Service manual

Glossary-1
Glossary
ADC Analog-to-digital converter. A device that translates analog signals to digital
signals.
address A number used by the system software to identify a storage location.
address bus A hardware pathway, typically consisting of from 20 to 32 separate lines, that
carries the signals specifying locations in a computer's memory. The address
bus enables the microprocessor to select a specific location in memory for
transfer of data through the data bus.
ALU Arithmetic logic unit. A part of a computer that performs arithmetic, logical,
and related operations.
ANSI American National Standards Institute. An organization that reviews and
approves product standards in the United States.
ASCII American standard code for information interchange. The standard binary
encoding of alphabetical characters, numbers, and other keyboard symbols.
ASIC Application-specific intergrated circuit. A gate array or other non-standard
chip design for proprietary use.
asynchronous Without regular time relationship; unexpected and unpredictable with respect
to the execution of a program's instructions.
Audio port A circuit to which the computer sends signals to be output as audible tones.
The circuit is a DAC.
AUI Attachment unit interface. A special port built into some SPARCstation system
units that attaches the system unit to a Sun SpeakerBox or to a thick Ethernet
network.
bandwidth A measure of the volume of information that can be transmitted over a
communications link.
baud rate The rate at which information is transmitted between devices; for example,
between a terminal and the computer. Often incorrectly assumed to indicate
the number of bits per second (bps) transmitted, baud rate actually measures