Alcatel

Edmund Cher

David Christopher Sawey

One embodiment of the system for processing digital signals includes a pointer follower ('PF') to receive a first digital signal. The first digital signal can have a first embedded payload, a first signal frame and a first PF pointer. The first pointer follower can extract the first embedded payload and forward the first embedded payload to an elastic buffer. The elastic buffer is operable to receive, delay and forward the first embedded payload. Additionally, a pointer generator ('PG') is operable to receive the first embedded payload from the elastic buffer, construct a new digital signal comprising a new signal frame, a PG pointer and the first embedded payload. The location of the new signal frame is determined by a synchronization pulse received from a synchronization module. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the delay imposed by the elastic buffer can depend upon the offset between the PG pointer and the PF pointer.

Method and system for frame and pointer alignment of SONET data channels

A system and method are disclosed for processing digital signals in a telecommunications system that allow for hit-less switching between a first digital signal in which a first payload, a first pointer value, and a first frame are transported on a first channel, and a second digital signal in which a second payload identical to the first payload, a second pointer value, and a second frame are transported on a second channel. The present invention includes first and second pointer followers, first and second comparators, a delay buffer with control circuit, first, second, third and fourth multiplexers, and a pointer generator. The delay buffer control circuit further comprises a write counter, a read counter, a phase detector, and a leak-out mechanism for reinitializing the delay buffer. The present invention aligns the payloads of the first and second digital signals to allow for hit-less selection between them.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Edmund Cher