National Instruments NI-IMAQ User Manual

Page 44

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Glossary

NI-IMAQ for IEEE-1394 Cameras User Manual

G-2

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chrominance

See

chroma

.

compiler

A software utility that converts a source program in a high-level
programming language, such as Basic, C, or Pascal, into an object or
compiled program in machine language. Compiled programs run 10 to
1,000 times faster than interpreted programs. See also

interpreter

.

conversion device

Device that transforms a signal from one form to another. For example,
analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for analog input and digital-to-analog
converters (DACs) for analog output.

CPU

Central processing unit.

D

D/A

Digital-to-analog.

DAC

Digital-to-analog converter. An electronic device, often an integrated
circuit, that converts a digital number into a corresponding analog voltage
or current.

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 or DIO boards plugged into a computer, and
possibly generating control signals with D/A and/or DIO boards in the
same computer.

default setting

A default parameter value recorded in the driver. In many cases, the default
input of a control is a certain value (often 0).

DLL

Dynamic link library. A software module in Microsoft Windows containing
executable code and data that can be called or used by Windows
applications or other DLLs; functions and data in a DLL are loaded and
linked at run time when they are referenced by a Windows application or
other DLLs.

DMA

Direct memory access. A method by which data can be transferred between
computer memory and a device or memory on the bus while the processor
does something else. DMA is the fastest method of transferring data
to/from computer memory.

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