Balanced Ternary
Logic
While logical "true" and "false" are all that is computationally required, in real time systems and "unknown" state is meaningful. And this maps well allowing -true == false, -false == true and -unknown == unknown.
Potentially this could allow for un-clocked logic.
Negative Symmetry
Twos compliment has the useful property that -0 == 0, but this has the undesireable symmetry that -MaxNegative == MaxNegative.
Data vs Electrical Complexity
The data density of a base 3 is 58% higher than base 2, but the complexity should not increase that drastically.
Gates
Base 2 has 16 total gates, 12 "meaningful" gates. Base 3 has 19683 gates, 19679 meaningful gates
XOR
| A | B | Xor |
|---|---|---|
| -1 | -1 | -1 |
| -1 | 0 | 0 |
| -1 | 1 | 1 |
| 0 | -1 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| -1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | -1 | 1 |
| 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 |