duty cycle

The proportion of time that a system, device, or component on intermittent duty is operating, rather than remaining idle. The duty cycle includes the time starting, running, stopping, and idling and generally is expressed as a percentage or fraction.A compressor, for example, that operates for 1 minute and then shuts off for 99 minutes, is said to have a duty cycle of 1 / 100 , or 1 percent.
In pulse systems, such as digital fiber optic transmission systems (FOTS) or baseband digital electrical transmission systems, the ratio of the sum of all pulse durations to the total period, during a specified period of continuous operation, with the pulse duration, including the rise to peak power and the fall to zero power. See also baseband, digital, FOTS, and pulse.

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