flip-flop

hardware A digital logic circuit that can be in one of two

states which it switches (or "toggles") between under

control of its inputs. It can thus be considered as a one bit

memory. Three types of flip-flop are common: the SRflip-flop, the JK flip-flop and the D-type flip-flop (or

latch).

Early literature refers to the "Eccles-Jordan circuit" and the

"Eccles-Jordan binary counter", using two vacuum tubes as

the active (amplifying) elements for each bit of information

storage. Later implementations using bipolar transistors

could operate at up to 20 million state transitions per second

as early as 1963.

(1995-11-11)