Counter:
The counter provides a result by calculating the signal pulse of the input signal. And the computer works by creating this pulse where the flow pulse works as binary 1 and the flow as low or off pulse binary 0.
There are mainly two types of counters.
Namely:
1) Asynchronous counter and
2) Synchronous counter.
Asynchronous counter:
Not all flip flops in the asynchronous counter get the clock input simultaneously, i.e., it does not have any normal clock input.
Synchronous counters:
All counters in the asynchronous counter are connected by a common clock input.
Ring counters, mod-10 counters, switchable counters are synchronous counters. This is because these counters change the position of the flip flop used in a clock pulse counter.
Here again, the synchronous counter is divided into two parts-
a) up counter
b) down counter again
Asynchronous counters are divided into two parts-
a) Ripple up counters
b) Ripple down counters.
Use of counter:
1. To calculate the number of clock pulses
2. To provide timing signals
3. On digital computers
4. In digital watches
5. In case of calculation of electric vibration
6. To convert parallel data to serial data.