Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine 23-8 - 12

synchronous protocols or the jitter of the clock signal in clock
data recovery applications. Every circuit element generating,
conveying and receiving signals can introduce jitter.
There are many misconceptions about what exactly jitter
is, and its definition is often strictly dependent on the specific
application. This situation is not the best possible pre-requisite for a correct measurement. An unambiguous definition of
a quantity is also the first step to design reference standards to
create a calibration chain to the main measurement units. The
purpose of the standard is to facilitate accurate and precise
communication concerning jitter and phase noise.
When considering jitter, it is quite clear that there is not a
single, comprehensive, universally accepted definition for all
applications. Most often, the term jitter expresses the deviation
from the ideal timing of an event. The exact meaning of ideal
timing, as well as the meaning of actual timing, and the type of
event may change depending on the application.
Because of the ubiquity of jitter, a number of applicationspecific documentary standards have been developed by the
IEEE and other standardizing bodies [18]-[27]. The Subcommittee on Jitter addresses the need for a harmonized, unitary
approach to terminology and models for jitter. This effort was
started in 2011, and after a long study phase to analyze the existing world-wide literature, including standards, a Project
Authorization Request was submitted to and approved by the
IEEE in 2013. Several draft documents have been discussed
and continuously improved during recent years. The draft has
been completed and a first ballot has conducted in 2019. The
first ballot resulted in amendments to the draft standard and
reballoting in July 2020. The final approval is expected in the
last quarter of 2020 and publication in early 2021.
The current version of the draft includes definitions and
models for the most common types of jitter that are classified
as random or deterministic ones. The deterministic jitter class
is further divided into data-dependent jitter, periodic jitter and
bounded-uncorrelated jitter. A general model for jitter is also
provided, considering it as a random variable and modeling
it with its probability density function. A model is also provided, for each type of jitter, to facilitate the construction of a
complete jitter model from the contributions of all the different types of jitter.

References
[1] IEEE Standard for Transitions, Pulses, and Related Waveforms, IEEE
Std. 181-2011, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2011.
[2] IEEE Standard for Digitizing Waveform Recorders, IEEE Std. 10572017, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2017.
[3] IEEE Standard for Terminology and Test Methods for Analog-toDigital Converters, IEEE Std. 1241-2010, Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers, 2010.
[4] IEEE Standard for Terminology and Test Methods of Digital-to-Analog
Converter Devices, IEEE Std. 1658-2011, Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers, 2011.
[5] IEEE Standard for Terminology and Test Methods for Circuit Probes,
IEEE Std. 1696-2013, Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers, 2017.
[6] T. E. Linnenbrink, W. B. Boyer, N. G. Paulter, and S. J. Tilden,
"IEEE TC-10: What's it all about?" in Proc. IEEE Instrum. Meas.
Technol. Conf. (IMTC 2003), 2003.
[7] T. E. Linnenbrink, W. B. Boyer, N. G. Paulter, and S. J. Tilden,
"IEEE TC-10: Update 2006," in Proc. IEEE Instrum. Meas. Technol.
Conf. (IMTC 2006), 2006.
[8] T. E. Linnenbrink, W. B. Boyer, R. N. Graham, N. G. Paulter, and
S. J. Tilden, "IEEE TC-10: Update 2008," in Proc. 16th IMEKO TC4
Symp. And 13th Workshop on ADC Modeling and Testing, 2008.
[9] T. E. Linnenbrink, W. B. Boyer, T. Ellis, N. G. Paulter Jr., and S. J.
Tilden, "IEEE TC-10: Update 2011," in Proc. IMEKO Int. Workshop
on ADC Modelling, Testing and Data Converter Analysis and Design
(IWADC 2011), 2011.
[10] S. Rapuano, L. De Vito, J. Jendzurski, W. B. Boyer, S. J. Tilden, and
N. G. Paulter Jr., "The IEEE TC-10 standards: update 2019," in
Proc. 24th IMEKO TC4 Int. Symp., 2019.
[11] N. G. Paulter, D. R. Larson, and J. J. Blair, "The IEEE standard
on transitions, pulses, and related waveforms, Std-181," in Proc.
Instrum. Meas. Technol. Conf. (IMTC 2003), pp. 110-112, 2003.
[12] D. F. Andrews, P. J. Bickel, F. R. Hampel, P. J. Huber, W. H. Rogers,
and J. W. Tukey, Robust Estimates of Location. Princeton, NJ, USA:
Princeton University Press, 1972.
[13] O. M. Solomon, D. R. Larson, and N. G. Paulter, "Comparison

Conclusion

of some algorithms to estimate the low and high state level of

The IEEE's TC-10 continually updates and improves its existing standards and develops new ones as needed by its
stakeholders. The TC-10 encourages fresh ideas and new perspectives. If you are interested in the TC-10's work and would
like to join one or more of its subcommittees, please visit our
home page at http://tc10.ieee-ims.org/tc10-home. Contact
information for the Subcommittee Chairs can be found at this
home page. We welcome your interest and participation.

pulses," in Proc. Instrum. Meas. Technol. Conf. (IMTC 2001), pp.
96-101, 2001.
[14] M. Bieler M and N. G. Paulter, "Estimation of waveform
state levels and uncertainties using the histogram and shorth
methods," in Proc. Conf. Precision Electromagnetic Meas. (CPEM
2016), pp. 10-15, 2016.
[15] N. G. Paulter Jr., "NIST Technical Note 2036, Comparison of
the Measurement Uncertainties and Errors for the Waveform
State Levels Estimated Using the Histogram Mode and Shorth

Acknowledgment

Methods," National Institute for Standards and Technology, 2019.

The TC-10 is grateful for the many years of dedicated volunteer service provided by its past chair Thomas E. Linnenbrink.
His vision and guidance forged the TC10 into an effective and
12

productive technical committee. Tom's commitment to the
TC-10, the Instrumentation and Measurement Society, and
his profession were inspirational and motivating. He was the
quintessential gentleman engineer.

[16] IEC Transitions, Pulses and Related Waveforms-Terms, Definitions
and Algorithms, IEC 60469, Edition 1.0 2013-04, International
Electrotechnical Commission, Geneva, Switzerland, 1st Ed., 2013.

IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine

November 2020

http://tc10.ieee-ims.org/tc10-home

Instrumentation & Measurement Magazine 23-8

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