Asynchronous state machine attribute compeller

摘要

A digital circuit (11) for compelling storage of attributes and for providing output signals indicating status of the storage of attributes, the digital circuit comprising: a digital storage device (26); a first combinational logic circuit (20) connected to the digital storage device (26) for enabling the digital storage device (26) to store the attributes based upon a set of stable first compelled inputs and an enable signal; a second combinational logic circuit (18) connected to the digital storage device for clearing the digital storage device (26) based upon a set of stable second compelled inputs and a clear signal; a first logic gate (30) connected to the digital storage device (26) and the first combinational logic circuit (20) for outputting a signal representative of the attribute being stored in the digital storage device (26); and a second logic gate (28) connected to the digital storage device (26) and the second combinational logic circuit (18) for outputting a signal representative of the digital storage device being cleared. The circuit advantageously reduces that number of states required by an asynchronous state machine without a significant performance degradation.