control unit (CU)

The term control unit is used in sensor networks for the control of actuators. In network technology, the term controller is used synonymously with control unit. In the past, the term control unit was also used in the SNA architecture.

1. In sensor- actuator networks, control units control the actuators to achieve the target state specified by the sensors. The control units link the sensors and actuators to form a control unit. The sensors specify the controlled variables which are passed on by the control units to the actuators.
2. In the SNA world, a control unit is a component for controlling and monitoring input/output commands on one or more channels. The control unit coordinates the data flow between the central processing unit( CPU) and the peripheral devices.