acquisition time

acquisition time (countable and uncountable, plural acquisition times)

1. (physics) The amount of time required to acquire and convert a signal into a data record.
   • 2004, Ian Oppermann, Matti Hämäläinen, Jari Iinatti, UWB: Theory and Applications, page 79:

     In this context, mean acquisition time is used as a performance measure.

   • 2005, Jack Smith, Programming the PIC Microcontroller with MBASIC, page 215:

     During the acquisition time, the sample switch closes and the input voltage charges the A/D's internal 120 pF capacitance C_HOLD.

   • 2006, Huseyin Arslan, Zhi Ning Chen, Maria-Gabriella Di Benedetto, Ultra Wideband Wireless Communication, page 303:

     The acquisition time for a UWB signal is thus large due to a combination of the low energy per pulse and very short pulse durations (nanoseconds or hundreds of picoseconds, typically).

2. (telecommunications) The amount of time required for a GPS receiver to acquire a satellite signal in order to determine the initial position.
   • 2009, So-Young Kang, Jin-Woo Song, Kwang-Jo Lee, Ju-Hee Lee, Ji-Hoon Kim, Sung-Bong Yang, “Improved Location Acquisition Algorithms for the Location-Based Alert Service”, in James (Jong Hyuk) Park, Hsiao-Hwa Chen, Mohammed Atiquzzaman, editor, Advances in Information Security and Assurance, page 465:

     The speed-based acquisition algorithm controls the location acquisition time interval in such a way that when a user is moving faster than before, the location acquistion time interval is shortened and when the speed gets slower the location acquistion interval is increased appropriately.

3. The time taken to sample data in order to obtain an image or measurement to a specified resolution.
   • 2003, M Lees, Food Authenticity and Traceability, page 134:

     Following the pulse irradiation, the acquisition time is the part of the sequence where the free induction decay (FID) signal is recorded. The acquisition time is dependent on the digital resolution required.

   • 1998, G. Scott Gazelle, Sanjay Saini, Peter R. Mueller, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Radiology: Imaging and Intervention, page 64:

     The best way to deal with motion is to shorten the acquisition time.

   • 2007, Steven M. Colegate, Russell J. Molyneux, Bioactive Natural Products, page 124:

     Reducing the acquisition time to 2s results in the sampling of 32K real data points, and acceptance of reduced digital resolution at 0.25 Hz/point, but it will reduce sample heating if C decoupling is used.

   • 2012, Suhny Abbara, Sanjeeva P Kalva, Problem Solving in Radiology, page 64:

     The acquisition time is the key scanner characteristic that determines whether the previously stated goal will be possible.

   • 2012, William E. Brant, Eduard E. de Lange, Essentials of Body MRI, page 62:

     Since oversampling entails collecting additional phase-encoding steps and the acquisition time is proportional to the number of phase-encoding steps, the use of oversampling increases the acquisition time.

   • 2015, Wolfgang Becker, Advanced Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting Applications:

     The equation given above can be used to estimate the number of photons and the acquisition time needed to record a fluorescence lifetime image.

4. The time needed to synchronize with an electronic signal.
   • 2017, Olof Liberg, Marten Sundberg, Eric Wang, Cellular Internet of Things, page 67:

     To see an increased acquisition time as an extension of coverage might seem strange at initial thought but this could actually be a means that can improve coverage for all type of channels.

   • 2017, John D. Cressler, H. Alan Mantooth, Extreme Environment Electronics, page 606:

     Therefore, to the first-order, the acquisition time increases linearly with increasing frequency steps and decreases as a quadratic with increasing natural frequency.

5. The time needed to complete a procurement.
   • 1981, Non-Federal Computer Acquisition Practices Provide Useful Information for Streamlining Federal Methods:

     We believe that management control, planning, accountability, and specific procurement practices to be discussed, work together as an integrated whole to reduce the total acquisition time and complexity.

   • 1986, United States. General Accounting Office, ADP Procurement, page 26:

     To assess total acquistion time for the sample, we divided the process into three components: requirements development, internal approval, and solicitation to award.