Glossary - VeriFone P200 Reference Manual

ASCII
Abbreviation for American Standard Code for
Information Interchange. A 7-bit code (with no parity
bit) that provides a total of 128 bit patterns. ASCII
codes are widely used for information interchange in
data processing and communication systems.
Baud
The number of times per second that a
system, especially a data transmission channel,
changes state. The state of a system may represent
a bit, digit, or symbol. For a POS terminal, the baud
rate indicates the number of bits per second that are
transmitted or received by the terminal's serial ports.
Boot loader
Also called a bootloader or bootstrap
loader. A short program, stored in non-volatile
memory, that allows the terminal to continue
operating during an operating system download
procedure, until the new operating system is
downloaded into terminal memory.
Calendar/clock chip
terminal which keeps track of the current date and
time.
Card reader
Also called magnetic stripe card
reader. The slot on the right side of the terminal that
automatically reads data stored in the magnetic
stripe on the back of a specially-encoded card when
you swipe the card through the slot.
Certificate
Also called a digital certificate. A digital
document or file that attests to the binding of a public
key to an individual or entity, and that allows
verification that a specific public key does in fact
belong to a specific individual.
File authentication
A process through which one
proves and verifies the origin of a file, the identity of
the sender, and the integrity of the information it
contains.
Firmware
System software, including the operating
system, boot loader, default display font, and system
messages, stored in terminal memory.
Keypad
A small keyboard or section of a keyboard
containing a smaller number of keys, generally those
A real-time clock inside the
used in simple calculators. The 16-key core keypad
of the terminal is used to enter data and perform
operations.
Manual transaction
manual entry of account information from the
terminal keypad instead of automatic entry of the
information from a reading terminal, such as a
magnetic stripe card reader.
POS terminal
A terminal used at the point of sale,
which is usually at a merchant site where a customer
pays for goods or services received. Information
concerning the sale can be entered into the terminal
and transmitted to a remote host computer for
verification and processing.
RS-232
Also RS-232C. A widely used standard
interface that covers the electrical connection
between data communication equipment. The RS-
232 interface standard was developed by the EIA
(Electronic Industries Association) and is essentially
equivalent to the CCITT's V.24 interface.
Serial port
A connection point through which
digital information is transferred one digital bit at a
time. Same as serial interface. The terminal has one
serial port, available at the multiport connector. The
main serial port on a download computer is usually
assigned the terminal ID, COM1.
Swipe
The action of sliding a magnetic stripe card
through a terminal card reader. The card reader has
a bi-directional swipe direction. The user must hold
the card so that the magnetic stripe is faces in and
towards the keyboard.
Track 1, 2, or 3 data
1, 2, or 3 of a debit or credit card magnetic stripe,
which can be read by a magnetic card reader
terminal, such as the one that is integrated in the
terminal.
Variable
A string of characters that denotes some
value stored within the computer and that can be
changed during execution. A variable may be
internal to a program, in which case it is held in
P200/P400 R
G
LOSSARY
A transaction involving the
Information stored on tracks
G
EFERENCE UIDE
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