Graphical user interface for SONET product evaluation systems

As the telecommunication industry moves forward in its deployment of Synchronous Optical NETwork (SONET) services, several integrated circuit manufacturers are beginning to provide standard product solutions. The design engineers for the equipment manufacturers need to evaluate and differentiate between all the choices available to them. One solution to assist the design engineer is to provide a Product Evaluation System that enables the design engineer to completely evaluate and examine a particular standard product. Rather than having to acquire the device and the learning’s needed to implement a prototype design just to examine the functionality of a single device, the design engineer can simply use an Evaluation System to study a device’s functionality in order to determine if a particular device fits into their solution. To make the Product Evaluation System effective, the design engineer must be able to begin using it in an evaluation environment immediately. One key to a valuable Product Evaluation System is an easy to use and inexpensive interface. For ease of use and portability, the graphical user interface (GUI) provided by the Microsoft@ WindowsTM shell or operating system and used on many personal computers and laptops is an option. Providing such an interface with a Product Evaluation System provides the design engineer with the means to quickly and effectively use the system for device evaluation. The graphical user interface provides the design engineer with a recognizable, easy to use, and portable tool for product evaluation. This paper discusses the importance, advantages, and uses provided with graphical user interfaces for SONET Product Evaluation Systems. Along with describing the graphical user interface for such a system, a case study of a SONET Product Evaluation System which uses a graphical interface is provided.