Data Carrier Detect

rdf:langString Data Carrier Detect

rdf:langString Data Carrier Detect, abbreviated as DCD, or alternately Carrier Detect abbreviated as CD, is a control signal present inside an RS-232 serial communications cable that goes between a computer and another device, such as a modem. This signal is a simple "high/low" status bit that is sent "from DCE to DTE", or in a typical scenario, from the peripheral to the computer. It is present on virtually all PC serial ports - pin 1 of a nine-pin (DE9) serial port, or pin eight over a 25-pin (DB25) port. Its purpose varies depending on the device connected, but the most specific meaning is to indicate when a modem is connected to another remote modem via telephone lines. The word "carrier" is a reference to the analog carrier signal generated by a modem, which is modulated to carry the data. On a data modem, the carrier's loss equates to the connection's termination. Much like the Ring Indicator signal, on a PC's serial port, changes to the DCD signal state can generate a hardware interrupt that can be captured by the processor any time the DCD signal changes state, preventing the PC from needing to constantly poll the pin.