Workstation 4 Setup Guide Glossary-5
WS4 Glossary
LCD
Abbreviation for Liquid Crystal Display. This type of display consists of
a sandwich constructed from two plastic sheets with a special liquid
made from rod-shaped or nematic molecules. By applying an electrical
current, the molecules can be aligned in grooves in the plastic to bend
the polarity of the light that passes through them. A polarized filter
laminated over the electrodes blocks the polarized light, transmitting
only the non-polarized light. In this manner, a grid of electrodes can
selectively turn on a pixel that contains the liquid crystal, making it
turn dark.
LCDs are available in two forms, active and passive. Passive LCD
panels have a grid of horizontal and vertical conductors, with a pixel
located at the intersection of these conductors. The pixel is darkened by
sending current through the conductors to the liquid crystal. This is
called a passive matrix LCD.
The alternate design, an active matrix, puts a transistor at every pixel.
When a small current is sent through it, the transistor switches on,
providing a much higher current to activate the LCD pixel. Active
matrix LCDs are more expensive than passive displays but are many
times brighter and can be viewed from greater angles.
LVDS
Abbreviation for Low Voltage Deferential Signalling.
Magnetic Stripe Card
A plastic or paper card with a magnetic stripe attached. The magnetic
stripe has the same qualities as magnetic tape.
See Also MAGTEK Mode and Special Mode.
MSR
Abbreviation for Magnetic Stripe Reader. An MSR contains a
transducer that reads the data from multiple tracks on a mag stripe
card. The workstation 4 is equipped with a 3-track MSR.
See also: MAGTEK Mode and Special Mode.
MAGTEK Mode
MAGTEK mode emulates the output from the MAGTEK series of card
readers manufactured by MAGTEK, Inc. In MAGTEK mode, the WS4
hardware converts the MSR track data into a series of keystrokes that
the API directs into the window that has focus under Windows CE.
MAGTEK mode is typically used for swiping MICROS employee and
manager cards in MICROS applications.
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