6 Counter IC Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for counter ics as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 6 counter ic manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked counter ic companies as of November, 2024: 1.Texas Instruments, 2.Nexperia B.V., 3.Rochester Electronics.
Table of Contents
What Is a Counter IC?
A counter IC is a digital circuit with a counting function. It is primarily used to count the frequency of specific events. Counter ICs are integrated circuits designed to increment (up-counting) or decrement (down-counting) a value stored in an internal register by one, based on specific events or clock pulses. They output the counting result when a target value is reached or an external device requests it.
While there are various counter ICs, the most basic type is the binary counter, which counts in binary For example, a 4-bit binary counter expresses values from 0 to 15 in binary. There are also counter ICs with different modes of operation, such as ring counters and Johnson counters.
Uses of Counter ICs
Counter ICs are used in various applications, including digital circuit design and control systems. Timers, sequential controls, and frequency dividers are examples of specific applications.
1. Timers
Counter ICs are used in timer circuits to measure specific time intervals or events. They are commonly employed in digital clocks and stopwatches.
2. Sequential Control
Counter ICs play a crucial role in sequential control circuits. They are used in sequential logic circuits and state transition machines to control devices or systems that operate in a specific order.
3. Frequency Divider
Counter ICs can function as frequency divider circuits by dividing an input signal's frequency. This capability allows for the creation of signals with frequencies that are integer fractions of a higher-frequency input signal. Common applications include frequency synthesis and frequency control.
4. Event Counting
Counter ICs are used to count the number of times a particular event occurs. This application is seen in scenarios such as traffic surveys, where the number of vehicles or pedestrians passing by is counted.
5. Data Communication
Counter ICs are sometimes used in data communication circuits. They are used to set the number of data in serial communication or packet transmission.
Principle of Counter ICs
A counter IC consists of the following elements:
1. 1D Flip-Flops
D flip-flops are the main logic circuits used in counter ICs. Since this logic circuit can store one bit of information, various counter ICs are constructed by combining these elements.
A D flip-flop has a clock pin (CLK), a data input pin (D), a data output pin (Q), and its inverted output, and has the function of outputting the data input to the data output pin at the rising edge of the clock.
2. Counter
The basic configuration is that the inverting output is directly connected to the input pin and the data output pin is input to the data input pin of the next stage D flip-flop. By connecting N stages vertically, a binary counter of the power of 2 to the Nth power is created.
3. Frequency Divider
By connecting a D flip-flop between the terminals as described above, the output of the data input to the D terminal can be viewed as being divided by one-half. By using this function, it is possible to make a frequency divider with a counter IC.
In the case of a 4-bit binary counter, the frequency is 2 to the fourth power (16), which means that the output frequency is 1/16 of the input clock frequency. The 8-bit binary counter is 2 to the eighth power (256), which means that the output frequency is 1/256 of the input clock frequency. The output frequency is 1/256 of the input clock frequency.
Types of Counter ICs
There are various types of counter ICs. Typical examples are listed below:
1. Binary Counter
The most basic counter IC, counting in binary, an N-bit binary counter can represent a number from 0 to (2 to the Nth power-1).
2. Ring Counter
A ring counter IC whose internal bits are shifted sequentially with each clock cycle. The input pin of each flip-flop is connected to the output pin of the previous flip-flop, and the last output is fed back to the input pin of the first flip-flop. The function is such that a bit "1" is shifted to the next flip-flop in turn.
3. Johnson Counter
The Johnson counter is a type of ring counter, except that the output of the last flip-flop is inverted and used as the input signal to the first flip-flop. It operates in such a way that a specific pattern is shifted to the neighboring flip-flop at each clock cycle. Johnson counters are used in sequential logic circuits and decoder circuits.
4. Up Counter
An up counter is a counter IC that increments in number one by one, its internal value increasing in response to a clock pulse or a specific event.
5. Down Counter
A down counter is a counter IC that decreases in number one by one, its internal value decreasing in response to clock pulses or specific events.
6. Preset Counter
A preset counter is a counter IC that starts counting from a preset value. Counting starts from a specified initial value in response to specific conditions or inputs.
7. Real-Time Counter
A real-time counter is a counter IC used for real-time measurement and timing. The internal counter value is increased or decreased based on clock pulses or external signals and is used to measure time or control the timing of events.
List of 6 Counter IC Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Japan
- Netherlands
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Analog Devices, Inc.
Frequency Dividers, Prescalers, and Counters
Manufacturer Overview
Incorporated in 1965, Analog Devices, Inc. designs, manufactures, tests, and markets integrated circuits (ICs), software, and subsystems that leverage analog, mixed-signal, and digital signal processing technologies. The company provides data converter products, power management and reference products for power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing, and energy management applications in the automotive, communications, industrial, and high-end consumer markets. In addition, the company provides digital signal processing and system products for high-speed numeric calculations. It serves clients in the industrial, automotive, consumer, instrumentation, aerospace, and communications markets.
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Rochester Electronics
Adders/Counters/Timers
Company Overview
Rochester Electronics, LLC is a manufacturer stocking distributor of end-of-life semiconductors and the broadest range of active semiconductors that is headquartered in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and was founded in 1981. The company caters to manufacturing services ranging from design, wafer processing, testing, reliability, and IP Archiving. These specifically include OCM, build-to-order products, process flows, and standard packaging creation. The company pivots on manufacturing and distributing semiconductors that are no longer produced by its original manufacturer.
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Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage
CMOS Logic ICs
Manufacturer Overview
Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation is a division of Toshiba focusing on providing designs for end-product developers as well as semiconductor and drive equipment for automotive, industrial equipment, green energy, and consumer and personal electronic devices. Toshiba’s storage products include cloud-scale and enterprise-level products, and PC hard drives. Semiconductor products include Si Cower devices, MOSFETs, IGBTs, IEGTs, isolators, solid state relays, power management and intelligent power ICs, diodes, bipolar transistors, microcontrollers, automotive devices, ICs for wireless communication equipment, general purpose logic ICs, radio-frequency devices, sensors, and linear image sensors.
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Nexperia B.V.
Counter IC
Manufacturer Overview
Nexperia is based in the Netherlands and is a designer, manufacturer, and global supplier of semiconductors. Their stock includes Bipolar Transistors, Diodes, MOSFETs, GaN FETs, and various ICs that are used as basic components in electronic systems and devices and have multiple applications. These parts are supplied to the automotive, computing, power, and electronic industries as parts of a system or as essential tools for various gadgets and devices. They are also used by manufacturers of consumer appliances such as smartphones, batteries, aerial vehicles, fire detectors, and more.
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ABLIC Inc.
Counter IC
Manufacturer Overview
ABLIC, Inc. is a manufacturer of analog semiconductors and integrated circuits (ICs) based in Minato-ku, Tokyo. Originally established in 2016, the company is a subsidiary of Seiko Instruments, Inc., and was renamed SII Semiconductor Corporation in 2018. The company produces memory, logic, and power management ICs, as well as various sensors for use in mobile computers, industrial equipment, wearable tech, and automotive systems. These supply clients in the consumer electronics, factory automation, and medical equipment industries.
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Texas Instruments
Counter IC
Manufacturer Overview
Texas Instruments Incorporated was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Texas Instruments is a producer of high tech equipment for industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment industries. Texas Instruments designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers in the United States and internationally. Texas Instruments operates in two segments: analog and embedded processing. The Analog segment offers power products, including battery-management solutions, DC/DC switching regulators, power switches, linear regulators, voltage references, and lighting products. The Embedded Processing segment offers microcontrollers that are used in fields such as electronic equipment and digital signal processors for mathematical computations.
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Counter IC Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Instruments |
46.7%
|
| 2 | Nexperia B.V. |
13.3%
|
| 3 | Rochester Electronics |
10.0%
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| 4 | ABLIC Inc. |
10.0%
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| 5 | Analog Devices, Inc. |
10.0%
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| 6 | Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage |
10.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the counter ic page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage: 23,100
- ABLIC Inc.: 950
Newly Established Company
- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage: 2017 (7 years ago)
- Texas Instruments: 1930 (94 years ago)
Company with a History
- Texas Instruments: 1930 (94 years ago)
- Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage: 2017 (7 years ago)
Counter IC Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
Global Distribution of Counter IC Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
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2 | 50.0% |
Japan
|
1 | 25.0% |
Netherlands
|
1 | 25.0% |
