Clock synchronization and distribution over a legacy optical ethernet network

Abstract

A novel clock method and synchronization mechanism for recovering and distributing a centralized clock source synchronously over legacy asynchronous network devices such as legacy optical Ethernet devices that do not support synchronous Ethernet. An external device functions transparently to provide legacy optical Ethernet devices a clock synchronization and distribution mechanism. The external devices implement a clock conversion scheme whereby multiple clocks having diverse rates are converted to clock signals all having a common rate. One of the converted clocks is selected and all downstream clock signals are then derived from this clock. A high quality clock source located anywhere on the network is distributed throughout the network thus turning an asynchronous Ethernet network into a synchronous Ethernet network. Synchronous TDM data streams can then be easily transported over the Ethernet network.