Glossary
G-10
ni.com
M
m
Meter.
M Series
An architect
u
re for instr
u
mentation-class, m
u
ltichannel data acq
u
isition
devices based on the earlier E Series architect
u
re with added new feat
u
res.
meas
u
rement
The q
u
antitative determination of a physical characteristic. In practice,
meas
u
rement is the conversion of a physical q
u
antity or observation to a
domain where a h
u
man being or comp
u
ter can determine the val
u
e.
MIO
M
u
ltif
u
nction I/O—DAQ mod
u
le. Designates a family of data acq
u
isition
prod
u
cts that have m
u
ltiple analog inp
u
t channels, digital I/O channels,
timing, and optionally, analog o
u
tp
u
t channels. An MIO prod
u
ct can be
considered a miniat
u
re mixed signal tester, d
u
e to its broad range of signal
types and flexibility. Also known as m
u
ltif
u
nction DAQ.
mod
u
le
A board assembly and its associated mechanical parts, front panel, optional
shields, and so on. A mod
u
le contains everything req
u
ired to occ
u
py one or
more slots in a mainframe. SCXI and PXI devices are mod
u
les.
monotonicity
A characteristic of a DAC in which the analog o
u
tp
u
t always increases as
the val
u
es of the digital code inp
u
t to it increase.
m
u
ltichannel
Pertaining to a radio-comm
u
nication system that operates on more than one
channel at the same time. The individ
u
al channels might contain identical
information, or they might contain different signals.
m
u
ltif
u
nction DAQ
See
MIO.
m
u
ltiplex
To assign more than one signal to a channel.
See also
m
u
x
M
u
ltiplexer—A set of semicond
u
ctor or electromechanical switches
arranged to select one of many inp
u
ts to a single o
u
tp
u
t. The majority of
DAQ cards have a m
u
ltiplexer on the inp
u
t, which permits the selection of
one of many channels at a time.
A switching device with m
u
ltiple inp
u
ts that seq
u
entially connects each of
its inp
u
ts to its o
u
tp
u
t, typically at high speeds, in order to meas
u
re several
signals with a single analog inp
u
t channel.
