ADSL has been of interest to me for the past couple of years because it enables high-speed data on a single pair of local copper loop. It is phenomenal how it can allow voice and data to run concurrently over the same pair of wire.

The article of choice for this report is in the subject of ADSL technology and the integration of the chip sets. Within these five pages the author examines the design methodology that Alcatel has used to develop their mixed signal “chip set-asynchronous digital subscriber line (ADSL)” and the chip implementation environment.

I believe that software emulations of hardware components are a more reliable and cheaper way to design devices. Although I have no experience with device designing, it is interesting to me how software emulation can facilitate the engineer with a fast editing environment. There are no soldering and complicated physical barriers involved.

When the Alcatel design team tested the system in a worst-case scenario, restricting its range of voltage and temperature, the simulation of just 10 seconds of initialization could have taken days of simulation time. But Alcatel resorted to using an emulator for fast debugging. The emulator, in contrast with the simulation, would only take a few hours, not days.

A very important aspect in new technology is to permit the ease for product enhancements. In a broad sense, many times there are new and more efficient ways of implementing a certain design after its final release. The author outlines in his conclusion that Alcatel completed a USB version of the ADSL digital chip. That explains the ease and no hassle install of my ADSL modem to my laptop.

the writer outlines illustrates the

Because of the flexibility of the chip bus architecture, other digital back ends can be integrated onto the chip.

Bibliography

Integrated System Design

August 2000

“Designing ADSL Chip Sets for Rapid Integration”

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