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What is Race around Condition?

by Sonali

Race around condition occurs in JK Flip Flop  when both its inputs J=K=1 and also the clock =1 for a long period.

J-K Flip Flop

The truth table is shown below with its circuit diagram.

Race Around Condition in JK Flip-flop

  • For J-K flip-flop, if J=K=1, and if clk=1 for a long period of time, then output Q will toggle as long as CLK remains high which makes the output unstable or uncertain.
  • This is called a race around condition in J-K flip-flop.
  • We can overcome this problem by making the clock =1 for very less duration.
  • The circuit used to overcome race around conditions is called the Master Slave JK flip flop.

Master Slave JK flip flop

  • Here two JK flip flops are connected in series.
  •  The first JK flip flop is called the “master” and the other is a “slave”.
  •  The output from the master is connected to the two inputs of the slave whose output is fed back to inputs of the master.
  •  The circuit also has an inverter other than the two flip flops.
  • The Clock Pulse and inverter are connected because of which the flip flops get an inverted clock pulse. 
  •  In other words, if CP=0 for a master flip-flop, then CP=1 for a slave flip-flop and vice versa.

Working of a Master Slave flip flop

  • When the clock pulse goes high, the slave is isolated; J and K inputs can affect the state of the system. The slave flip-flop is isolated when the CP goes low. 
  • When the CP goes back to 0, information is transmitted from the master flip-flop to the slave flip-flop and output is obtained.
  • As the master flip flop is positive triggered it responds first and the slave later (it is negative edge triggered).
  • The master goes to the K input of the slave when both inputs J=0 and K=1, and also Q’ = 1. In this case the slave copies the master as the clock forces the slave to reset.
  • The master goes to the J input of the slave when both J=1 and K=0, Q = 1. The clock is set due to the negative transition of the clock.
  • There is a state of toggle when both J=1 and K=1. On the negative transition of clock slave toggles and  the master toggles on the positive transition of the clock.
  • Both the flip flops are disabled when both J=0 and K=0 and Q is unchanged.

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