How does flip-flop stores data? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: miketan3904
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 08:29:29 am
content: Can anyone please explain to me how does flip-flip stores data? I have read from some websites and books stating that the function of the flip-flop is to store data, but how is that being achieved?

author: greenpossum
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 09:14:06 am
content: It is in one of two states, i.e. a bistable, so represents one bit. A FF stores data as long as the power is on.

author: miketan3904
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 11:15:39 am
content: So the output of the flip-flop is actually the data stored?

author: pwlps
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 11:25:11 am
content: Quote from: miketan3904 on October 19, 2020, 11:15:39 amYes, e.g. 5V = logical 1, 0 V = logical 0.

author: miketan3904
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 01:07:03 pm
content: Understood. TQ.

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 07:03:23 pm
content: The simplest flip-flops are build from just 2 NAND gates.A simple image search gives plenty of results, and also lot's of variants:https://duckduckgo.com/?q=nand+gate+flipflop&t=hk&iax=images&ia=images

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 10:26:21 pm
content: Simply stated, "flip", now it's 1. Another "flip" now it's zero. It stays that way just as memory bit would.

author: greenpossum
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 10:50:28 pm
content: NAND gates? Some of us built our first FF with a pair of transistors, steering diodes and resistors.

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 10:56:52 pm
content: A flip-flop is a bi-stable circuit that can only be in two states, either set or reset. That is all that is required to make a one bit memory by reading it's present state or writing a new state change to the flip-flop.

author: Zeyneb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2020, 11:36:37 pm
content: An Clock Enable input (for flip-flops that have these) can be considered as an Write Enable signal. So only when this Clock Enable signal is active either high or low (see datasheet) the flip-flop is going to store the bit when the next clock edge arrives. I do understand the OP for not understanding the storing aspect when all that is shown are flip-flops without the Clock Enable input.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 20, 2020, 03:17:29 am
content: Quote from: greenpossum on October 19, 2020, 10:50:28 pmYep.

author: jfiresto
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2020, 09:51:26 am
content: Quote from: greenpossum on October 19, 2020, 10:50:28 pmSome used a magnetically latching relay. Transistors can be so volatile.

author: pwlps
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2020, 05:09:57 pm
content: Quote from: jfiresto on October 20, 2020, 09:51:26 amAnd a nice example of process-control logic implemented with latching relays :

author: Syntax Error
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2020, 05:41:42 pm
content: If you're interested, the original electronic flip-flop was patented by Eccles and Jordan in 1918 and built from vaccum tubes. Which means the very first 'bit' of data was stored over 100 years ago!Eccles & Jordan trigger circuit historyhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip-flop_(electronics)