PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 23 -- Tektronix Inc. has reached an agreement with Ultra Fast Optical Systems Inc. (UFOS) for an option to license its patented optical switching inventions. The agreement included a cash payment and an equipment grant from Tektronix to UFOS.
    The UFOS exclusive license to a patent portfolio developed at Princeton University includes patents for optical time division multiplexing (OTDM) and an optical switch -- the Terahertz Optical Asymmetric Demultiplexer (TOAD). Combining these optical technologies provides design engineers with a solution to address the speed and bandwidth issues that continue to challenge the implementation of advanced optical networks. UFOS was recently formed to bring this technology to market through licensing arrangements and its own development efforts.
    "Tektronix is eager to apply OTDM and the TOAD to its development efforts to enable the evolution of the telecommunications industry," said Scott Bausback, vice president of Tektornix's Communications business unit.