phantom circuit

American  

noun

Electricity.

1. a circuit derived from two suitably arranged pairs of wires, each pair being a circuit side circuit and also acting as one half of an additional derived circuit, the entire system providing the capabilities of three circuits while requiring wires for only two.

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Etymology

Origin of phantom circuit

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

phantom circuit

Craig hastily made sure that he had not discovered or injured the phantom circuit.

From The Dream Doctor by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

In phantom circuits formed merely by inserting repeating coils in physical circuits and doing nothing else, an exact balance of the sides of the phantom circuit is lacking.

From Cyclopedia of Telephony and Telegraphy, Vol. 2 A General Reference Work on Telephony, etc. etc. by McMeen, Samuel

Thus, currents passing over a phantom circuit don't set up currents in the terminal apparatus of the side circuits.

From The Dream Doctor by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

As I was saying about this phantom circuit, it is used a good deal now.

From The Ear in the Wall by Reeve, Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin)

The use of phantom circuits is confined almost wholly to open-wire circuits; and while the capacity of the phantom circuit is somewhat greater than that of the physical circuit, its resistance is considerably smaller.

From Cyclopedia of Telephony and Telegraphy, Vol. 2 A General Reference Work on Telephony, etc. etc. by McMeen, Samuel