74LS47 is a BCD to 7-segment decoder/driver IC. It accepts a binary coded decimal as input and converts it into a pattern to drive a seven-segment for displaying digits 0 to 9. Binary coded decimal (BCD) is an encoding in which each digit of a number is represented by its own binary sequence (usually of four bits).
For example 239 in BCD is represented as 0010 0011 1001.
74LS47 IC accepts four lines of BCD (8421) input data and generates their complements internally. The data is decoded with seven AND/OR gates to drive indicator LEDs of the seven segment directly. The outputs correspond to Common anode (CA) configuration of seven segment.
Pin Description:
| Pin No | Function | Name |
| 1 | BCD Input 2 | A1 |
| 2 | BCD Input 3 | A2 |
| 3 | Display test; Active low | LT |
| 4 | Ripple blanking output; Active low | RBO |
| 5 | Ripple blanking input; Active low | RBI |
| 6 | BCD Input 4 | A3 |
| 7 | BCD Input 1 | A0 |
| 8 | Ground (0V) | Ground |
| 9 | Segment outputs; Active low | e |
| 10 | d | |
| 11 | c | |
| 12 | b | |
| 13 | a | |
| 14 | g | |
| 15 | f | |
| 16 | Supply voltage; 5V (4.75V – 5.25V) | Vcc |
