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Download a printable version of the Interconnection Glossary. Select from the following: |
Numbers & Misc. | 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 | |
P
P2P | Peer-to-Peer |
PA | Power Amplifier |
PABX | Private Automatic Branch Exchange |
PACS | Personal Access Communications System |
PACS-TDMA | Personal Access Communications System-Time Division Multiplex (Also ANSI J-Std-014). |
PAD | Packet Assembler/Disassembler |
PAgP | Port Aggregation Protocol |
PAL | Phase Alternation by Line; Public Access Line |
PAM | Pulse Amplitude Modulation |
PAN | Personal Area Network |
PAP | Password Authentication Protocol |
PAS | Personal Access System |
PB | Petabyte |
PBX | Private Branch Exchange |
PC | Personal Computer |
PC Card | Formerly known as a PCMCIA card |
PCH | Paging Channel |
PCI | Peripheral Component Interconnect PC Bus Interface |
PCM | Pulse Code Modulation |
PCN | Personal Communications Network |
PCR | Peak Cell Rate |
PCS | Personal Communication Services |
PDA | Personal Data Assistant |
PDC | Pacific Digital Cellular; Personal Digital Cellular |
PDF | Portable Document Format; Probability Density Function |
PDH | Plesiosynchronous Digital Hierarchy |
PDN | Public Data Network |
PDU | Protocol Dada Unit |
PGP | Pretty Good Privacy |
PHB | Per Hop Behavior |
PHP | Personal Handy Phone |
PHS | Personal Handy Phone System |
PHY | Physical device |
PIC | Primary Interexchange Carrier; Polyethylene Insulated Cable |
PIC Code | Pre-subscribed/Primary Inter-LATA Carrier Code |
PICMG | PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group |
PICMG 2.16 | PICMG “Ethernet backplane” standards |
PIN | Personal Identification Number |
PING | Packet INternet Groper |
PINT | PSTN/Internet INTernetworking |
PKCS | Public-Key Cryptography Standards |
PKI | Public Key Infrastructure |
PL | Private Line |
PLC | Packet Loss Concealment |
PLL | Phase Locked Loop |
PLMN | Public Land Mobile Network |
PM | Performance Monitoring; Phase Modulation |
PMR | Private Mobile Radio |
PNCQPSK | Psuedo-Noise Complex Quadrature Phase Shift Keying |
PNNI | Private Network Node Interface |
PnP | Plug and Play |
POCS | Plain Old Cable Service |
POI | Point of Interface |
PON | See Passive Optical Network |
POP | Point of Presence; Post Office Protocol |
POS | Point of Sale |
POTS# | Plain Old Telephone Service Number |
POTS | Plain Old Telephone Service |
PPD | Partial Packet Discard |
PPP | Point-to-Point Protocol |
PPP/MD | Point-to-Point Protocol/Mulitlink Protocol |
PPTP | Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol |
PRA | Primary Rate Access |
PRBS | Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence |
PRI | Primary Rate Interface |
PRMA | Packet Reservation Multiple Access |
PROM | Programmable Read-Only Memory |
PRP | Primary Routing Point |
PRS | Primary Reference Signal |
PSAP | Public-Service Answering Point |
PSC | Public Service Commission |
PSD | Power Spectral Density |
PSK | Phase Shift Keying |
PSN | Packet-Switching Network; Public Switching Network |
PSTN | Public Switching Telephone Network |
PTI | Payload Type Identifier |
PTN | Public Telephone Network |
PTT | Postal Telephone and Telegraph; Push-to-Talk |
PU | Physical Unit |
PUC | Public Utilities Commission |
PUC/PSC | Public Utility Commission/Public Service Commission |
PUK | PIN Unblocking Key |
PVC | Permanent Virtual Circuit/Connection |
PVP | Permanent Virtual Path |
PWT | Personal Wireless Telecommunication |
PWM | Pulse-Width Modulation |
PX | Private Exchange |
Packaging | The process of physically locating, connecting and protecting devices or components. |
Packaging Density | Quantity of functions (components, interconnection devices, mechanical devices) per unit volume, usually expressed in qualitative terms, such as high, medium or low. |
Pad | The portion of the conductive pattern on printed circuits designated for the mounting or attachment of components. (Also called Land.) |
Pad Terminal Connector | A connector that joins a conductor to the terminal pad (solid or laminated block) of electrical apparatus. |
Paint | One of several conductive materials used for shielding, repairing, connecting and adhesion purposes. It can be applied by brushing, dispensing, silk screening, dipping, spraying, stenciling or firing. |
Panel-mount | Method of fixing a connector half to a board, panel or frame. Usually, the female portion of the connector is mounted, and the male half is the removable portion. |
Parallel Splice | A device for joining two or more conductors in which the conductors lie parallel and adjacent. (See Lap Joint.) |
Parity | The method of ensuring each data byte transmitted or received. Each bit is counted in a byte. The number of odd or even bits in the byte is the parity. Parity may be even, odd, or none. |
Patch Cable | A cable with plugs or terminals on each end of the conductor(s) used to temporarily connect circuits of equipment together. |
Patch Cord | Usually braid-covered with plugs or terminals on each end. Used to connect jacks or blocks in switchboards or programming systems. |
Path | That portion of a printed circuit pattern that carries current between two pads or between a pad and the terminal area (printed contact, edge pad). |
Pendant | The type of plug and/or receptacle that is not mounted in a fixed position or attached to a panel or side of equipment. |
Percent Conductivity | The conductivity of a material expressed as the percentage of copper conductivity. |
Peripheral | A PCB design concept in which the connector and external components or terminals are located first, and the related components are radiated inwardly from these locations. This method is appropriate when one connector handles all input and output connections or when components are located either at a board edge or off the board entirely. |
Peripheral Seal | A design feature that provides an environmental seal between the forward end of the receptacle even though not fully engaged. It generally consists of a piece of rubber fastened around the inner sidewall of the receptacle front opening skirt, or around the outer sidewall of the plug/engagement section. |
Permittivity | That property of a dielectric that determines the electrostatic energy stored per unit volume for a unit potential gradient. |
Phase Modulation | The process of using a medium to carry information. An electrical sine wave traveling down a twisted wire pair can also be modulated to carry information. |
Phenolic Resins | The largest volume-produced thermosets, these impregnating resins produce low-cost coatings and varnishes used in insulation production. They are used for connector housings and inserts. |
Phenylene Oxide-Based Resins | A material offering one of the lowest specific gravities, suitable for a wide variety of connector applications. |
Phosphor Bronze | An alloy of copper, tin, and phosphorous that is resistant to corrosion and used for contact springs in switches and relays. |
Photon | A quantum of electromagnetic energy. The energy of a photon is hg where h is Planck’s constant and g is the optical frequency. |
Photoconductivity | The conductivity increase exhibited by some nonmetallic materials, resulting from the free carriers generated when photon energy is absorbed in electronic transitions. |
Photocurrent | The current that flows through a photosensitive device, such as a photodiode, as the result of exposure to radiant power. (See also Dark Current; Radiant Power.) |
Photovoltaic Effect | Production of a voltage difference across a semiconductor p-n junction resulting from the absorption of photon energy. The voltage difference is caused by internal drift of holes and electrons. |
Pigtail | (1) A short wire extending from an electric or electronic device to serve as a jumper or ground connection. (2) A short length of optical fiber permanently fixed to a component to couple power to a transmission fiber. |
Pin Contact | A male type contact usually designed to mate with a socket or female contact, normally connected to “dead” side of a circuit. |
Pin Density | The quantity of pins on a printed board per unit area. |
PIN-Diode (Positive-Intrinsic-Negative Diode) | A device used to convert optical signals to electrical signals in a receiver. Avalanche photodiodes (APD) combine the detection of optical signals with internal amplification of photocurrent. The internal gain is realized through avalanche multiplication of carriers in the junction region. The advantage in using an APD is its higher signal-to-noise ratio, especially at high bit rates. |
PIN Photodiode (Positive-Intrinsic-Negative Photodiode) | A diode with a large intrinsic region sandwiched between P and N doped semiconducting regions. Photons absorbed in this region create electron-hole pairs that are separated by an electric field, thus generating electric current in a load circuit. |
Pitch | The nominal distance from center-to-center of adjacent conductors. |
Planck’s Constant | The number h that relates the energy E of a photon with the frequency g of the associated wave through the relation |
Plastic Clad Silica (PCS) Fiber | A fiber with a glass core and a plastic cladding. |
Plastic Deformation | Change in dimensions under load that is not recovered when the load is removed. |
Plastic Range | (1) Temperature range in which a metal or alloy can be mechanicallv worked without danger of cracking. (2) Temperature range between the liquidus and solidus in which a material is a combination of liquid and solid. |
Plastics | High polymeric substances, including both natural and synthetic products (but excluding the rubbers), that are capable of flowing under heat and pressure at one time or another. |
Plated Through-Hole | A hole-formed deposition of metal on the sides of the hole and on both sides of the base to provide electrical connection from the conductive pattern on one side to that on the opposite side of the PC board. |
Plating Anode | Usually, a pure form of the metal being plated. The workplace being plated is the cathode. |
Plating, Electroless | A method of metal deposition employing a chemical-reducing agent present in a processing solution. The process is further characterized by the catalytic nature of the surface, which enables the metal to be plated to any thickness. Copper, gold and nickel are the metals most commonly electrolessly plated. |
Plating, Electrolytic | A method of metal deposition employing the work of a cathode, the anode, the electrolyte, a solution containing dissolved salts of the metal to be plated, and a source of direct current. Copper, nickel, chromium, zinc, brass, cadmium, tin, gold and silver are the metals most commonly electro-deposited. |
Plating Equipment | Tools, brush-type units and tank systems designed for large volume circuit plating or spot plating of small parts. This equipment can be manual or automatic and varies in tank capacity, pumping systems, agitation devices controls, filtration systems, conveying techniques, drying units, etc. |
Plating Up | The process consisting of the electro-chemical deposition of a conductive material on the base material (surface holes, etc.) after the base material has been made conductive. |
Plating Void | The area of absence of a particular metal from a specific cross-sectional area. |
Platinum | Platinum is a contact material that provides low and consistent surface resistances. It is used in the moving contacts of ultrasensitive relays, thermostats and potentiometers. Other elements are added to this previous metal to create alloys with higher mechanical wear resistance. Platinum sometimes can be used to replace gold in the plating of metal parts. It is resistant to corrosion and film formation. |
Plug | The part of the two mating halves of a connector that is free to move when not fastened to the other mating half. |
Plug Connector | An electrical connector intended to be attached to the free end of a conductor, wire, cable or bundle, which couples or mates to a receptacle connector. |
Plug-in-Ring | A joint in which a round component pin projects through a hole in a flexible circuit; the pin and conductor are then joined by a conical solder fillet. |
Poisson’s Ratio | The absolute value of the ratio of transverse strain to axial strain resulting from a uniformly applied axial stress below the proportional limit of the material. |
Poke-Home Contact | Term applied to a male or female contact to which a wire has been permanently affixed prior to the assembly of the contact into the insert. |
Polar Solvents | Solvents that are ionized sufficiently to be electrically conductive and that can dissolve polar compounds, such as inorganic salts, but cannot dissolve non-polar compounds, such as hydrocarbons and resins. |
Polarity | Electricity works on two pieces of wire. One is positive (i.e., the polarity of that wire is positive); the other wire is negative. Reversing polarity (putting the negative on the positive wire and vice versa) can convey information. |
Polarization | Polarization is a mechanical arrangement of inserts and/ or shell configuration (referred to as clocking) that prohibits the mating of mismatched plugs and receptacles. This is to allow connectors of the same size to be lined up, side-by-side, with no danger of making the wrong connection. |
Polarize | To design the two mating halves of a 2-piece connector such that only a particular combination of halves can be assembled, thus preventing accidental assembly of unrelated circuits. |
Polarizing Pin | A pin located on one half of a 2-piece connector in such a position that, by mating with an appropriate hole on the other half during assembly of the connector, it will assure that only related connector halves can be assembled. |
Polarizing Slot | A slot, at the edge of a printed board, used to assure proper insertion and location in a mating connector. |
Pole | (1) An item that controls one path of the circuit. (2) An output terminal of a switching device. (3) A combination of NO and/ or NC mating contacts. |
Polyamide | A high temperature plastic with an aromatic structure that cures with heat to a linear amide-imide homopolymer. Because of its outstanding thermal stability and very good electrical properties, it was introduced initially in magnet wire enamels and insulating varnishes. |
Polyarylsulfone | Thermoplastic resin composed mainly of phenyl and biphenyl groups linked by thermally stable ether and sulfone groups. It offers wide temperature and good resistance to chemicals, impact, and solvents. |
Polybutadiene | A family of thermosetting molding compounds formulated from essentially all-hydrocarbon polymeric resins containing high loadings of filler (such as ground silica). They reportedly offer good physical properties, excellent electrical properties, and outstanding resistance to water and aqueous liquids. Heat aging results show the moldings to possess excellent high temperature stability at temperatures as high as 500° F and for as long as 1,000 hours. |
Polyimide | High temperature thermoplastic resins offering a wide range of physical and mechanical properties including: High resistance to oxidative degradation, weathering, radiation and all chemicals except strong bases; resistance to abrasive and frictional wear; and mechanical and electrical properties that can be retained during continuous use at 480° F in air. |
Polysulfones | Strong, heat-resistant thermoplastic that is flame-resistant and stable over a temperature range of -150° F to over 300° F for extended periods of time. It can be electroplated. The presence of a diphenylene sulfone group in the linkage is responsible for the polymer’s thermal stability, resistance to oxidation and rigidity at elevated temperatures. |
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) | A common and widely used synthetic thermoplastic resin that can be converted by heat and pressure into colorless sheets or films. |
Positioner | A device attached to the crimping tool to position conductor barrels between the indentors. |
Positive Lock | A type of latch or locking mechanism used to hold a die set in an installation tool, or an insert in a connector shell, in such a way that the parts cannot be unlocked accidentally. Also describes retention of certain wire terminating contacts (tabs) used with edge or printed circuit connectors. |
Post Insulate | To insulate a connection after assembly. |
Post-Type Terminals | Fixed posts around which wire is wrapped and secured with a threaded nut, or over which a terminal, such as blade, tongue, etc., is placed and secured. |
Potting | Sealing of a component (e.g., the cable end of a multiple contact connector) with a plastic compound or material to exclude moisture, prevent short circuits and provide strain relief |
Potting Cup | An accessory that, when attached to the rear of a plug or receptacle, provides a pouring form for potting the wires and the wire entry end of the assembly. |
Potting Mold | An item, solid or split, designed to be used as a follow form into which a potting compound is injected and allowed to cure or set to seal the back of an electrical connector. |
Power Converter | An “AC-to-DC” converter that converts the + 12 to + 15 VDC power received from the controller/host (via the fiberoptic transceiver interface cable) to the voltages required by the fiberoptic transceiver optoelectronic circuitry. |
Power Efficiency | The ratio of emitted optical power from a source to the electrical input power. |
Precious Metal | One of the relatively scarce and valuable metals: Gold, silver and the platinum group metals. |
Pre-Insulate | The insulation of a connector prior to assembly of the contact or terminal on the conductor. |
Press-Fit Contact | An electrical contact that can be pressed into a hole in an insulator, printed board (with or without plated through-holes) or a metal plate. |
Pressed-Tube Terminal Connector | A terminal connector that is fabricated or pressed from copper or similar tubing. |
Pressure Connection | A connection that utilizes a resilient member to provide a continuous pressure between the flat cable conductor and its connecting member. |
Pressure Differential | The difference in pressure, between one side of a connector and the other, as in a bulkhead mounting; or, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of a sealed connector. |
Pressure Type | A basic connector type, including the bolted-type, compression, self-tapping, and twist-on. It establishes a connection by means of mechanical pressure and without the use of solder. |
Pre-tinned | Solder applied to an electrical component prior to soldering. |
Pre-tinned Solder Cup | Solder cups with inner surfaces that have been pre-coated with a small amount of tin lead solder. |
Primary Insulation | The layer of material that is designed to do the electrical insulating, usually the first layer of material applied over the conductor. |
Printed Circuit | This term is in common use with at least two meanings: (1) A generic term to describe a printed board produced by any of a number of techniques used to fabricate electrical interconnect systems. (2) A circuit obtained by printing and comprising printed components, printed wiring or a combination thereof, all formed in a predetermined design in or attached to a surface or surfaces of a common base. |
Printed Contact | A portion of a conductive pattern, formed by printing, serving as a contact surface for a connector. (Also called Terminal Area or Pad.) |
Protocol Converter | (1) A device for translating the data transmission code and/or protocol of one network or device to the corresponding code or protocol of another network or device, enabling equipment with different conventions to communicate with one another. (2) A device that translates one communications protocol to another. Compare with bridge and gateway, which may contain protocol converters and usually much more. |
Pulse Spreading | The dispersion of incoming optical signals along the length of an optical fiber. |
Numbers & Misc. | 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
