This chapter introduces wireline communication, focusing on introducing key terminology, such as eye diagrams, intersymbol interference, noise, bit-error ratio, pulse response, non-return-to-zero modulation, pulse-amplitude modulation. The similarities and differences between electrical and optical links are discussed. Exemplary transceiver block diagrams are presented.

Clinical examples of normal results obtained during repetitive nerve stimulation are given. These are followed by illustrations of the findings obtained from patients with myasthenia gravis or myasthenic syndrome. The different underlying pathophysiologies are discussed. A clinical case of pseudofacilitation is also included. The principles underlying the technique of voluntary single-fibre electromyography are described. Diagrams are also included to show how jitter measurements are made and how these are increased in neuromuscular transmission disorders. In severe cases transmission may fail, so-called blocking. Good clinical examples are included of normal jitter and of increased jitter with blocking.

This chapter describes how to apply estimation analysis to various systems. We start by discussing phase locked loops (PLL) and show how one can model them simply. One of the key properties of PLLs are their jitter performance. A definition of jitter is followed by a way to model the concept using simple noise sources. Next voltage controlled oscillators are described in some detail and various ways to model them using estimation analysis. This is followed by a design example of a VCO where the lessons from the previous chapters are incorporated including design examples. We then proceed to a discussion of analog-to-digital converters, which are described through some simple models. By incorporating design examples from the previous chapters a full straight flash ADC is implemented, where the ADC performance criteria are applied. This is another example of howthrough estimation analysis one can arrive at a good starting point for fine-tuning of a circuit using a simulator. Sampling methods, such as voltage sampling and charge sampling, are discussed following the estimation analysis method. The chapter concludes with exercises.