Munich-based Infineon Technologies AG (Quote) yesterday announced that it was adding what it described as "highly integrated" multi-rate, multi-channel, high-data-rate SONET/SDH framer chips to its portfolio of optical networking products.
Based on a single-chip design, the goal of the Tethys SONET/SDH Multi-Rate Framer family of ICs is to provide functions for next-generation optical networking equipment in such applications as add/drop multiplexers (ADMs) and digital cross-connect switches.
The new ICs are designed to allow manufacturers to increase line card port count and capacity while lowering per-port cost and power. According to Infineon, a single line card design can be configured for multiple data rates by simply changing the optical modules attached to it.
The single-chip Tethys devices, the company said, integrate functions previously requiring up to five separate components, including aggregation of up to 16 channels of traffic, serializing/deserializing, pointer processing, clock and data recovery, and transport overhead and path overhead processing. Infineon said that this high degree of integration creates the first "line card on a chip."
Infineon reports that using Tethys framers can result in significant savings for manufacturers of line cards for trunk, tributary and service applications in terms of power consumption, board design complexity and space, software development and overall system cost.
The Tethys 448 and Tethys 4192 are designed to support high-density aggregate throughputs while meeting SONET/SDH jitter requirements. The Tethys 448 supports 16 channels of OC-3/STM-1, 16 channels of OC-12/STM-4, or 16 channels of OC-48/STM-16, which can be mixed in any required combination. The Tethys 4192 adds support for four channels of OC-192/STM-64, Infineon said.
"The Tethys chips are another milestone on our road to delivering the fullest portfolio of standards-based solutions to the broad optical networking market," said Subodh Toprani, senior vice president, Infineon Technologies, and general manager, Infineon North America Communications Business Group, in a statement.
"[The chips] meet a huge need in the market, where more than 70 percent of SONET/SDH networks involve 'pure' TDM applications. Together with our other solutions, such multi-rate and highly programmable devices as the Tethys family enable our customers to offer products with higher bandwidth and functionality in their road maps with a single design."
The Tethys framers are built to allow every port to be independently set for a different data rate, permitting "any port, any rate" configuration, and by providing a direct interface to optical modules. This is designed to enable equipment to be programmed in the field by simply changing the optical modules. This capability allows service providers to purchase one card for use in multiple applications, substantially reducing maintenance costs, in-service upgrades and inventory.
Samples of both chips will be available in the third quarter and production is planned for later in the year, Infineon reports. The Tethys 448 and Tethys 4192 framer chips will be offered in 1400-contact ball grid array (BGA) packages. The Tethys 448, supporting up to 16 channels of OC-48 data, will be priced at $1,450 in sample quantities. The Tethys 4192, supporting up to four channels of OC-192 data, will be priced at $1,750 in sample quantities.
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