SiGuys announced the publication of Donald Telian’s book “Signal Integrity, In Practice.” Focusing on Serial Links, the book aims to empower a generation of Hardware, FPGA, SI, and Layout Engineers to succeed with the data rates ahead. “As nearly every high-speed interface has transitioned to serial technology, it’s time to take a fresh look at the practice of Signal Integrity” said Donald Telian, Signal Integrity (SI) Consultant and author of the book. “I have to acknowledge the SI I practice now is radically different than the SI I practiced 40 and even 20 years ago. As such, it’s time focus on what engineers need to know going forward. This latest practice of SI is what the book is all about,” Telian said. 

With tens of thousands of links now in production, Telian is in position to simplify SI by sharing what’s necessary and what isn’t – across a wide range of data rates. “In this book, Donald brings his decades of experience and passion for signal integrity and the design of high-speed serial links to the forefront,” writes Barry Katz in the book’s foreword. “Donald has a gift of making deep technical topics accessible. A great deal can be done with the good design practices laid out in this book.” All types of digital engineers can leverage the book’s guidance to achieve robust designs, with, or without simulation. 

Printed in full color, the book draws the reader into the modern practice of signal integrity. From its striking etched-copper cover to its colorful plots and graphs, readers discover a highly accessible book. “This is not a traditional SI textbook,” explains Telian. “The next generation of engineers has a myriad of ways to learn, so I felt it important to develop a pragmatic, engaging, and readable text. As the practice of SI requires creativity, why not reflect that in the structure of the book itself?” Dr. Michael Steinberger, SI expert, and DesignCon’s first Engineer of the Year, notes “Donald focuses on the practical side that has been missing in a lot of the signal integrity work I have seen. His perspective offers invaluable guidance.” Greg Edlund, author of ‘Timing Analysis and Simulation for Signal Integrity Engineers,’ adds, “In addition to providing clear technical explanations, Donald’s book is infused with insight on practicing signal integrity.” 

Additionally, the book explores SI topics not typically addressed – what might be called ‘soft skills.’ “Education experts tell me ‘soft skills’ are the greatest challenge for the next generation,” explains Telian, “so I devote a chapter to just that. Topics such as how to work with a layout team may not seem ‘technical,’ but if your SI isn’t implemented correctly in layout, it remains conceptual and accomplishes nothing.” SI expert Jon Burnett adds, “The book not only covers the key technical topics in the SI field, it also shares wisdom on less documented topics, such as how to use engineering judgment, when to simulate, how to correlate measurements, and how to work with a layout team, who often is taxed by the requirements related to signal integrity analysis. All is shared with clear and concise writing and observations.” Edlund affirms, “This book is a gift that will shape the careers of engineers in years to come and the digital systems they design.” 

With the book’s publication, Telian celebrates four decades of work in the field of signal integrity. Purchase ‘Signal Integrity, In Practice’ now on Amazon. 

Related Resources

• Which Discontinuities are Small Enough to Ignore?
• Book Review: Signal Integrity in Practice by Don Telian