Computer Systems and Digital Electronics: Set 1
Hexadecimal Number System
A 16 base number system that uses digits 0-9 and letters A-F, this system helps in dealing with large numbers.
Dynamic RAM (DRAM)
A RAM circuit that uses separate capacitors to store bits of data, these capacitors require the electric charge to be constantly refreshed to keep the data.
Bit
A binary digit, or a pulse of energy processed by a computer.
Byte
A binary word, or 8 bits.
Flip-Flop
A circuit used for data storage in sequential logic, it has two stable states that can be changed by applying signals to one or more control inputs.
Bus Network
A combination of several registers (data storage compartments) connected together.
Input-Output (I/O) Transfer
A computer system operation involving actuating of an I/O port for receiving or sending data.
Analog Information
A continuously changing type of data that computers process.
Decade Counter
A counter used to change binary signals to Binary-Coded Decimal (BCD) form.
Binary Counter
A device that can store and display the number of times a certain thing happens in binary form.
Bistable Device
A device that can store one bit of information (or one binary digit).
Counter
A logic device that can count electronic pulses and be used to track/count specific things in different applications.
Decoder Unit
A microprocessor part that looks at coded instructions to determine which Arithmetic Logic Unit operation needs to be performed next.
Binary Number System
A number system that uses 2 as its base, in which only the numbers 0 or 1 are used.
Control Unit
A part of a microprocessor that gets decoded instructions from the decoder and then starts the next necessary action.
Firmware
A program that is kept in Read-Only Memory.
Address Register
A register compartment that can temporarily store a memory location address for later access.
Interrupt
A signal from peripheral equipment to advise the Microprocessor Unit (MPU) that it needs attention.
Data Register
A storage compartment for Arithmetic Logic Unit input that also can hold instructions while they are decoded or data before it is put into memory.
Binary-Coded-Decimal (BCD) Number System
A system of writing numbers (for electronics and computers) where each decimal digit is represented by a four digit binary code.
AND Gate
A type of logic circuit that has one output and two or more inputs.
Accumulator
A type of short-term register (record) that can store mathematical and logic data in a process.
Fetch
An instruction in a program that goes to get the next instruction from memory.
Binary Logic Circuit
Devices arranged together in order to be able to make logical decisions based on input.
Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM)
In computers and other electronic devices, a type of non-volatile memory that keeps data when the power is switched off; once programmed it can be erased by exposing it to UV light.
Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)
In computers and other electronic devices, a type of non-volatile memory that stores data that needs to remain even after the power is removed, it can be erased one bit at a time.
Binary Point
The binary equivalent of a decimal in the 10 base decimal system.
Digital Electronics
The field of computers and computer controlled devices (like robots or automated systems) that make use of digital circuits and electronic logic gates.
Execute
The initiation of operation based on an instruction that is to be performed.
Digital Information
The opposite of analog information, information that occurs in separate full units (0 units and 1 units).
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The part of a computer that carries out the instructions of computer programs. The brain of the computer, the area that carries out the instructions of computer programming through math, logic, and input/output operations.
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
The part of a microprocessor that handles logic and math operations.