asynchronous bus

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asynchronous bus A bus that interconnects devices of a computer system where information transfers between devices are self-timed rather than controlled by a synchronizing clock signal. A connected device indicates its readiness for a transfer by activating a request signal. A responding device indicates the completion of this transfer by activating an acknowledge signal. The time required to complete the transaction is determined by the response times of the devices and the delays along the interconnecting bus and may vary for different devices.