Duty cycle
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In telecommunication, the term duty cycle has the following meanings:
- In an ideal pulse train, that is, one having rectangular pulses, the ratio or percentage of the pulse duration to the pulse period.
- Note: For example, the duty cycle is 0.25 for a pulse train in which the pulse duration is 1 μs and the pulse period is 4 μs.
- The ratio of (a) the sum of all pulse durations during a specified period of continuous operation to (b) the total specified period of operation.
- In a continuously variable slope delta (CVSD) modulation converter, the mean proportion of binary "1" digits at the converter output in which each "1" indicates a run of a specified number of consecutive bits of the same polarity in the digital output signal.
- In a periodic phenomenon, the ratio of the duration of the phenomenon in a given period to the period.
- Note: In a piece of electrical equipment, for example, an electric motor, the period for which it may be operated without deleterious effects, for example, from overheating.
A train of pulses with a 50% duty-cycle is called a square wave. Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is used in some music synthesizers to vary the duty-cycle of an oscillator during the performance, which has a subtle effect on the tone colors obtained.
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Source
Federal Standard 1037C and from MIL-STD-188de:Tastverhältnis fr:Rapport cyclique zh:占空比