Minimizing a function

Minimizing a function

The Minimize operation uses espresso to minimize the number of product terms and the number of literals in a function. The Fast option produces a result that is good, but may not be truly minimal. The Exact option produces a result that is guaranteed to have a minimal number of product terms, but the solution may take a significant amount of time for functions with more than eight inputs.

If the problem has multiple outputs, you can choose either Independent or Joint minimization. The Joint option minimizes the total number of product terms, but may not strictly minimize each output. The Independent option strictly minimizes each output, but may result in more product terms. Hint: If you are mapping the problem to gates, choose Independent minimization, as that option will usually result in a simpler gate diagram.

To minimize a function:

1. Select Operation | Minimize.
2. In the dialog box, choose Fast or Exact. If the problem has multiple outputs, choose Independent or Joint minimization.
3. Select OK. Espresso will run and the results will be displayed in the Truth Table window and the Logic Equation window.

Note:

• When you map a function to a gate diagram, it will be minimized automatically if it is not already minimized.