Driver circuit

In electronics, a driver is an electrical circuit or other electronic component used to control another circuit or component, such as a high-power transistor, liquid crystal display (LCD), and numerous others.

They are usually used to regulate current flowing through a circuit or is used to control the other factors such as other components, some devices in the circuit. The term is often used, for example, for a specialized integrated circuit that controls high-power switches in switched-mode power converters. An amplifier can also be considered a driver for loudspeakers, or a constant voltage circuit that keeps an attached component operating within a broad range of input voltages.

Typically the driver stage(s) of a circuit requires different characteristics to other circuit stages. For example in a transistor power amplifier, typically the driver circuit requires current gain, often the ability to discharge the following transistor bases rapidly, and low output impedance to avoid or minimize distortion.

Device driver

In computing, a device driver (commonly referred to as a driver) is a computer program that operates or controls a particular type of device that is attached to a computer. A driver provides a software interface to hardware devices, enabling operating systems and other computer programs to access hardware functions without needing to know precise details of the hardware being used.

A driver communicates with the device through the computer bus or communications subsystem to which the hardware connects. When a calling program invokes a routine in the driver, the driver issues commands to the device. Once the device sends data back to the driver, the driver may invoke routines in the original calling program. Drivers are hardware dependent and operating-system-specific. They usually provide the interrupt handling required for any necessary asynchronous time-dependent hardware interface.

Purpose

Device drivers simplify programming by acting as translator between a hardware device and the applications or operating systems that use it. Programmers can write the higher-level application code independently of whatever specific hardware the end-user is using.

Driving

Driving most often refers to the controlled operation and movement of a motorized vehicle, such as a car, truck, or bus.

Etymology

The origin of the term driver, as recorded from the 15th century, refers to the occupation of driving working animals, especially pack horses or draft horses. The verb ' to drive ' in origin means "to force to move, to impel by physical force". It is first recorded of electric railway drivers in 1889 and of a motor-car driver in 1896. Early alternatives were motorneer,motor-man, motor-driver or motorist. French favors "conducteur" (the English equivalent, "conductor", being used —from the 1830s— not of the driver but of the person in charge of passengers and collecting fares), while German influenced areas adopted Fahrer (used of coach-drivers in the 18th century, but shortened about 1900 from the compound Kraftwagenfahrer), and the verbs führen, lenken, steuern —all with a meaning "steer, guide, navigate"— translating to conduire.

Introduction of the automobile

Velocifero

Velocifero is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Ladytron and their first to be released by Nettwerk. The album was made available on the iTunes Store as of 19 May 2008, followed by a physical release on 2 June in the United Kingdom and on 3 June elsewhere. Velocifero peaked at number seventy-five on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's second highest-charting album to date in the UK (after Gravity the Seducer reached number seventy-two in 2011). It was also their first album to chart on the US Billboard 200, reaching number 131.

According to band member Reuben Wu, "velocifero" literally means "bringer of speed", and is also the name of a classic retro-styled scooter. "Black Cat" and "Kletva" are both sung entirely in Bulgarian. "Kletva" (which means "oath") is a cover of a song from a solo album by Kiril Marichkov of Bulgarian rock band Shturtzite. Daniel Hunt provided additional vocals on "Versus".

Velocifero produced three singles: "Ghosts", "Runaway" and "Tomorrow".

Runaway (TV serial)

Runaway is the story of a young boy who takes to the streets to get away from the torment he suffers at school and daily problems at home. Life at home is rife with daily doses of scoldings from his half-drunk mother, and his two younger brothers Dean and Jack pay him scant attention until noticing he is missing. On his journey, Sean meets a girl named Molly who takes him to a crumbling mill where her family lives. The series follows the police search for Sean, and how his disappearance affects his family.

Runaways was part of a short season on CBBC about children and homelessness, along with a 5-part documentary "Sofa Surfers". The program was first shown as three separated half-hour episodes in March 2009, and later as an 82-minute film.

Cast

Episodes

References

External links

Runaway (Jim Carroll album)

Runaway is a 2000 EP album by author and punk musician Jim Carroll.

Track listing

Track 2 is a 1994 demo from Pools of Mercury
Tracks 3-5 recorded live at the Crocodile Cafe, Seattle on 17 November 1998

Personnel

References