Shift register

In telecommunication, a shift register is a storage device, usually in a central processing unit[?] (CPU), in which device a serially ordered set of data may be moved, as a unit, into a discrete number of storage locations.

Note 1: Shift registers may be configured so that the stored data may be moved in more than one direction.

Note 2: Shift registers may be configured so that data may be entered and stored from multiple inputs.

Note 3: Shift registers may be grouped into arrays of two or more dimensions in order to perform more complex data operations.

Source: from Federal Standard 1037C and from MIL-STD-188

See also: linear feedback shift register