Glossary
A
ADC - Analog to Digital Converter
Definition: a unit that takes analog signals and converts them to digital. Commonly incorporated in MCUs. Sometimes abbreviated as A/D
(Wikipedia article)
AMD-V - AMD Virtualization technology
Definition: originally called x86-64, is a set of extensions of the x86 ISA that allows the CPU to run as a 64-bit microprocessor.
(Wikipedia article)
APU - Accelerated Processing Unit
ASIC - Application Specific Integrated Circuit
ATM - Asynchronous Transfer Mode
ATAPI - Advanced Technology Attachment Packet Interface
Definition: connection for other storage devices such as CD-ROM drives and tape drives to the Parallel ATA interface
(Wikipedia article)
B
See: BJT: Bipolar junction transistor
Definition: combining BJTs and CMOS technology on the same device (die) Pentium, Pentium Pro, and SuperSPARC used BiCMOS
(Wikipedia article)
BJT - Bipolar junction transistor
Definition: 3-terminal transistor, NPN or PNP. Current controlled-current source
(Wikipedia article)
BSSP - Basic Synchronous Serial Port
Definition: a serial interface useful for communicating with other peripheral or microcontroller devices uing SPI or I2C
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: faster binary adder that looks ahead instead of rippling through the bits
(Wikipedia article)
CAN - Controller-area network
CCP - Capture/Compare/PWM
capture register, as a 16-bit compare register or as a 10-bit PWM
Definition: a module that can operate as capture, compare or PWM register
Microchip White sheet
CGC - Clock Generator Module
Definition: generates the base clock signal
Definition: group of chips designed to work with a CPU to preform basic functions such as bus interfaces
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: The container that holds the integrated circuits die, wire-bound to the pins
AKA: chip carrier, chip container
(Wikipedia article)
COP - Computer Operating Properly
Core, ie Processor Core
Definition: the portion of the chip that is defined as the processing unit. Multi-core CPUs have multiply processing unit
(Wikipedia article)
CPU - Central Processing Unit
Definition: a chip or (rarely) a collection of chips that preforms the processing of data for a computer. On microcontroller the CPU is a portion of the chip that does the computations or processing of data.
(Wikipedia article)
CTC - Counter/Timer Circuit
C2SIa - Class II Serial Interface A
Definition: a communication module used for transmitting and receiving data over a multi-master network, follows the J1850 Class B protocal
C2SIb - Class II Serial Interface B
Definition: a communication module used for transmitting and receiving data over a multi-master network, follows the J1850 Class B protocal
DAC - Digital to Analog Converter
Definition: Unit used to output analog signals from digital signals. Sometimes used in MCUs
(Wikipedia article)
DAI - Digital Applications Interface
Definition: a module within SHARC DSPs for user-definable access to peripherals
DALI - Digitally Addressable Lighting Interface
Definition: a electrical interface and bus protocol mainly used to control lightning systems
(Wikipedia article)
DDC - Display Data Channel
Definition: digital communication protocols between a computer display and a graphics adapter. Protocals include DDC1, DDC2 or DDC2B, DDC2Ab, DDC2B+, DDC3Bi, E-DDC
(Wikipedia article)
DES - Data Encryption Standard
DMA - Direct memory access
DMOS - Double-Diffused Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor
DPI - Digital Peripheral Interface
Definition: a module within SHARC DSPs for user-definable access to peripherals
DRAM - Dynamic random access memory
Definition: Memory that stores each bit in a capacitor, which needs to be refreshed or it will lose it data.
(Wikipedia article)
ECC - Error Correction Code
Definition: A type of coding by adding redundancy to data for error correction.
(Wikipedia article)
EEPROM - Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
Definition: EPROM that can be erased using electricity, not UV light. Sometimes in circuit, which is much easier and more practical than UV-EPROMs. Flash is a type of EEPROM.
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: A computer system design for a specific operation, unlike general purpose computers like desktop computers, or servers
(Wikipedia article)
EMA - External Memory Addressing
EPROM - Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
Definition: ROM that can be reprogrammed, usually erased using UV light. See UV-EPROM
(Wikipedia article)
FIFO - First In, First Out
FPU - Floating Point Unit
Definition: a separate unit for preforming floating point operation, as separate chip, sometimes a separate unit on the processor and included in the instruction set. Sometimes a co-processor is referred to as an FPU, even if its math operations are not all floating point
(Wikipedia article)
FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array
Definition: Programmable logic chip, the most complex and expensive programmable logic chip, generally used for development.
(Wikipedia article)
GPIO - General Purpose Input/Output
Definition: pins that can be assigned input or output and be used for any reason
(Wikipedia article)
HDLC - High-Level Data Link Control
HMOS - High-preformance NMOS or high-speed NMOS
Definition: Depletion load NMOS logic gates, for higher speed and lower power consumption
(Wikipedia article)
Hsync - Horizontal Synchronization
ICSP - In-Circuit Serial Programming
IDE - Integrated Drive Electronics
Definition: the first version of ATA/ATAPI interface (ATA-1) for compunications with hard drives, CDROMs, etc
(Wikipedia article)
IEBus - Inter Equipment Bus
Definition: a two wire bus used in the automotive industry as a communications bus between various devices
(Wikipedia article)
INTC - Interrupt Controller
Definition: IC pins can designated as input or output or in some cases bidirectional, allowing input and output on the same pin
(Wikipedia article)
IRSCI - Infrared Serial Communications Interface
Definition: module which allows high-speed asynchronous communications with peripheral devices and other MCUs
(Wikipedia article)
IrDA - Infrared Data Association
Definition: a communications protocol for the short-range exchange of data over infrared light
(Wikipedia article)
ISA - Instruction Set Architecture
I2C or I 2C - Inter-Integrated Circuit
Definition: a popular serial communication protocol, pronounced "I squared C"
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: a communications protocol commonly used for debugging and programing devices
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: the first level of cache memory, used for data and program code, sometimes shared, sometimes separate memory for each. Generally small in size, but is fast running at the speed of the processor. Data cache is in Bytes or Kilobytes. Instruction cache is Instructions or Kilo-instructions, size depending on the width of instructions.
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: Shared data and instruction memory, larger in size to L1 cache but slower
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: Shared data and instruction memory, very larger in size, but slower than L2 cache, rarely used except in servers
(Wikipedia article)
LVD - Low Voltage Detection
McBSP - Multichannel Buffered Serial Port
Definition: comunication module used by some TMS320 DSPs
MCU - Micro-Controller Unit
Definition: a chip that contains a CPU and other support functions designed to reduce the number of needed external components, and simplify users ability to preform tasks. MCUs commonly have on-chip RAM, ROM, timers, and clock generators. Other common functions are PWM, ADC, and SPI
(Wikipedia article)
MI Bus - Motorola Interconnect Bus
Definition: a serial communications interface using a single line from one Master to as many as 8 slave devices.
MMU - Memory Management Unit
Definition: unit responsible for handling accesses to memory requested by the CPU
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: extension to x86 instruction set, adding single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) instructions
(Wikipedia article)
MSSP - Master Synchronous Serial Port
Definition: a module is a serial interface useful for communicating with other peripheral or microcontroller devices
(Wikipedia article)
OST - Oscillator Start-up Timer
Definition: a timer that keeps the a microcontroller in reset until the crystal oscillator is stable
(Wikipedia article)
OTP [ROM] - One Time Programmable
Definition: ROM that can be written only once, one type is fuse-programmable ROM
(Wikipedia article)
PAL - Programmable Array Logic
Definition: A programmable logic chip, to replace a bunch of logic gates and registers. One time programmable (OTP). The simplest of programmable logic, similar to CPLDs and FPGAs.
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: A very simple type of coding by adding redundancy to data for error correction.
(Wikipedia article)
PIO - Programmed input/output
Definition: a type of feedback loop to generate stable oscilations for signal generation and recovery.
(Wikipedia article)
PMP - Parallel Master Port
Definition: a parallel 8-bit I/O module, specifically designed to communicate with a wide variety of parallel devices, such as communication peripherals, LCDs, external memory devices and microcontrollers
PMMU - Paged Memory Management Unit
Definition: unit responsible for handling accesses to memory requested by the CPU
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: a microcontroller or microprocessor peripheral that generates a reset signal when power is applied to the device. It ensures that the device starts operating in a known state.
(Wikipedia article)
PPU - Picture Processing Unit
Definition: the name used by Nintendo for the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) in the Nintendo and Super Nintendo
(Wikipedia article)
PSP - Parallel Slave Port
Definition: allows 8-bit asynchronous bidirectional data transfer between microcontroller and external devices
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: a keyboard/mouse interface that replaces the AT conection. It uses serial data at 10 to 16 kHz with 1 stop bit, 1 start bit, 1 parity bit (odd)
(Wikipedia article)
PWM - Pulse Width Modulator
Definition: a unit that outputs a clock signal with a constant period, and its on-time is controlled by the input. Commonly used in MCUs.
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: preforms a delay after power on reset (POR), or other forms of reset
(Wikipedia article)
QUICC - QUad Integrated Communications Controller
QSPI - Queued Serial Peripheral Interface
Definition: One type of SPI controller that uses a data queue with programmable queue pointers
(Wikipedia article)
RNG - Random Number Generator
Definition: standard serial communications protocol, used in computer serial ports
(Wikipedia article)
SCI - Serial Communication Interface
SIMD - Single Instruction, Multiple Data
Definition: processor instruction that preforms the same operation on the multiple data sets in parallel
AKA: vector instructions
(Wikipedia article)
SIO - Special Input/Output
Definition: Special Input/Output (Special I/O or SIO) are inputs and/or outputs designated to perform specialized functions or have specialized features. These can include hardware interrupts, analog or mixed signal, serial communication, external reset, switch debounce, input pull-up or down resistors.
(Wikipedia article)
SLDM - Serial Data Link Module
Definition: serial communication on a J1850 type multiplexed serial bus via an external J1850 bus transceiver
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: a single-ended simple two-wire bus for the purpose of lightweight communication
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: Combination of many components on a single chip (die), components which traditionally have their own individual chips. Geode is a SoC, with integrated CPU, chipset, and video controller
(Wikipedia article)
SPI - Serial Peripheral Interface
SSC - Serial Servo Controller
Definition: interfacing servos with a computer using RS232 communications
SSI - Serial Synchronous Interface
SSIO - Serial Synchronous Input/Output port
See: Serial Synchronous Interface
SSP - Synchronous Serial Port
Definition: a controller that supports the Serial Peripheral Interface, 4-wire Synchronous Serial Interface, and Microwire serial buses
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: an extension to the x86 instruction set, to preform single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) operation. SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4 and SSE4a are all added extensions
(Wikipedia article)
SSSE3 - Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extension 3
Definition: unit that generates Vsync and Hsync signals for the display of a CRT monitor or TV
(Wikipedia article)
UART - Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
Definition: Serial communications device, used in combination with a communications protocol such as RS-232
(Wikipedia article)
UPI - Universal Peripheral Interface
Definition: Unknown?
USART - Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
Definition: Serial communications device, using synchronous or asynchronous comunications
(Wikipedia article)
USI - Universal Serial Interface
USB - Universal Serial Bus
Definition: an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices.
(Wikipedia article)
Definition:a specification that allows USB devices such as digital audio players or mobile phones to act as a host allowing a USB Flash Drive, mouse, or keyboard to be attached
(Wikipedia article)
USI - Universal Serial Interface
Definition: - unknown?
Definition: an illuminated display used in equipment such as video cassette recorders, car radios, and microwave ovens.
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: positive supply voltage. historically for analog (bipolar) devices. Vdd is used for digital (FET), but Vcc has been used for both
(Wikipedia article)
Definition: positive supply voltage. Vdd is used for digital (FET), but Vcc has been used for both
(Wikipedia article)
Vsync - Vertical Synchronization
Definition:bus communication protocal using a 2 wires
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