The glossary contains terms and acronyms that are used in this document.
Band-Pass Filter (BPF)
An electronic device or circuit that passes frequencies within a certain range and
rejects frequencies outside that range.
BPF
Cat-M1
LTE-M User Equipment (UE) category with a single RX antenna, specified in 3GPP Release
13.
Cat-NB1
NB-IoT User Equipment (UE) category with 200 kHz UE bandwidth and a single RX antenna,
specified in 3GPP Release 13.
Cat-NB2
An upgraded version of Cat-NB1, specified in 3GPP Release 14.
DECT NR+
A non-cellular radio standard included as part of the 5G standards by the
ITU.
DECT NR+
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
Electromagnetic noise or energy that causes disturbance and unwanted effects that
interfere with the operation of an electrical circuit.
EMI
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
A sudden discharge of electric current between two electrically charged
objects.
ESD
Embedded SIM (eSIM)
A form of programmable Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that is embedded directly into a device.
eSIM
Embedded Trace Macrocell (ETM)
A real-time trace module providing instruction and data tracing of a processor.
ETM
Error Vector Magnitude (EVM)
A measure used to quantify the performance of a digital radio transmitter or
receiver.
EVM
Extended Discontinuous Reception (eDRX)
A method to conserve the battery of an IoT (Internet of Things) device by allowing it
to remain inactive for extended periods.
eDRX
Firmware-Over-The-Air (FOTA)
A firmware update performed remotely over the air (OTA).
FOTA
General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO)
A digital signal pin that can be used as input, output, or both. It is uncommitted and can be controlled by the user at runtime.
GPIO
GPIOTE
General-Purpose Input/Output Tasks and Events
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
A satellite navigation system with global coverage. The system provides signals from
space transmitting positioning and timing data to GNSS receivers, which use this data to
determine location.
GNSS
Global Positioning System (GPS)
A satellite-based radio navigation system that provides its users with accurate
location and time information over the globe.
GPS
Human Body Model (HBM)
Simulates a charged person discharging to ground through a circuit.
HBM
Instrumentation Trace Macrocell (ITM)
An application-driven trace source that supports printf() style debugging to trace
operating system and application events and generates diagnostic system information.
ITM
Integrated Circuit (IC)
A semiconductor chip consisting of fabricated transistors, resistors, and capacitors.
IC
Internet of Things (IoT)
Physical objects that are embedded with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems of the Internet or other communications networks.
IoT
Long-Term Evolution (LTE)
A wireless broadband communication standard for mobile devices and data terminals, based on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA technologies.
LTE
Low-Noise Amplifier (LNA)
In a radio receiving system, an electronic amplifier that amplifies a very low-power
signal without significantly degrading its signal-to-noise ratio.
LNA
Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT)
A narrowband technology standard with longer range, lower throughput, and better
penetration in, for example, cellars and parking garages compared to LTE-M. NB-IoT is most
suitable for static, low throughput applications like smart metering, smart agriculture, and
smart city applications. Also known as E-UTRAN (NB-S1), Cat-NB1, and Cat-NB2.
NB-IoT
Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN)
A 3GPP communication system that delivers wireless connectivity using satellites,
drones, or high-altitude platforms instead of ground-based infrastructure.
NTN
MIPI RF Front-End Control Interface (RFFE)
A dedicated control interface for the RF front-end subsystem. MIPI Alliance
MIPI RFFE
Over-the-Air (OTA)
Refers to any type of wireless transmission. For Matter, OTA is synonymous with the
Over-the-Air software update mechanism.
OTA
Power Amplifier (PA)
A device used to increase the transmit power level of a radio signal.
PA
Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC)
A chip used for various functions related to power management.
PMIC
Power Saving Mode (PSM)
A feature introduced in 3GPP Release 12 to improve battery life of IoT (Internet of
Things) devices by minimizing energy consumption. The device stays dormant during the PSM
window.
PSM
Production Test Image (PTI)
A modem firmware version used in the device manufacturing phase.
PTI
Programmable Peripheral Interconnect (PPI)
Enables peripherals to interact autonomously with each other using tasks and events
independent of the CPU.
PPI
Release Assistance Indication (RAI)
A 3GPP feature that allows an LTE-M or NB-IoT device to indicate to the eNB that it
has no more UL data and that the device does not anticipate receiving further DL
data.
RAI
Right Hand Circular Polarization (RHCP)
Circular polarization in which the electric field vector rotates in a right-hand sense
with respect to the direction of propagation.
RHCP
Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
Synchronous serial communication interface specification used for short-distance
communication.
SPI
Serial Wire Debug (SWD)
A standard two-wire interface for programming and debugging Arm® CPUs.
SWD
Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)
A card used in User Equipment (UE) containing data for subscriber
identification.
SIM
System in Package (SiP)
Several integrated circuits, often from different technologies, enclosed in a single module that performs as a system or subsystem.
SiP
System on Chip (SoC)
A microchip that integrates all the necessary electronic circuits and components of a
computer or other electronic systems on a single integrated circuit.
SoC
Tracking Area Update (TAU)
A procedure initiated by the User Equipment (UE) when moving to a new tracking area in
the LTE (Long-term Evolution) system.
TAU
Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC)
A new generation Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) used in User Equipment (UE) for
ensuring the integrity and security of personal data.
UICC
Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM)
A card used in User Equipment (UE) containing data for subscriber
identification.
USIM
User Equipment (UE)
Any device used by an end-user to communicate. The UE consists of the Mobile Equipment
(ME) and the Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).