Your question touches on an interesting phenomenon of language and technical terminology evolution. Although the two refer to identical physical components and technical principles, the differences in terminology mainly stem from the following underlying reasons:
1、 Language Roots: Differences between Translation and Habit
Same English source
In English, these types of resistors are collectively referred to as "Current Sensing Resistors" or "Shunt Resistors".
Sampling "and" sampling "are essentially the same word in engineering English, but there are two different expressions when translated into Chinese:
Sampling "is closer to the terminology in the field of signal processing (such as ADC sampling), emphasizing" collecting quantized signals ".
Sampling "carries the context of traditional industrial testing (such as laboratory sampling), focusing on" extracting physical samples ".
Translation differences in early technical literature
In the 1980s and 1990s, there was a lack of unified standards for the introduction of domestic technical materials
Some literature directly translates "Sampling Resistors" as "sampling resistors" (such as in the fields of automation and communication).
Other literature (especially in the fields of electricity and instrumentation) is translated as "sampling resistor", influenced by Japanese technical vocabulary (referred to as "サンプンリング resistance" in Japanese).
2、 Implicit preferences in industry scenarios
Although interchangeable, there are potential biases in different fields:
|Scenario | Common Terminology | Reason|
|Power management/battery protection | Sampling resistance | Emphasize real-time signal acquisition (such as current loop control)|
|Motor drive | Sampling resistor | High frequency sampling with PWM control required|
|Traditional electric meter/galvanometer | sampling resistor | Continuing early terminology (such as "sample and hold circuit")|
|Industrial control PLC | Mixed use | Dependent on engineer's personal habits|
Example: The Chinese manual of TI (Texas Instruments) uniformly uses "current sampling resistor"; However, some domestic power analyzer manuals still retain the term 'sampling resistor'.
3、 The impact of terminology standardization process
Sampling has become the mainstream of engineering
With the popularization of digital signal processing (DSP) technology, the term "sampling" has become a standard term due to its strong association with ADC (analog-to-digital converter):
Sampling rate
Sample and Hold Circuit
In this context, "sampling resistor" is more in line with the technical logic chain.
The gradual marginalization of "sampling"
Sampling is more commonly used in non electrical signal fields (such as chemical sampling) in contemporary engineering, and is less commonly used in new literature in the field of electronics.
4、 Language Economics: Why does "sampling" ultimately win?
|Comparison Dimension | "Sampling Resistance" | "Sampling Resistance"|
|Semantic accuracy | Clearly pointing to the signal conversion process | Easily misinterpreted as physical truncation (such as slicing)|
|Consistency of terminology | Unified with terms such as "sampling circuit" | Isolated from mainstream signal chain vocabulary|
|Convenient to use | More in line with the inertia of engineers' thinking | Additional explanation needed|
Conclusion: Essentially, it is language evolution rather than technological differences
Core consensus: When a low resistance resistor labeled "R<sub>sense</sub>" is seen on a circuit board, whether it is called a sampling or sampling resistor, its function is to convert current into measurable voltage.
Terminology suggestion:
Design new circuits/write documents → Unified use of "sampling resistors" (in line with international trends)
Read old materials/communicate with experienced engineers → consider "sampling resistor" as synonymous
Deep law: This difference is similar to "chips/chips" and "transistors/triodes", and is a manifestation of the standardization of terminology in technology dissemination, ultimately driven by the efficiency requirements of engineering practice.
Action tip: When searching in the electronic component store, it is recommended to search for both "sampling resistor" and "current sense resistor" to avoid missing the model due to the name.