Electronic Engineering Glossary Terms

Contention. A condition that occurs when more than one device on a bus tries to access the bus at the same time. A condition when two or more devices require access to a shared resource at the same time.

Contiguous. Two items placed one after another, next to each other. Adjacent.

Continuity. An uninterrupted, complete path for current flow. Reference; Continuity Testers, or the general page for Test Equipment Manufacturers.

Continuous Load. A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for three hours or more.

Continuous Wave. [cw] A wave of constant amplitude and constant frequency.

Continuous Wave Keying. The on-off keying of a carrier.

Contrast. The relation between the intensity of color, brightness, or shading of an area occupied by a display element, display group, or display image on the display surface of a display

Contrast Ratio. The ratio of two luminances.

Control Character. A character that initiates, modifies, or stops a function, event, operation, or control operation.

Control Circuit Transformer. A voltage transformer used to supply a voltage used for the operation of control circuits. A device designed to provide a reduced control voltage for energizing the coils of electromagnetic devices such as motor starters, contactors, relays, and timers.

Control Differential Transmitter. [CDX] A type of synchro that transmits angular information equal to the algebraic sum or difference of the electrical input supplied to its stator, the mechanical input supplied to its stator, and the mechanical input supplied to its rotor. The output is an electrical voltage taken from the rotor windings.

Control Field. In a protocol data unit (PDU), the field that (a) contains data interpreted by the receiving destination logical-link controller (LLC) and (b) may be the field immediately following the destination service access point (DSAP) and source service access point (SSAP) address fields of the PDU. [Protocol Terms]

Control Grid. The electrode of a vacuum tube, other than a diode, upon which a signal voltage is impressed to regulate the plate current. Also refer to the Definition of Vacuum Tube

Control-Grid Modulator. Uses a variation of grid bias to vary the instantaneous plate voltage and current. The modulating signal is applied to the control grid.

Control Power Transformer. See Control Circuit Transformer.

Control Synchro System. Synchro systems that contain control synchros and are used to control large amounts of power with a high degree of accuracy. The electrical outputs of these systems control servosystems, which in turn generate the required power to move heavy loads. Also refer to the Definition of Synchro

Control System. A group of components systematically organized to perform a specific control purpose. These systems are categorized as either closed- or open-loop systems. The main difference between the two is that the closed-loop system contains some form of feedback.

Control Transformer. [CT] A type of synchro that compares two signals: the electrical signal applied to its stator and the mechanical signal applied to its rotor. The output is an electrical voltage, which is taken from the rotor winding and is used to control a power-amplifying device. The phase and amplitude of the output voltage depends on the angular position of the rotor with respect to the magnetic field of the stator.

Control Transmitter. [CX] A type of synchro that converts a mechanical input, which is the angular position of its rotor, into an electrical output signal. The output is taken from the stator windings and is used to drive either a CDX or CT.

Convection. The transfer of heat through air or liquids. Heat convection is the method of heat transfer from the body of an IC, case of a semiconductor, or heat sink to the surrounding air.

Converter. In Digital electronics a circuit or IC that converts an Analog signal into a digital signal [ADC], or converts a digital signal into an Analog signal [DAC]; Manufacturers of IC Converters.
In DC power electronics, a DC to DC converter circuit which converts a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another [DC Regulator manufacturers].
In communications, equipment that changes the audio output of a receiver to dc pulses. These pulses are fed to a tty to indicate marks and spaces [Obsolete definition].