© Tony Simmons 2010
Select the first letter of the word from the list above to jump to appropriate section of the glossary. If the term you are looking for starts with a digit or symbol, choose the '#' link.
Glossary of Automation & Control Engineering Terms
PAS
Process Automation System.
Patch
A section of executable code introduced into a software module without re-compiling or re-linking the module.
PC
PC - Personal Computer.
PCS
Process Control System - - a generalised term used when it is not known whether control will employ DCS or PLC based systems.
PDS
Power Drive System
PES
PES - Programmable Electronic System. A system based on one or more central processing units connected to sensors and/or actuators on a plant for the purpose of control, monitoring or protection.
Physical Layer
One of the protocol layers in the OSI seven layer model. The physical layer is concerned with transmitting raw bits over a communication channel. The design issues have to do with making sure that is one side sends a 1 bit, it is received by the other side as a 1 bit, and not as a 0 bit.
Plan
A plan is a document defining the intended method of execution of a project or life cycle stage
PLC
Programmable Logic Controller
PQ
Performance Qualifitication
Presentation Layer
One of the protocol layers in the OSI seven layer model. The presentation layer performs certain functions that are requested sufficiently often to warrant finding a general solution for them, rather than letting each user solve the problems. In particular, unlike all the lower layers, which are just interested in moving bits reliably from here to there, the presentation layer is concerned with the syntax and semantics of the information transmitted. Data compression would be performed in this layer.
Product
Product - in the terminology of systems implementation, an alternative name for a "deliverable".
Programming Language
A systematic and formally structured means of communicating instructions and data to a computer. [IEE Guidelines for the documentation of software]
Protective System
Protocol - Communications
A protocol is a set of rules governing the format and meaning of the frames, packets, or messages that are exchanged by the peer entities within a communications layers. Entities use protocols in order to implement their service definitions. See Service.
Protocol - Commercial
A record of an agreement
A document setting out the acceptance qualification basis for an item of equipment or functionality. They cover Design Qualification, Installation Qualification, Operational Qualification and Performance Qualification.
Prototype
A prototype is a sub-set of an application put together for a variety of reasons. These reasons include:
• reduce project risk;
• demonstration to user of the man machine interface;
• demonstration to user of the man machine interface;
• to try out how best to implement functions on an unfamiliar system;
• to try out a novel requirement which poses technical risk.
Pseudo Code
A combination of programming language and a natural language used for computer program design. [ANSI/IEEE]
PUWER
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
