Glossary
G-4
ni.com
DMA
direct memory access—a method by which data can be transferred to/from
comp
u
ter memory from/to a device or memory on the b
u
s while the
processor does something else. DMA is the fastest method of transferring
data to/from comp
u
ter memory.
driver
Software that controls a specific hardware device s
u
ch as a DAQ board.
E
EEPROM
electrically erasable programmable read-only memory—ROM that can be
erased with an electrical signal and reprogrammed.
EISA
extended ind
u
stry standard architect
u
re
encode
Used in the context of motion encoders. Motion encoders provide
information abo
u
t movement and direction of movement of an external
device. The process of prod
u
cing the p
u
lses that contain this information is
called encoding.
ETS
eq
u
ivalent time sampling
F
FSK
freq
u
ency shift keying
G
GATE
The signal that controls the operation of a co
u
nter. This signal may start or
stop the operation of a co
u
nter, reload the co
u
nter, or save the res
u
lts of a
co
u
nter.
glitch
A brief,
u
nwanted change, or dist
u
rbance, in a signal level.
GND
gro
u
nd
H
hardware
The physical components of a comp
u
ter system, s
u
ch as the circ
u
it boards,
pl
u
g-in boards, chassis, enclos
u
res, peripherals, cables, and so on.
HW
hardware