< architecture > Not synchronised by a shared signal such as clock or semaphore , proceeding independently.
Opposite: synchronous .
1. A process in a multitasking system whose execution can proceed independently, "in the background ". Other processes may be started before the asynchronous process has finished.
2. A communications system in which data transmission may start at any time and is indicated by a start bit , e.g. EIA-232 . A data byte (or other element defined by the protocol ) ends with a stop bit . A continuous marking condition (identical to stop bits but not quantized in time), is then maintained until data resumes.
(1995-12-08)