In
computer hardware
Computer hardware includes the physical parts of a computer, such as the case, central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, graphics card, sound card, speakers and motherboard.
...
, a controller may refer to:
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Memory controller
The memory controller is a digital circuit that manages the flow of data going to and from the computer's main memory. A memory controller can be a separate chip or integrated into another chip, such as being placed on the same die or as an int ...
, a unit that manages access to memory
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Game controller
A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game, typically to control an object or character in the game. Before the seventh generatio ...
, a device by which the user controls the operation of the computer
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Host controller
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Network controller
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Graphics controller
A graphics card (also called a video card, display card, graphics adapter, VGA card/VGA, video adapter, display adapter, or mistakenly GPU) is an expansion card which generates a feed of output images to a display device, such as a computer moni ...
or video display controller
* SCSI
host bus adapter
In computer hardware, a host controller, host adapter, or host bus adapter (HBA), connects a computer system bus, which acts as the host system, to other network and storage devices. The terms are primarily used to refer to devices for conne ...
*
Network interface controller
A network interface controller (NIC, also known as a network interface card, network adapter, LAN adapter or physical network interface, and by similar terms) is a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network.
Ear ...
(NIC)
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Parallel port
In computing, a parallel port is a type of interface found on early computers ( personal and otherwise) for connecting peripherals. The name refers to the way the data is sent; parallel ports send multiple bits of data at once ( parall ...
controller
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Microcontroller
A microcontroller (MCU for ''microcontroller unit'', often also MC, UC, or μC) is a small computer on a single VLSI integrated circuit (IC) chip. A microcontroller contains one or more CPUs ( processor cores) along with memory and programmabl ...
unit (MCU)
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Keyboard controller
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Programmable Interrupt Controller
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Northbridge (computing)
In computing, a northbridge (also host bridge, or memory controller hub) is one of two chips comprising the core logic chipset architecture on a PC motherboard. A northbridge is connected directly to a CPU via the front-side bus (FSB) to han ...
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Southbridge (computing)
The southbridge is one of the two chips in the core logic chipset on a personal computer (PC) motherboard, the other being the northbridge. The southbridge typically implements the slower capabilities of the motherboard in a northbridge/southb ...
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Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter
A universal asynchronous receiver-transmitter (UART ) is a computer hardware device for asynchronous serial communication in which the data format and transmission speeds are configurable. It sends data bits one by one, from the least significa ...
(UART) communications controller chip
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Peripheral DMA controller A peripheral DMA controller (PDC) is a feature found in modern microcontrollers. This is typically a FIFO with automated control features for driving implicitly included modules in a microcontroller such as UARTs.
This takes a large burden from th ...
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Floppy disk controller
A floppy-disk controller (FDC) has evolved from a discrete set of components on one or more circuit boards to a special-purpose integrated circuit (IC or "chip") or a component thereof. An FDC directs and controls reading from and writing to a ...
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Disk array controller, also known as a RAID controller, a type of storage controller
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Flash controller
A flash memory controller (or flash controller) manages data stored on flash memory (usually NAND flash) and communicates with a computer or electronic device. Flash memory controllers can be designed for operating in low duty-cycle environments l ...
, or SSD controller, which manages flash memory
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Terminal Access Controller
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IBM 2821 Control Unit, used to attach card readers, punches and line printers to IBM System/360 and IBM System/370 computers
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IBM 270x 270x is a generic name for a family of IBM non-programmable communications controllers used with System/360 and System/370 computers.
The family consisted of the following devices:
* IBM 2701 Data Adapter Unit
* IBM 2702 Transmission Control
* IB ...
and
IBM 37xx
IBM 37xx (or 37x5) is a family of IBM Systems Network Architecture (SNA) programmable communications controllers used mainly in mainframe environments.
All members of the family ran one of three IBM-supplied programs.
*''Emulation Program'' (E ...
, used for telecommunications
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IBM 3271, 3272, 3271, and 3174, used to attach terminals (display devices)
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MIDI controller
A MIDI controller is any hardware or software that generates and transmits Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data to MIDI-enabled devices, typically to trigger sounds and control parameters of an electronic music performance. They mos ...
*
Programmable logic controller
A programmable logic controller (PLC) or programmable controller is an industrial computer that has been ruggedized and adapted for the control of manufacturing processes, such as assembly lines, machines, robotic devices, or any activity t ...
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