BUFFER

1. A routine or storage medium used to compensate for a difference in rate of flow of data , or time of occurrence of events, when transferring data from one device to another. ( 188 ) Note: Buffers are used for many purposes, such as (a) interconnecting two digital circuits operating at different rates, (b) holding data for use at a later time, (c) allowing timing corrections to be made on a data stream , (d) collecting binary data bits into groups that can then be operated on as a unit, (e) delaying the transit time of a signal in order to allow other operations to occur. 2. To use a buffer or buffers. ( 188 ) 3. An isolating circuit , often an amplifier, used to minimize the influence of a driven circuit on the driving circuit. Synonym buffer amplifier . ( 188 ) 4. In a fiber optic communication cable , one type of component used to encapsulate one or more optical fibers for the purpose of providing such functions as mechanical isolation, protection from physical damage and fiber identification. Note: The buffer may take the form of a miniature conduit, contained within the cable and called a loose buffer, or loose buffer tube, in which one or more fibers may be enclosed, often with a lubricating gel . A tight buffer consists of a polymer coating in intimate contact with the primary coating applied to the fiber during manufacture. ( 188 )