Glossary
instruction: Statements or commands that specify how to perform a
interface: 1) Hardware and/or software components of a system used
interrupt request: A signal that gives a component access to the
I/O: Input/output. Refers to acceptance and transfer of data to and from a
I/O devices: Equipment used to communicate with the computer and
IrDA 1.1: An industry standard that enables cableless infrared serial data
J
jumper: A small clip or wire that allows you to change the hardware
K
K: Taken from the Greek word kilo, meaning 1000; often used as equivalent
KB: See kilobyte.
keyboard: An input device containing switches that are activated by
kilobyte (KB): A unit of data storage equal to 1024 bytes. See also byte
L
level 2 cache: See cache.
Light Emitting Diode (LED): A semiconductor device that emits light when
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): Liquid crystal sealed between two sheets of
LSI: Large Scale Integration.
Glossary-8
particular task.
specifically to connect one system or device to another.
2) To physically connect one system or device to another to
exchange information.
3) The point of contact between user, the computer, and the
program, for example, the keyboard or a menu.
processor.
computer.
transfer data to and from it.
transfer at speeds of up to 4 Mbps.
characteristics by electrically connecting two points of a circuit.
to 1024, or 2 raised to the 10th power. See also byte and kilobyte.
manually pressing marked keys. Each keystroke activates a switch
that transmits a specific code to the computer. For each key, the
transmitted code is, in turn, representative of the (ASCII) character
marked on the key.
and megabyte.
a current is applied.
glass coated with transparent conducting material. The viewing side
coating is etched into character forming segments with leads that
extend to the edge of the glass. Applying a voltage between the
glass sheets alters the brightness of the liquid crystal.
1) A technology that allows the inclusion of up to 100,000 simple
logic gates on a single chip.
2) An integrated circuit that uses large scale integration.
User's Manual