Controller (computing)

In computing and especially in computer hardware, controller is a chip, an expansion card, or a stand-alone device (usually called a control unit) that interfaces with a peripheral device. This may be a link between two parts of a computer (for example a memory controller that manages access to memory for the computer) or a controller on an external device that manages the operation of (and connection with) that device. A controller is usually also an adapter.

See also

Types of controller in computing and electronics

• Game controller, a device used for video games
• MIDI controller, a device or software module used to transmit performance data to an electronic musical instrument, computer, or recording system
• Controllers specifically found in computers may include:
  • Graphics controller or video display controller
  • Memory controller, logic which manages the flow of data in a computer system
  • Disk array controller, also known as RAID controller, a type of storage controller
  • Disk controller, integrated into modern disk drives, it interfaces between the read-write head of any disk drive and the computer's peripheral bus
    • Floppy disk controller, a specific disk controller for floppy drives
  • Flash controller or SSD controller, manages flash memory and interfaces with the host computer
  • SCSI controller, more properly called SCSI host bus adapter
  • Network interface controller (NIC)
  • Keyboard controller
  • Programmable Interrupt Controller
  • Terminal Access Controller, a host computer that accepts terminal connections such as remote log-ons.

Chips that may act as controllers

• Northbridge (computing) – the name of a common type of memory controller in computing
• Southbridge (computing) – the name of a common type of I/O controller in computing

Other articles

• Adapter (computing)
• Programmable logic controller
• Computer bus
• Super I/O
• Control unit

External links

• Controller description at Webopedia, a computer term dictionary.