Tektronix Inc. has been granted a U.S. Patent on its Digital Phase Analysis (DPA) technology, a jitter analysis approach to test optical communications networks.
When placing a phone call, jitter results in a dropped call or poor quality-of-service for consumers. With the deployment of today's faster and more complex communications networks, management of jitter is increasingly critical. Tektronix' DPA technology, which is integrated into its Optical Test System (OTS) product family, enables manufacturers and network operators to meet and perform the test requirements needed to address the ever expanding global communications infrastructure, claim company representatives.
DPA technology time stamps every edge of a SONET/SDH data stream and removes the error sources and variables associated with phase lock loop (PLL) circuitry found in current analog alternatives. Today, jitter testing has become crucial to testing higher data rates because bits are placed closely together. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has developed global standards to ensure reliability and interoperability, and conforming to these standards becomes critical to ensuring error-free data transmission and reception.
Tektronix' DPA technology capitalizes on the Silicon Germanium (SiGe) technology developed by IBM. SiGe semiconductors provide higher performance and lower power consumption at a lower cost compared to standard silicon, contends the company, and Tektronix was the first to integrate this technology with the introduction of the TDS7000 series Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope.
Tektronix Inc. is a test, measurement, and monitoring company headquartered in Beaverton, OR. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.tektronix.com.