Baud (Bd) is the Unit of the symbol rate in digital data transmission. It indicates how many Signal states or symbols per second be transmitted via a communication link. Formally applies: 1 baud corresponds to one transmitted symbol per second (1 Bd = 1/s).
A symbol is a defined signal state that is used in the transmission system to transport information. Depending on the transmission method, a symbol can be contain one or more bits of information. Therefore, the baud rate is not necessarily identical to the bit rate. For example, if a symbol encodes several bits, the bit rate can be higher than the baud rate.
In many simple serial communication processes - such as classic UART or RS-232 connections - corresponds to a symbol usually corresponds to a bit. In such cases, baud rate and bit rate are practically the same and are often used synonymously in common parlance (e.g. 9600 baud).
In the Measurement and automation technology the baud rate plays an important role in the configuration of serial interfaces. It determines the speed at which data is transmitted between Measuring devices, control systems and software can be transmitted. Systems and software from Delphin Technology support different baud rates to enable reliable communication with different devices and fieldbus interfaces.
The correct setting of the baud rate is a Basic prerequisite for error-free data transmission, as all communication partners involved must work with the same symbol rate.