Data Acquisition Glossary

Home » Support » Glossary » C

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Cache: High-speed processor memory that buffers commonly used instructions or data to increase processing throughput.
Channel List: A variable length list of channels and their associated gains specifying which analog input channels to convert to digital values. In continuous A/D acquisition mode the list wraps around to the first channel after it reaches the end. The channels need not be in any particular order.
CMRR: Common-mode rejection ratio. A measure of an instrument's ability to reject interference from a common-mode signal, usually expressed in decibels (dB).
Code Generator: A software program, controlled from an intuitive user interface, that creates syntactically correct high-level source code in languages such as C or Basic.
Cold-Junction Compensation: Compensate for the ambient temperature in a thermocouple measurement circuit.
Common-Mode Range: The input range over which a circuit can handle a common-mode signal.
Common-Mode Signal: The mathematical average voltage, relative to the computer's ground, of the signals from a differential input.
Component Software: An application that contains one or more component objects that can freely interact with other component software. Examples include OLE enabled applications such as Microsoft Visual Basic and OLE Controls for virtual instrumentation in Component Works.
Control Register(s): Registers containing bits that initiate control signals for various onboard subsystems.
Conversion Time: The time required, in an analog input or output system, from the moment a channel is interrogated (such as with a read instruction) to the moment that accurate data is available.
Counter/Timer: A circuit such as the Intel 8254 device that counts external pulses or clock pulses (timing).
Coupling: The manner in which a signal is connected from one location to another.
Crosstalk: An unwanted signal on one channel induced by signal activity on another nearby channel.
Current Drive Capability: The amount of current a digital or analog output channel is capable of sourcing or sinking while still operating within voltage range specifications.
Current Sinking: The ability of a DAQ board to dissipate current for analog or digital output signals.
Current Sourcing: The ability of a DAQ board to supply current for analog or digital output signals.

Data Acquisition (DAQ) Glossary / Glossary (PDF) | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Email This Page | RSS RSS Feed