Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes inspecting a fiber weave for use in a printed circuit board with an automated optical inspection tool and identifying a distance between fiber bundles in the fiber weave. The fiber weave comprises a plurality of the fiber bundles woven to form the fiber weave and a portion of the fiber bundles comprise markers and identifying a distance between the fiber bundles in the fiber weave comprises measuring a distance between the markers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes inspecting a layer of a printed circuit board through an inspection window comprising an opening formed in one or more other layers of the printed circuit board and identifying a location of a trace aligned with the inspection window, relative to a marker in a fiber bundle of a fiber weave to assess fiber weave skew.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a transmission system includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a filter operable at one of the transmitter and the receiver to remove channel impairments. The filter is operable according to a sum of a Gaussian function and a reciprocal of cosine function, wherein the Gaussian and reciprocal of cosine functions comprise tunable parameters to account for skew and channel asymmetry.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method generally comprises importing a layout identifying routing information for a plurality of differential pair traces on a printed circuit board at a skew assessment module, receiving values for a plurality of skew parameters associated with fiber weave skew, receiving variation parameters from a database comprising data collected on fiber weave variation for one or more of the skew parameters, calculating a skew estimate for the printed circuit board based on the skew parameters and the variation parameters at the skew assessment module, and determining if the skew estimate is within a specified skew allowance for the printed circuit board.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a printed circuit board, a via-stub resonator formed in the printed circuit board, a plurality of vias surrounding the via-stub resonator, and a microstrip connected to the via-stub resonator for use in measuring an insertion loss to provide a resonance frequency. The via-stub resonator is designed to reproduce a dielectric constant value of a known material in a simulation. A via dielectric constant in an x and y plane is calculated based on the resonance frequency. A method for measuring the via dielectric constant using the via-stub resonator is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A network connector assembly with an upper board member includes one or more upper coupling pins and a lower board member includes one or more lower coupling pins. The upper board member and lower board member each a plurality of sets of contact pins disposed on a respective top surface. A housing can be disposable over the upper board member and the lower board member forming one or more network couplers. Each of the one or more network couplers configured to receive one set of contact pins.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method generally comprises importing a layout identifying routing information for a plurality of differential pair traces on a printed circuit board at a skew assessment module, receiving values for a plurality of skew parameters associated with fiber weave skew, receiving variation parameters from a database comprising data collected on fiber weave variation for one or more of the skew parameters, calculating a skew estimate for the printed circuit board based on the skew parameters and the variation parameters at the skew assessment module, and determining if the skew estimate is within a specified skew allowance for the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A network connector assembly with an upper board member includes one or more upper coupling pins and a lower board member includes one or more lower coupling pins. The upper board member and lower board member each a plurality of sets of contact pins disposed on a respective top surface. A housing can be disposable over the upper board member and the lower board member forming one or more network couplers. Each of the one or more network couplers configured to receive one set of contact pins.

Abstract: In one embodiment, physical layer error signatures of a communications link are determined by ascertaining characteristics of erred and correct modulation symbols received by a physical receiver of a communications device, such as, but not limited to, by a receiver of a packet switching device in a communications network normally used to receive data traffic. In one embodiment, a physical receiver of a physical communications device receives a particular modulation symbol and determines whether the received particular modulation symbol is an expected modulation symbol in a predetermined sequence of modulation symbols. One or more storage devices are maintained with one or more error signature measurements based on determining whether the particular modulation symbol is the expected modulation symbol in the predetermined sequence of modulation symbols, with the error signature measurements including performing a comparison to a threshold value or a current maximum value.