Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) is a type of computer bus for attaching or inserting peripheral devices into a computer. The PCI standard was first proposed by Intel in 1990 and was widely implemented in computers by 1995. PCI allows for 32- or 64-bit bus specification. PCI is described as high-bandwidth and processor-independent data path between the CPU and high-speed peripherals. PCI uses all active paths to transmit both address and data signals, sending the address on one clock cycle and data on the next. The PCI specification defines two different card lengths. The full-size PCI form factor is 312 millimeters in long; short PCIs range from 119 to 167 millimeters in length to fit into smaller slots where space is an issue.