal oscillator in parallel with a resistor and then
connecting two capacitors in series. According to the equipment provided in the experiment, the
resistance value is selected to be 20MΩ and the capacitance value is 30pF. The simulation circuit
diagram is shown in Figure 2.
4.2. Frequency Division Circuit
The frequency divider circuit divides the 32768Hz high-frequency square wave signal 15 times to obtain
a 1Hz square wave signal for the second counter to count. The frequency divider is a counter. Usually,
the output frequency of the crystal oscillator of a digital clock is relatively high. To obtain a 1Hz second
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signal input, the output signal of the oscillator needs to be frequency-divided. Usually, the circuit that
implements the frequency divider is a counter circuit, which is generally implemented using a multi-
stage binary counter. For example, the frequency division multiple of 32768Hz oscillation signal to 1Hz
is 15, that is, the counter that implements the frequency division function is equivalent to a 15-level
binary counter. From the perspective of minimizing the number of components, multi-pole binary
counting circuits CD4060 and CD4040 can be selected to form a frequency-dividing circuit. CD4060
and CD4040 have the highest number of frequency divisions among digital integrated circuits, and
CD4060 also contains the NOT gate required for the oscillation circuit, making it more convenient to
use.
Option 1: Use CD4060 as the main component of the frequency division circuit. Because the pulse
signal is provided by a crystal oscillator circuit, the generated frequency is f=215Hz=32768Hz. The
frequency generated by the quartz crystal frequency is divided by 214 times CD4060 to obtain a
frequency of 2Hz, and the frequency of 2Hz is divided by a 74LS74 to obtain a frequency of 1Hz.
Option 2: The clock signal can also be divided by using the CD4040 counter. The counting modulus
of the CD4040 counter is 4096. If the 32768 Hz signal is divided into 1 Hz, an additional 8-divider
counter is needed to achieve the 15-level frequency division required by the design. Not commonly used
in general experiments.
To sum up, this study chooses the CD4060 of option 1 to form a frequency dividing circuit, as Fig 2
exhibit. By connecting a 74LS74 in series, 15 levels of 2-frequency division can be achieved, and a 1Hz
signal can be obtained, so the first option is more reasonable.
Figure 2. Crystal oscillator and Frequency divider circuit (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
4.3. Counting Circuit
After the signal passes through the counter, the units and tens digits of “seconds”, the units and tens of
“minutes” and the units and tens of “hours” are obtained respectively. The counting of “hours” is a 24-
digit number, the counting of “minutes” and “seconds” is a sexagesimal number, and the output is both
8421BCD codes.
Solution 1: Use 74LS90 to form a 24-base counting unit and a 60-base counting unit through
feedback feedback-clearing method. Due to the characteristics of 74LS90 itself, each unit requires two
74LS90 components to realize its function.
Solution 2: Use the 74LS161 counter to form a 24-base counter and a 60-base counter through the
feedback setting method. 74LS161 is a commonly used four-digit binary presettable synchronous adding
counter. It can be flexibly used in various digital circuits and microcontroller systems to implement
many important functions such as frequency dividers.
Option 3: Use the 74LS390 counter and 74LS08 to form a counting circuit. 74ls390 is an LSTTL-
type dual four-digit decimal counter. The characteristics are that the A and B flip-flops have independent
clocks, which can form two divide-by-2 and two divide-by-5 counters. Each counter has a direct clearing,
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effectively improving system density and buffering the output to reduce the possibility of collector
conversion. sex.
The above three methods are all relatively effective. Considering the limitations of economy and
laboratory conditions, the optimal solution for this design is Option 1, so Option 1 is used for the design.
Using the feedback clearing method, use a NAND gate (74LS00) to connect the bits that need to be
cleared input the primary input signal again, and then output it to the R01 and 2 clearing terminals to
achieve the 24-digit counting function. In the same way, for the hexadecimal counting function, the
clearing terminal is connected to the high-order Q1 and Q2 (signal 0101). When the signal is 6 (0101),
the clearing terminal is cleared to a high level. As shown in Figure 3 and 4.
Figure 3. 24-digit counter module (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
Figure 4. 60-digit counter module (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
4.4. Decoding Display Circuit
Decode the 8421BCD code output by the counter and display it through the digital tube.
CD4511 and common cathode digital tube are used to form a decoding display circuit, CD4511
decoder and common cathode digital tube. CD4511 is a BCD code-seven-segment code decoder used
to drive a common cathode digital tube display. CMOS circuits with BCD conversion, blanking and
latch control, seven-segment decoding and driving functions can provide larger source current. It can
directly drive LED displays. As shown in Figure 5.
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Figure 5. Decoding display circuit module (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
4.5. Correction Circuit (Anti-Shake Circuit)
The time needs to be corrected when the power is turned on again or when an error occurs. Usually, the
method of correcting the time is: first cut off the normal counting path, and then perform manual trigger
counting or add a higher frequency square wave signal to the input end of the counting unit that needs
to be corrected. After correction, switching to normal Timing status is enough.
Option 1: Use two switches, a NAND gate (74LS00) and a NOT gate (74LS04). When the calibration
switch is closed, by pressing the count plus one button, the count plus one function can be realized to
achieve correction, when there is no need to use calibrating the function, turn off the switch to achieve
normal carry.
Option 2: Use two NAND gates to form an RS flip-flop. When the switch is flipped left and right,
the output terminal Q is set to 0 and 1 in sequence, generating a single pulse for counting by the counter,
which can realize bisection or time addition. One operation to achieve calibration.
Option 3: Use switches and NAND gates to form a control circuit. When the switch is turned on, the
normal input signal can pass smoothly, so the time correction circuit is in the normal timing state; when
the switch is turned to one end, the signal generation time correction circuit is in the time correction
state.
In summary, the three options are all feasible from the perspective of use. Taking into account the
limitations of the economy and laboratory conditions, the second option with the fewest components is
selected for design. In order to avoid conflict with its carry signal, this experiment also used an AND
gate (71LS08) to process the carry signal. As shown in Figure 6.
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Figure 6. Calibration circuit (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
4.6. Whole, Point Time Circuit
The requirements of this design are that when the time reaches the hour, starting 10 seconds before the
hour, the buzzer will sound 5 times for 1 second, then stop for 1 second.
Option 1: Use 7 AND gates (two 74LS08 components). When the time ranges from 59 minutes and
50 seconds to 00 minutes and 00 seconds, the minute tens digit, minute ones digit, and second tens digit
remain unchanged, which are 5, 9, and 5 respectively. Therefore, the Qc and Qa of the tens digit of the
minute counter can be changed, Qd and Qa of the unit digit, Qc and Qa of the tens digit of the seconds
counter, and Qa of the unit digit of the seconds counter are phased together to generate a timekeeping
control signal.
Option 2: Use the eight-input NAND gate 74LS30 to link the second digit, the second tens digit,
minute ones, and minute tens digits of the digital electronic clock, and then input it in parallel through
a NAND gate (74LS00) (to realize the NOT gate function). Connect to a buzzer to tell time.
Option 3: It is composed of 7 NAND gates (two 74LS00 components) and one NOT gate (74LS04
component). The composition method and principle are roughly the same as Option 1.
In summary, the three options are all feasible from the perspective of use. Considering the limitations
of the economy and laboratory conditions, option 2 was selected for this design. As shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7. Hourly time chime circuit (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
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4.7. Complete Digital Electronic Clock
According to the combination of each module circuit, a complete digital electronic clock simulation
diagram is formed as shown in Figure 8.
Figure 8. Complete circuit (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
According to the above circuit diagram design, the physical electronic clock (Figure.9) can also be
made by soldering a breadboard and the required chip.
Figure 9. Physical electronic clock (Photo/Picture credit: Original).
5. Conclusion
The conceived digital electronic clock effectively meets its intended objectives and embodies the desired
features. Utilizing a top-down design approach, the comprehensive circuitry is segmented into distinct
functional modules. Each of these modules is tailored to cater to specific functionalities. Following the
meticulous design phase, every module undergoes rigorous testing and debugging. Ensuring the flawless
operation of each individual module is paramount before initiating their integration. This systematic
integration and subsequent end-to-end debugging culminate in the successful realization of a
sophisticated digital electronic clock. Through such a structured approach, not only is the robustness of
the clock ensured, but its adaptability and scalability for future enhancements are also solidified. This
method underscores the importance of modular design and iterative testing in the creation of advanced
electronic devices.
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