Overview

At multi-gigabit data rates degradations caused by the transmission medium limit speed, reach, and channel density. The most commonly encountered signal impairments in these high-speed systems are frequency-dependent attenuation and crosstalk. The traditional approach to addressing these situations is for the received analog signals to be sampled and converted to digital. A Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is then used to manipulate (recover) the signals. On the transmit side the digital signals are manipulated (pre-conditioned) to compensate for the degradations and transferred to analog again, through digital to analog converters. This approach, coupled with advances in technology has worked well for low to medium rates.

However, networks at 10 Gigabit on data center and enterprise cabling pushes operation very close to the theoretical (Shannon) capacity limit for the transmission medium, leaving little to no margin. The requirements on the analog to digital converter and DSP put them at or beyond current state of the art and even if possible, the power levels would be staggering.

Plato Networks’ adaptive analog signal processing platform takes a unique approach to addressing these challenges and results in cool chips @ speed. Armed with a broad array of proven intellectual property, developed in solving tough communications problems, the Plato team has invented, patented and validated in silicon, the core technology platform that will enable breakthrough products. Resident expertise in several areas including communications system design, analog/mixed-signal design, signal processing and VLSI integration is fundamental for developing the architectural approach and ensuing solutions.

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  Expertise

Communications System Design

Analog and Mixed-Signal Design

Signal Processing

VLSI Integration