Signal chain
Encyclopedia
Signal chain, or signal-processing chain is a term used in signal processing and mixed-signal system design to describe a series of signal-conditioning electronic components that receive input (data acquired from sampling
either real-time phenomena or from stored data) in tandem, with the output of one portion of the chain supplying input to the next. Signal chains are often used in signal processing
applications to gather and process data or to apply system controls based on analysis of real-time phenomena.
The concept of a signal chain is familiar to electrical engineers, but the term has many synonyms such as circuit topology . The goal of any signal chain is to process a variety of signals to monitor or control an analog-, digital-, or analog-digital system.
Sampling
Sampling may refer to:*Sampling , converting a continuous signal into a discrete signal*Sampling , converting continuous colors into discrete color components*Sampling , re-using portions of sound recordings in a piece...
either real-time phenomena or from stored data) in tandem, with the output of one portion of the chain supplying input to the next. Signal chains are often used in signal processing
Signal processing
Signal processing is an area of systems engineering, electrical engineering and applied mathematics that deals with operations on or analysis of signals, in either discrete or continuous time...
applications to gather and process data or to apply system controls based on analysis of real-time phenomena.
Definition
This definition comes from common usage in the electronics industry and can be derived from definitions of its parts :- Signal -- "The event, phenomenon, or electrical quantity, that conveys information from one point to another".
- Chain -- "1. Any series of items linked together. 2. Pertaining to a routine consisting of segments which are run through the computer in tandem, only one segment being within the computer at any one time and each segment using the output from the previous program as its input".
The concept of a signal chain is familiar to electrical engineers, but the term has many synonyms such as circuit topology . The goal of any signal chain is to process a variety of signals to monitor or control an analog-, digital-, or analog-digital system.
See also
- Digital processing
- Analog-to-digital conversion
- Audio amplifierAudio amplifierAn audio amplifier is an electronic amplifier that amplifies low-power audio signals to a level suitable for driving loudspeakers and is the final stage in a typical audio playback chain.The preceding stages in such a chain are low power audio amplifiers which perform tasks like pre-amplification,...
- Transmission
- Digital electronics
- Digital-to-analog converterDigital-to-analog converterIn electronics, a digital-to-analog converter is a device that converts a digital code to an analog signal . An analog-to-digital converter performs the reverse operation...
- Electronic filterElectronic filterElectronic filters are electronic circuits which perform signal processing functions, specifically to remove unwanted frequency components from the signal, to enhance wanted ones, or both...
- FeedbackFeedbackFeedback describes the situation when output from an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or occurrences of the same Feedback describes the situation when output from (or information about the result of) an event or phenomenon in the past will influence an occurrence or...
- Mechanical filterMechanical filterA mechanical filter is a signal processing filter usually used in place of an electronic filter at radio frequencies. Its purpose is the same as that of a normal electronic filter: to pass a range of signal frequencies, but to block others. The filter acts on mechanical vibrations which are the...
- Signal flow chain
- Stochastic processes topics, list of