Printer-friendly version
Glossary for the entire site, across all courses and subjects.


Browse the glossary using this index

Special | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O
P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ALL

Page:  1  2  (Next)
  ALL

B

:
content Band Go back to BackboneSkip content Also known as: Frequency Band Band (Frequency Band) is a term used in telecommunications to refer to a range of frequencies authorised for specific purposes. Each band will be a continuous spectrum of frequencies, with upper and lower limits, and international use of these bands is regulated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to prevent interference. For example, the medium wave band is approved for several purposes, the most well-known being its use for public service AM (Amplitude Modulation) radio broadcasts
:
Bandwidth is a measure of the information carrying capacity of a communications channel, whether it be of the wired or wireless type. In analogue systems bandwidth is measured as a frequency in Hertz (Hz), and it is calculated as the difference between the highest and lowest frequencies of a band. The term bandwidth can apply to various types of equipment, e.g. audio, radio, video, etc., and in each case the bandwidth is calculated by subtracting the lower frequency limit of the band from its upper frequency limit. The range of frequencies that a particular signal will occupy can also be referred to as its bandwidth (as all signals inherently occupy a certain amount of bandwidth), or alternatively it may mean the range of frequencies that a piece of equipment will respond to. Furthermore, because the rate at which digital data flows through a system will depend on the bandwidth, this data rate can also be shown to be a measure of the system's bandwidth. In digital systems the bandwidth is usually described as the maximum transmission speed that a channel will support, and is measured as a data rate in bits per second (bps). If the bandwidth of a system is too narrow for a particular signal to pass through it, then there will be some distortion to that signal, or loss of its information content. Because bandwidth is closely related to the signal frequencies being transmitted, it gives an indication of the capacity of the system to cope with different signals. This means that a wide bandwidth will allow higher data rates, and conversely a narrow bandwidth will restrict the data rate. A voice signal requires only about a 3 kHz bandwidth, whereas a TV video signal needs about 6 MHz of bandwidth, because it contains much more information. Signals outside the band of interest are usually suppressed, in order to prevent interference to or from other equipment. Bandwidth has a general meaning of how much information can be carried in a given time period (usually a second). For example, a broadband link (i.e. one with a wide bandwidth) may be able to carry enough information to present moving video images. If one link or piece of equipment in a communication network has a much smaller bandwidth than the rest, then this will determine the data rate for the whole system
:
Also known as: BS Base Station (BS) is a fixed radio station in the cellular network, which communicates with mobile telephones using radio waves. The Base Station will include transmitters, receivers, tower and antenna, and control equipment to interconnect with other base stations and the public switched network via landline or microwave links. A mobile telephone service consists of a network of many Base Stations, each of which covers one cell or geographical area within a total cellular service area. The Base Station communicates with the mobile phones within its given cell, and then transfers calls to other base stations and the fixed telephone network
:
Also known as: BCC Base Station Colour Code (BCC) is the code transmitted in the SB (Synchronisation Burst) of GSM systems. The BCC is used by the MS (Mobile Station) to distinguish between cells using the same frequencies, when the MS is deciding on which cell to select and to lock-on to. The BCC is also important during the receiving of the BCCH (Broadcast Control Channel), to identify the TSC (Training Sequence Code) to be used
:
Also known as: BSIC Base Station Identity Code (BSIC) is a 6 bit 'colour code' broadcast on the SCH (Synchronisation Channel) in GSM systems, which uniquely identifies the beacon frequency. The BSIC is broadcasted in order to identify the NCC (Network Colour Code) and the BCC (Base Station Colour Code) to the Mobile Stations in the area. Adjacent cells in the cellular system will have different 'colours' or BSICs
:
Also known as: BSS Base Station Subsystem / System (BSS) refers to a segment of a GSM system, comprising a Base Station Controller (BSC) and the one or more Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) that are associated with it. The Base Station Controller manages the Base Transceiver Stations, and at a higher level a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) controls one or more of these Base Station Subsystems. The BSS is the interface between the Mobile Station (MS) and the Mobile Switching Centre (MSC).
:
Also known as: BTS Base Transceiver Station (BTS) is a fixed radio station in the cellular network, which communicates with mobile telephones using radio waves. The Base Transceiver Station will include transmitters, receivers, tower and antenna, and control equipment to interconnect with other base transceiver stations and the public switched network via landline or microwave links. A mobile telephone service consists of a network of many Base Transceiver Stations, each of which covers one cell or geographical area within a total cellular service area. The Base Transceiver Station communicates with the mobile phones within its given cell, and then transfers calls to other base transceiver stations and the fixed telephone network. A BTS may also be called a Base Station (BS).
:
Also known as: Power Cell Battery is the normal power source used to operate a mobile phone. The battery capacity is usually measured in units of mAh (milliamps x hours), which is the electric current output that the battery can produce over a specified time. The higher the mAh rating of the battery the longer it will be able to power the phone. Mobile phone batteries are often available in "standard" or "extended" versions, the latter having a larger capacity to power the phone for a longer period of time. Several types of battery have been used in mobile phones, the main types being: Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH), Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and Lithium Polymer (Li-Po). NiCd and NiMH (to a lesser degree) suffer from memory effect. All batteries slowly lose their charge with time, even when unused. The rate at which batteries self-discharge will depend on their type, and it is found that an unused Li-Ion battery is the best at holding its charge, a NiMH battery the worst, and NiCd is somewhere in between
:
Battery indicator is either a visual or audible warning message that alert the user to the state of the battery. The phone may give out an audible "beeping" tone, or a "LoBat" message might appear on the display to indicate that the battery is running low. The warnings usually give the user sufficient time to recharge the battery before the phone stops working
:
Battery meter is a visual indicator of the estimated amount of life remaining in the battery. Mobile phones usually combine a meter with an audible warning signal, to help the user to avoid dropping calls due to the battery running low before they have the chance to recharge
:
Also known as: Bd Baud (Bd) was the traditional unit used to measure signalling speed or modulation rate on a communications channel, and it was first used to measure the speed of telegraph transmissions. The Baud was named after a French engineer, Jean-Maurice-Emile Baudot, and one Baud is equal to one signal change per second. Baud is often confused with the bit rate or Bits per Second (bps), and the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, Bauds and bits are not always the same thing, as more than one bit may be transferred in one Baud. Nowadays Bits Per Second (bps) is used instead of Baud, because it is a more accurate measurement of the actual data transfer rate, and the Baud is best avoided
:
Baud Rate is a measure of the information carrying capacity or signalling rate on a communications channel, and is the maximum number of discrete signal events that can be transmitted per second. Baud Rate has often been used as a measure of the speed at which computers can transfer data through a modem. However, it is a term that has caused a lot of confusion, and some people have mistakenly used the term interchangeably with Bits per Second (bps). Bauds and bits are not always the same thing, as more than one bit may be transferred in one Baud. Nowadays Bits Per Second (bps) is used instead of Baud, because it is a more accurate measurement of the actual data transfer rate, and the Baud is best avoided
:
Also known as: Broadcast Control Channel Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) is a downlink GSM Broadcast Channel (BCH). The BCCH is transmitted by a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) to provide the signalling information required by the MS (Mobile Station) to access and identify the network. The BCCH will include information such as the LAC (Location Area Code).
:
Also known as: Broadcast Channel Broadcast Channels (BCH) are downlink channels in a GSM system and are transmitted by the Base Transceiver Station (BTS). BCH provide signalling information, so that the Mobile Stations (MS) in the cell can locate, synchronise and access the network. Three types of BCH are used: Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH), Synchronisation Channel (SCH), and Frequency Correction Channel
:
"A behavior" is a reusable block of computer code or script that, when applied to an object (computer science,) especially a graphical one, causes it to respond to user input in meaningful patterns or to operate independently, as if alive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviour
:
n. advantage of a product or service, usually derived from its features
:
Also known as: Bit Error Ratio, Bit Error Rate Bit Error Rate or Bit Error Ratio (BER) is a measure of the accuracy of transmission for digital information in a telecommunications system. The BER is calculated as the number of bits that were in error, as a proportion of the total number of bits transmitted, or received, or processed over a given period of time. This figure can be used to indicate the Quality of Service for a service provider, and is typically of the order of one error bit in a billion (or 1 in 10 to the power minus 9).
:
Also known as: Bit Error Rate Test Bit Error Rate Test (BERT) is a device or test used to determine the Bit Error Rate for a particular transmission. The test is used to discover how many received bits of data were in error, as a ratio of the total number of bits received. The result is usually a very small number, typically one in a billion (or 10 to the power minus 9).
:
n. signboard, usually outdoors, for advertising posters
:
Also known as: Bit Bit (binary digit) is the smallest unit of data used in digital information systems, being allocated only a single value of either 0 or 1, i.e. an "off" or an "on" state. In the data communication field bits are counted using the decimal number system, and so other units of bits are kilobit (1,000 bits), Megabit (1,000,000 bits) and Gigabit (1,000,000,000 bits). The term "Bit" is derived from a combination of b(inary) and (dig)it

Page:  1  2  (Next)
  ALL