6.1 SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS

Serial communications send a single bit at a time between computers. This only requires a single communication channel, as opposed to 8 channels to send a byte. With only one channel the costs are lower, but the communication rates are slower. The communication channels are often wire based, but they may also be optical and radio. Figure 22.2 shows some of the standard electrical connections. RS-232c is the most common standard that is based on a voltage level change. At the sending computer an input will either be true or false. The ’line driver’ will convert a false value ’in’ to a ’Txd’ voltage between +3V to +15V, true will be between -3V to -15V. A cable connects the ’Txd’ and ’com’ on the sending computer to the ’Rxd’ and ’com’ inputs on the receiving computer. The receiver converts the positive and negative voltages back to logic voltage levels in the receiving computer. The cable length is limited to 50 feet to reduce the effects of electrical noise. When RS-232 is used on the factory floor, care is required to reduce the effects of electrical noise - careful grounding and shielded cables are often used.