MICROSOFT PRESS ®
`
`~OMPUTER
`CTIONARY
`------~~..__· - - -
`
`•
`
`BNA/Brose Exhibit 1053
`IPR2014-00417
`Page 1
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`

`

`PUBUSHED BY
`Microsoft Press
`A Division of Microsoft Corporation
`One Microsoft Way
`Redmond, W.1sl1ington 98052-6399
`Copyright II:> 1991 by Microsoft Press, a division of Microsoft Corporation.
`
`All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may
`be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without
`the written permission of the publisher.
`
`Library o f Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`Microsoft Press computer dictionary : the comprehensive standard for
`business, school. library, and home.
`p.
`em.
`ISBN l -SS61S-23J-0
`l. Computers--Dictionaries. 2. Mic rocornpuu.: rs--Pictio narl c.s.
`1. Micwsoft Press.
`QA76.1S.MS4 1991
`004. 16'03--dc20
`
`91-9901
`CIP
`
`Primed and bound in the United States o f America.
`23456789 MLML 654321
`Distributed to the book trade in Canada by Macmillan of Canada, a division
`of Canada Publishing Corporation.
`Distributed to the book trade outside the United States and Canada by
`Penguin Books Ltd.
`Penguin Books Ud., Harrnond~worth, Middlesex, England
`Penguin Book!> Australilt Ltd., Ringwood, Victoria, Australia
`Penguin Books N.Z. Ltd., 182-190 Wairau Rrntd, Auckland 10, New Zealand
`
`British Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.
`
`Acquisitions Editor: Marjorie Schlaikjer
`Project Editor: Mary Ann jones
`TccbnlcalEditors: David Rygmyr,JeffHinsch, Mary Dejong, Oail Magee, Jr.
`Manuscript Editor: Pamela Beason
`Copy Editor: Alice Copp Smith
`
`BNA/Brose Exhibit 1053
`IPR2014-00417
`Page 2
`
`

`

`semantic error
`
`sequential access
`
`ing the results against a set of expected output
`values.
`semantic error An error in meaning; a statement
`that is syntactically correct (legal) but functionally
`wrong. For example, the C statement
`
`if (b=O) b = 0.1;
`
`will always end with b equal to 0 (and will never
`set it to 0.1 because b=O is a C assignment state(cid:173)
`ment, not an equality comparison), regardless of
`what it was before. The statement contains a se(cid:173)
`mantic error; for the statement to he functionally
`correct, it should be
`
`if (b==O) b = 0.1;
`
`because == is the operator for equality in C. See
`also logic, semantics, syntax.
`semantics In programming, as in spoken language,
`the relationship between words or symbols and
`their intended meanings. Programming languages,
`based as they are on words with precise and usu(cid:173)
`ally restricted meanings, are subject to certain se(cid:173)
`mantic rules. Thus, a semantic error results when a
`statement in a program is put together correctly but
`without meaning-for example, as below:
`linesTii/PageEnd = numE/ephants • massSun
`
`The statement is syntactically correct but semanti(cid:173)
`cally meaningless. Although semantic errors might
`not ever be reported by error-checking routines in
`the programming environment, they will cause in(cid:173)
`correct program behavior.
`On a more conceptual level, semantics also
`forms a part of artificial-intelligence research. Se(cid:173)
`mantic networks, for example, are attempts to rep(cid:173)
`resent relationships among objects,
`ideas, or
`situations in a humanlike way, as below:
`
`CANARY--is a--BIRD
`I has
`FEATHERS
`
`See also syntax.
`semaphore In programming, a signal that is used
`to govern access to shared system resources. A
`semaphore is a flag variable-an indicator-that
`helps maintain order among processes that are
`
`competing for use of such critical resources as
`microprocessor
`time and
`input/output ports.
`Although its implementation is vastly different from
`that of the naval flags for which it is named, the in(cid:173)
`tent of a program semaphore is the same: commu(cid:173)
`nication to avoid confusion and error. See also flag.
`semiconductor A substance that ranks between a
`conductor and a nonconductor (insulator) in its
`ability to conduct electricity. The resistance of a
`semiconductor material is moderate to high, de(cid:173)
`pending on impurities (dopants) added during
`manufacture. The most common semiconductor
`materials used in electronics are silicon and ger(cid:173)
`manium. The term semiconductor is also loosely
`used to refer to electronic components such as tran(cid:173)
`sistors and integrated circuits that are fabricated
`from semiconductor materials.
`sensor A device that detects or measures some(cid:173)
`thing by converting nonelectrical energy into
`electrical energy. For example, a photocell detects
`or measures light by converting light energy into
`electrical energy. A sensor is one kind of trans(cid:173)
`ducer. See also transducer.
`sequence An ordered arrangement, as in a set of
`numbers. See also Fibonacci numbers.
`sequence check A process that determines that
`data or records conform to a particular sort order.
`Compare completeness check, consistency check,
`duplication check.
`sequential access Also called serial access. A
`method of storing or retrieving information that re(cid:173)
`quires the program to start reading at the begin(cid:173)
`ning and continue until it finds the desired data.
`The data could be a linked sequence in which each
`access to a file or record points to the next file or
`record in the sequence. The term can be used to
`describe access to sequential-access files stored on
`disk. This type of access is best used for files in
`which each piece of information is related to what
`comes before it, such as mailing-list files and word(cid:173)
`processing documents. Sequential access is analo(cid:173)
`gous to the process of finding a particular song on
`an audio tape: The search must start at the begin(cid:173)
`ning of the tape and continue sequentially until the
`song is found. Compare random access; see also
`indexed sequential access method.
`
`312
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