Direct data capture is the collection of data for a particular purpose (e.g.

barcodes being read at a

supermarket so that the product can be identified or account details being read directly from the chip
embedded in the credit card.)

Indirect data capture is the collection of data as a by-product from data collected for another purpose
(e.g. using data collected from reading barcodes at a supermarket till to work out the stock levels or
using data collected from reading barcodes to see whether an item is selling well.

In computer technology and telecommunication, online and offline are defined by Federal Standard
1037C. They are states or conditions of a "device or equipment" or of a "functional unit". To be
considered online, one of the following must apply to a device:
Under the direct control of another device
Under the direct control of the system with which it is associated
Available for immediate use on demand by the system without human intervention
In contrast, a device that is offline meets none of these criteria (e.g., its main power source is
disconnected or turned off, or it is off-power).

Remote Input
the automatic supply to a calculating and problem-
solving system (computer) of data received from a remote object (source) andtransmitted over a communi
cations channel. The data sources may be various sensing devices, computing units, or automatic control
andmonitoring devices. Before being fed into the communications channel the data are coded
that is, they are converted into signals that areconvenient for transmission. At the input of the computing u
nit the signals received are automatically decoded.
Remote data input can be performed either as the data arrive or with preliminary accumulation and storag
e. If the data are being fed fromseveral sources, a parallel or cyclical remote input system is used. In a pa
rallel system each source has an autonomous channel forsimultaneous and independent remote data inp
ut, but this system is complex and requires large equipment expenditures. With a cyclicalsystem the com
munications channels are connected in turn to one general input circuit by a switching device.



In computer technology and telecommunication, online and offline are defined
byFederal Standard 1037C. They are states or conditions of a "device or equipment"
or of a "functional unit". To be considered online, one of the following must apply to
a device:
Under the direct control of another device
Under the direct control of the system with which it is associated
Available for immediate use on demand by the system without human
intervention
Connected to a system, and is in operation
Functional and ready for service
In contrast, a device that is offline meets none of these criteria (e.g., its main power
source is disconnected or turned off, or it is off-power)