National Instruments RT Series - Manual (Page 31)

© National Instruments Corporation G-1 RT Series DAQ Device User Manual
Glossary
B
BIOS basic input/output system—BIOS functions are the fundamental level
of any PC or compatible computer. BIOS functions embody the basic
operations needed for successful use of the computer hardware resources.
bus the group of conductors that interconnect individual circuitry in a computer.
Typically, a bus is the expansion vehicle to which I/O or other devices are
connected. Examples of PC buses are the ISA and PCI bus.
C
cache high-speed processor memory that buffers commonly used instructions or
data to increase processing throughput
channel Pin or wire lead to which you apply or from which you read the analog or
digital signal. Analog signals can be single-ended or differential. For digital
signals, you group channels to form ports. Ports usually consist of either
four or eight digital channels.
D
DAQ data acquisition—(1) collecting and measuring electrical signals from
sensors, transducers, and test probes or fixtures and inputting them to a
computer for processing; (2) collecting and measuring the same kinds of
electrical signals with A/D and/or DIO boards plugged into a computer,
and possibly generating control signals with D/A and/or DIO boards in the
same computer