Method and apparatus for converting data packets between a higher bandwidth network and a lower bandwidth network having multiple channels

Abstract

A method and apparatus for converting packetized data received from a broadband network to a multi-channel payload network having a narrower bandwidth is disclosed. The method includes converting a packet received from the broadband network to a serial stream having first and second pluralities of bytes, the second plurality of bytes being idle; removing the idle bytes from the serial stream thereby providing a reduced data; demultiplexing sequentially occurring reduced data across plural channels of a narrower bandwidth payload network and converting each channels reduced data to corresponding second packets of the payload network. The method also includes receiving the respective second packets from the respective channels of the payload network; converting the packets to corresponding serial data streams and multiplexing the streams to restore an original sequence; inserting substitute idle bytes in substitution of the idle bytes removed from the first serial stream thereby providing a restored data; and converting the multiplexed and restored data to a third packet of the broadband network.