Discrete Jacobi sub‐equation method for nonlinear differential–difference equations

We will propose a unified algebraic method to construct Jacobi elliptic function solutions to differential–difference equations (DDEs). The solutions to DDEs in terms of Jacobi elliptic functions sn, cn and dn have a unified form and can be presented through solving the associated algebraic equations. To illustrate the effectiveness of this method, we apply the algorithm to some physically significant DDEs, including the discrete hybrid equation, semi‐discrete coupled modified Korteweg–de Vries and the discrete Klein–Gordon equation, thereby generating some new exact travelling periodic solutions to the discrete Klein–Gordon equation. A procedure is also given to determine the polynomial expansion order of Jacobi elliptic function solutions to DDEs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.