Quine–McCluskey Algorithm

The Quine–McCluskey algorithm (or the method of prime implicants) is a method used for minimization of boolean functions which was developed by W.V. Quine and Edward J. McCluskey in 1956. It is functionally identical to Karnaugh mapping, but the tabular form makes it more efficient for use in computer algorithms, and it also gives a deterministic way to check that the minimal form of a Boolean function has been reached. It is sometimes referred to as the tabulation method.

The method involves two steps:

1. Finding all prime implicants of the function.
2. Use those prime implicants in a prime implicant chart to find the essential prime implicants of the function, as well as other prime implicants that are necessary to cover the function.