"#" symbol on sch.

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  • brew99
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2019
    • 132
    • Canada

    #1

    "#" symbol on sch.

    What does this "#" symbol usually at the end of a signal name/function mean on a schematic?

    Sorry just starting out looking at laptops for fun, and can't find this info
  • bluestone
    Badcaps Veteran
    • Jun 2011
    • 343
    • Ghana

    #2
    Re: "#" symbol on sch.

    Most at times it indicates a low signal, a signal to send another signal low e.g SUSP=3.3v but you need SUSP#=3.3V to make SUSP to be 0v

    Comment

    • BlueMidnight
      Badcaps Veteran
      • Jan 2015
      • 489
      • United States

      #3
      Re: "#" symbol on sch.

      Logic signals (as opposed to power rails or data lines) communicate answers to simple questions. For example, SLP_S3# answers the question "Are we in an S3 or lower sleep/power state?

      There are two possible answers (true/false). And to represent these it uses 2 possible voltages (often 0V/3V). But which voltage means "true" and which means "false"? That's what the '#' character tells you.

      Plain signal name: 3V = True, 0V = False
      Signal with a '#': 0V = True, 3V = False

      Technically, the former is referred to as an "active high" signal, and the latter as an "active low" one. This is because the first one uses a high voltage to represent a true condition, while the second uses a low voltage to indicate the same thing.

      Sometimes a different character is used rather than "#" (e.g. an "_L" suffix). But it shouldn't be too hard to figure out the method by just glancing around whichever schematic you are reading and using some common sense.

      Comment

      • brew99
        Senior Member
        • Jan 2019
        • 132
        • Canada

        #4
        Re: "#" symbol on sch.

        Thanks for that detailed explanation. That really helps

        Comment

        • Techtiger
          Badcaps Legend
          • Oct 2014
          • 1601
          • france

          #5
          Re: "#" symbol on sch.

          Originally posted by BlueMidnight
          Logic signals (as opposed to power rails or data lines) communicate answers to simple questions. For example, SLP_S3# answers the question "Are we in an S3 or lower sleep/power state?

          There are two possible answers (true/false). And to represent these it uses 2 possible voltages (often 0V/3V). But which voltage means "true" and which means "false"? That's what the '#' character tells you.

          Plain signal name: 3V = True, 0V = False
          Signal with a '#': 0V = True, 3V = False

          Technically, the former is referred to as an "active high" signal, and the latter as an "active low" one. This is because the first one uses a high voltage to represent a true condition, while the second uses a low voltage to indicate the same thing.

          Sometimes a different character is used rather than "#" (e.g. an "_L" suffix). But it shouldn't be too hard to figure out the method by just glancing around whichever schematic you are reading and using some common sense.
          Thanks for the technical explanation

          Comment

          • Techtiger
            Badcaps Legend
            • Oct 2014
            • 1601
            • france

            #6
            Re: "#" symbol on sch.

            Originally posted by bluestone
            Most at times it indicates a low signal, a signal to send another signal low e.g SUSP=3.3v but you need SUSP#=3.3V to make SUSP to be 0v
            Thanks

            Comment

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