real time

(rē'əl, rēl)
n.

1. The actual time in which a physical process under computer study or control occurs.
2. The time required for a computer to solve a problem, measured from the time data are fed in to the time a solution is received.

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1. said of historical data based on actual experience rather than back-testing.

2. quotation based on latest bid/offer information as opposed to a delayed quote, which reports 15 or 20 minutes after a trade.

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1. [techspeak] adj. Describes an application which requires a program to respond to stimuli within some small upper limit of response time (typically milli- or microseconds). Process control at a chemical plant is the canonical example. Such applications often require special operating systems (because everything else must take a back seat to response time) and speed-tuned hardware.

2. adv. In jargon, refers to doing something while people are watching or waiting. “I asked her how to find the calling procedure's program counter on the stack and she came up with an algorithm in real time.”

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Pertaining to the timeliness of data or information that has been delayed only by the time required for electronic communication. This implies that there are no noticeable delays.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

(DOD) Pertaining to the timeliness of data or information which has been delayed only by the time required for electronic communication. This implies that there are no noticeable delays. See also near real time.

A term used to describe the making of electronic observations and the processing of them while the data is being collected rather than later.

n

An application of computerized equipment allowing data to be processed with relation to ongoing external events so that the operators can make immediate decisions based on the current data output. Ultrasound scanning uses real time control systems, making results available almost simultaneously with the generation of the input data.

For a list of words related to real time, see:

• Measures and Standards of Time - real time: actual elapsed time, esp. when editing film
• General Technology - real time: actual time required for computer operations involving rapid analysis of data, esp. as it affects a physical process

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