Abstract: A method of improving electrical isolation between a first circuit and a second circuit sharing a common substrate having an effective dielectric constant greater than that of air. The first and second circuits are spaced apart and separated from one another by an intermediate portion of the substrate. The method includes removing a portion of the intermediate portion to replace the portion removed with air thereby reducing the effective dielectric constant of the intermediate portion. By reducing the effective dielectric constant of the intermediate portion, electrical isolation between the first and second circuits is improved thereby reducing crosstalk between the first and second circuits. In particular implementations, the method may be used to reduce alien crosstalk between adjacent communication outlets in a patch panel.

Abstract: A communications outlet includes eight outlet tines positioned adjacent one another and defining four pairs of outlet tines. The fourth and fifth outlet tines define a first pair, the first and second outlet tines define a second pair, the third and sixth outlet tines define a third pair, and the seventh and eighth outlet tines define a fourth pair. Each outlet tine has a free end near to which a plug contact is adapted to touch and each outlet tine has a fixed end coupled through a corresponding conductive trace to a corresponding conductive wire termination contact. The communications outlet includes a first modal alien crosstalk compensation stage connected to the outlet tines associated with the second, third, and fourth pairs.

Abstract: A communications outlet includes a plurality of electrically conductive paths arranged in pairs and an electrically conductive shield. A plurality of conductive elements connected to a corresponding conductive path and the conductive elements configured, for each pair, to balance a capacitive coupling between the electrically conductive shield and the conductive paths of that pair.

Abstract: A pre-twisted cable pair and a method for processing such pairs into an electrical cable having improved electrical and mechanical properties is disclosed. At least one insulated wire for transmitting electrical signals is pre-twisted prior to pairing with another insulated wire. As the pre-twisted wires are paired by a conventional double-twist machine which imparts back-twist, the detrimental electrical effects caused by irregularities in the individual wires are cycled over a very short distance, resulting in a cable pair having lower structural return loss, near-end crosstalk, and insertion loss than wires paired without any pre-twist. These pre-twisted wires may be united into a jacketed electrical cable by a continuous-extrusion jacketing process in which an optimal dielectric constant is maintained around each individual cable pair.

Abstract: A pre-twisted cable pair and a method for processing such pairs into an electrical cable having improved electrical and mechanical properties is disclosed. At least one insulated wire for transmitting electrical signals is pre-twisted prior to pairing with another insulated wire. As the pre-twisted wires are paired by a conventional double-twist machine which imparts back-twist, the detrimental electrical effects caused by irregularities in the individual wires are cycled over a very short distance, resulting in a cable pair having lower structural return loss, near-end crosstalk, and insertion loss than wires paired without any pre-twist. These pre-twisted wires may be united into a jacketed electrical cable by a continuous-extrusion jacketing process in which an optimal dielectric constant is maintained around each individual cable pair.