Matrix Orbital LK202-25 Legacy - Manual (Page 33)

LK202-25 rev 3 33
9. Appendix: Glossary
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A 7 bit binary code
representing the english alphabet, decimal numbers and common punctuation
marks. "Also includes control characters" such as carriage return or end of text.
An 8 bit superset of the standard ASCII codes is often used today to include
foreign characters and other symbols. These supersets are often called extended
ASCII character sets.
Backlight A backlit display is illuminated from behind to provide nighttime and improved
daytime readability.
Baud Rate The (data and signaling) bit transmission rate of an RS232 device.
Binary Number A number written using binary notation which only uses zeros and ones
Bit The smallest unit of information a computer can work with. Each bit is either 0 or
1. Binary digit.
Bitmap A representation, consisting of rows and columns of dots, of a graphics image in
computer memory. The value of each dot (whether it is filled in or not) is stored in
one or more bits of data.
Byte A grouping of eight binary bits
CCFL Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp. A high brightness backlighting source consists
of a fluorescent tube powered by a high voltage A.C. source.
Configuration The way a system is set up, or the assortment of components that make up the
system. Configuration can refer to either hardware or software, or the combination
of both.
Contrast The ratio of luminance between the light state of the display to the dark state of the
display.
Controller The microcontroller or PC used to control the Matrix Orbital display unit.
DB-9 The designation of a connector used in the RS232 interface: 9 pin connector
Firmware Software (programs or data) that has been written onto read-only memory (ROM).
Firmware is a combination of software and hardware. ROMs, PROMs and
EPROMs and flash EEPROMs that have data or programs recorded on them are
firmware.
Font A design for a set of characters. A font is the combination of typeface and other
qualities, such as size, pitch, and spacing.
Font Metric A definition of where font is to be placed, such as margins and spacing between
characters and lines.
Hexadecimal Refers to the base-16 number system, which consists of 16 unique symbols: the
numbers 0 to 9 and the letters A to F. For example, the decimal number 15 is
represented as F in the hexadecimal numbering system. The hexadecimal
system is useful because it can represent every byte (8 bits) as two consecutive
hexadecimal digits. It is easier for humans to read hexadecimal numbers than
binary numbers.
I²C Short for Inter-IC, a type of bus designed by Philips Semiconductors in the early
1980s, which is used to connect integrated circuits (ICs). I²C is a multi-master
bus, which means that multiple chips can be connected to the same bus and
each one can act as a master by initiating a data transfer.
Interface A means by which two systems interact.