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National Instruments Corporation G-9 NI-DAQ FRM for PC Compatibles)
Glossary
nonreferenced signal
sources signal sources with voltage signals that are not connected to an absolute
reference or system ground. Also called floating signal sources. Some
common example of nonreferenced signal sources are batteries,
transformers, or thermocouples.
NRSE nonreferenced single-ended mode—all measurements are made with
respect to a common (NRSE) measurement system reference, but the
voltage at this reference can vary with respect to the measurement system
ground
O
onboard channels channels provided by the plug-in data acquisition board
onboard RAM optional RAM usually installed into SIMM slots
operating system base-level software that controls a computer, runs programs, interacts with
users, and communicates with installed hardware or peripheral devices
optical coupler,
optocoupler a device designed to transfer electrical signals by utilizing light waves to
provide coupling with electrical isolation between input and output.
Sometimes called optoisolator or photocoupler.
OUT Output
P
parallel mode a type of SCXI operating mode in which the module sends each of its input
channels directly to a separate analog input channel of the device to the
module
pattern generation a type of handshaked (latched) digital I/O in which internal counters
generate the handshaked signal, which in turn initiates a digital transfer.
Because counters output digital pulses at a constant rate, this means you
can generate and retrieve patterns at a constant rate because the handshaked
signal is produced at a constant rate.
PC personal computer
PC Card a credit-card-sized expansion card that fits in a PCMCIA slot often referred
to as a PCMCIA card
PCI peripheral component interconnect