Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method performed by a de-multiplexer that is coupled to a front-end stream buffer and a plurality of back-end video buffers. The front-end stream buffer is configured to buffer a plurality of video data units of a video stream. The video stream includes a plurality of subordinate video streams interleaved therein. Each of the back-end video buffers is configured to buffer the video information contained in a corresponding one of the subordinate video streams. First, the de-multiplexer determines whether it is blocked from fetching the video information of a first video data unit buffered in the front-end stream buffer. Then, if being blocked, the de-multiplexer skips accessing the first video data unit and instead fetches the video information of a second video data unit buffered in the front-end stream buffer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses and resolves the issues currently affecting the ability to offer Enhanced TV, in particular, those issues concerning timing and synchronization, interaction with other modules in the STB, and distribution.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a communication circuit that is configurable to support one or more communication standards on a single device. The communication circuit includes a transmitting device that comprises a PCS module operating at a first data rate, and a second PCS module operating at a second data rate. The circuit also includes a plurality of forward error correction (FEC) encoding and decoding modules, each operating at a specified data rate. A first group of FEC encoding and decoding modules is configured to support the first PCS module, and a second group of FEC encoding and decoding modules is configured to support the second PCS module.

Abstract: A method for receiving packet data at a communication channel and transmitting the packet data over serial links of the communication channel. The packet data is sliced into n-bit data portions which are concatenated with a header prior to transmitting an n-bit portion across one of the serial links of the communication channel. The header may include an invert bit to alter the majority sign of an n-bit portion. Other aspects of the present invention are also described herein.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for adding a low data rate data channel to a 100Base-T Ethernet link without significantly impacting an IEEE defined 100Base-T protocol for the Ethernet link. A dual data channel transmitter encodes a high data rate data stream in an MLT-3 encoder and encodes a low data rate data stream using bit representations that are not valid bit representations in the MLT-3 encoder. The dual data channel transmitter transmits both of the encoded bit streams in a dual data stream. A dual data channel receiver receives the dual data stream and separates and decodes the two bit streams. A low data rate data channel is provided in conjunction with a high data rate data channel without significantly impacting the operation of the high data rate data channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving a channel change response time are disclosed. A meta channel associated with an original and auxiliary media streams is generated. The information conveyed by the meta channel is propagated toward at least one user device. The user device may receive the meta channel information and select one of the media streams using the meta channel information in response to a channel change request from a user terminal, or a network device may select one of the media streams for a user terminal in response to a channel change request from the user terminal.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates multiplexing low-speed Ethernet channels onto a high-speed channel. During operation, the system receives a number of low-speed Ethernet channels. Next, the system derives N bit streams from the number of low-speed Ethernet channels, and feeds each bit stream to an input of a serializer, which is conventionally used to serialize bits from a single channel. Each input of the serializer comprises one bit of an N-bit-wide parallel input bus, and the data rate of the serializer output matches the data rate of the high-speed channel. The system then transmits the output of the serializer onto the high-speed channel.

Abstract: A method of preparing data streams to facilitate seamless switching between such streams by a switching device to produce an output data stream without any switching artifacts. Bi-directional switching between any plurality of data streams is supported. The data streams are divided into segments, wherein the segments include synchronized starting points and end points. The data rate is increased before an end point of a segment, to create switch gaps between the segments. Increasing the data rate can include increasing a bandwidth of the plurality of data streams, for example by multiplexing, or compressing the data. The present invention can be used, for example, with MPEG or AC-3 encoded audio and MPEG encoded video segments that are multiplexed into MPEG-2 transport streams. Also included are specific methods for preparing MPEG video streams and multiplexing MPEG video with MPEG or AC-3 audio streams to allow a receiver to create seamless transitions between individually encoded segments.

Abstract: A baseband processor including an analog to digital converter configured to convert a baseband signal from an analog format into a corresponding digital format, wherein the baseband signal comprises a data packet having i) a preamble portion, ii) a header portion, and iii) a payload portion, wherein the payload portion of the data packet is in accordance with either i) a first format or ii) a second format. The baseband processor further includes a first demodulation pathway configured to recover i) the preamble portion of the data packet, ii) the header portion of the data packet, and iii) the payload portion of the data packet in response to the payload portion of the data packet being of the first format; and a second demodulation pathway configured to recover the payload portion of the data packet in response to the payload portion of the data packet being of the second format.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses and resolves the issues currently affecting the ability to offer Enhanced TV, in particular, those issues concerning timing and synchronization, interaction with other modules in the STB, and distribution.

Abstract: A network may include an ingress node that is configured to receive a client signal having a client rate that is one of a multiple different client rates, asynchronously map the client signal into a first frame of a first rate, asynchronously map the first frame into a second frame of a second rate, and output the second frame on the network; an intermediate node that is configured to receive the second frame, recover the first frame from the second frame, asynchronously map the first frame into a third frame of a third rate, and output the third frame on the network, where the intermediate node does not recover the client signal from the first frame; and an egress node that is configured to receive the third frame, recover the first frame from the third frame, recover the client signal from the first frame, and output the client signal.

Abstract: A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system and a method for processing data are disclosed. The method for processing data may enhance the receiving performance of the receiving system by performing additional coding and multiplexing processes on the traffic information data and transmitting the processed data. Thus, robustness is provided to the traffic information data, thereby enabling the data to respond strongly against the channel environment which is always under constant and vast change.

Abstract: The invention is directed to efficient transfer of low bit rate services in a communication system. A synchronization symbol which has known characteristics may be included as a first symbol of digital broadcast frames. The synchronization symbol, which can be decoded without having to resort to trial and error methods, contains parameters for the rest of the signal. Low bit rate services are allocated to time slots following the pilot symbol used for synchronization allowing for fast access times with maximum power saving capabilities. A user terminal wakes up just before the synchronization symbol and received the data allocated for the low bit rate services. The user terminal may power off for the remaining time slots which are allocated for higher bit services to conserve power.

Abstract: Techniques of this disclosure provide for adjustment of a conversion rate of a sampling rate converter (SRC) in real-time. The SRC determines relative timing of generated output samples based on non-approximated integer components that are recursively updated. The SRC may further base relative timing of output samples on a value of one or more step size components associated with the integer components. Also according to techniques of this disclosure, a conversion rate of an SRC may be adjusted in real-time based on a detected mismatch between a source clock of a digital input signal and a local clock.

Abstract: An optical communication system is provided. In particular, multi-lane signal transmitting and receiving apparatuses capable of transmitting and receiving a multi-lane signal using the same inverse multiplexing scheme even when optic modules having several transport lane numbers are selected according to a purpose of use are provided. Each OTUk capable of containing a client signal in a transport hierarchy signal (OTUk-Xv) is defined as a virtual container, and Y virtual lanes are allocated to respective virtual containers X, in which identification information for the allocated virtual lanes is inserted into an overhead area and a transport hierarchy multi-lane signal is transmitted in the form of OTUk-XvYd.

Abstract: A circuit capable of processing signals of different signal types is provided for identifying the signal type by the signal type setting from an administrator or by the implementation of the optical module, thereby selecting a signal processor to be used. An OTN frame standardized by ITU is used in a fixed manner independent of the signal type to be accommodated, while a corresponding SDH/SONET frame standardized by ITU is used for signal accommodation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for combining at least two data signals having an input data rate into a single data stream having an output data rate being higher than the input data rate for transmission on a shared medium or vice versa, particularly, to a single SDH/SONET framer capable of handling a large range of SDH/SONET frames from STM-i to STM-j with an aggregated total capacity corresponding to an STM-j frame where i and j are integers in the range from 1 to 64 or higher according to the STM-N definition of the SDH/SONET standards. More over, the present invention can also be extended to work with STS-1 as lowest range. STS-1 exists in SONET only not SDH and corresponds to a data rate of 51.5 Mb/s a third of the 156 Mb/s of STM-1.

Abstract: A method includes, in response to selection of a transport block to be transmitted through a wireless channel at a current data rate, performing at least the following: selecting a size for a data unit that can be scheduled for transmission; identifying one of a number of potential transport blocks, the identified potential transport block having a corresponding transport block size large enough to hold at least the selected size of the data unit and the transport block size of the currently selected transport block; determining whether the identified potential transport block is available for transmission; and transmitting a request for an increase in the current data rate in response to the identified potential transport block being available for transmission.

Abstract: A demultiplexer includes an input terminal for providing an input signal, a plurality of output terminals for outputting the input signal, and a switching circuit coupled among the input terminal and the plurality of output terminals, and outputting the input signal selectively from the plurality of output terminals according to a plurality of control signals provided to a plurality of control terminals. For miniaturizing the demultiplexer, the switching circuit includes one or more switch elements connected between the input terminal and each of the output terminals in series, wherein at least two of the switch elements coupled to different output terminals are simultaneously switched in response to one control signal from the plurality of control terminals.

Abstract: Accelerated channel change (ACC) strategies are described for supplying a client module with media information by transitioning between a first delivery of media information provided by first delivery functionality and a second delivery of media information provided by second delivery functionality without exceeding prescribed data rate limitations. The first delivery functionality can represent server-based functionality for delivering a unicast stream of media information at a data rate (or maximum data rate) of some excess amount over the nominal rate of delivery, starting at a selected location within the media information. The second delivery functionality can represent any functionality for delivering the media information at the data rate (or maximum data rate) of the nominal rate of delivery. A join interval separates the first delivery at the excess rate and the second delivery at the nominal rate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses and resolves the issues currently affecting the ability to offer Enhanced TV, in particular, those issues concerning timing and synchronization, interaction with other modules in the STB, and distribution.

Abstract: Systems and methods for conveying multiple low-bit-rate data streams over a data transport medium which is configured to transport data in a single, high-bit-rate data stream. In one embodiment, a plurality of low-bit-rate signals are received and a corresponding data rate is determined. Each of the signals is formatted in frames comprising a payload and overhead data. The high-bit-rate signal is also formatted in frames comprising a payload and overhead data, but the frames (including payload and overhead) contain more bits than those of the low-bit-rate frames. The payloads of the low-bit-rate frames are mapped into the payloads of the high-bit-rate frames. The overhead and timing data of the low-bit-rate frames are mapped into the unused portion of the overhead of the high-bit-rate frames. After the high-bit-rate signal is transported, the payload, overhead and timing data of each of the low-bit-rate signals is extracted, and the corresponding signals are reproduced.

Abstract: An interface between a high speed data signal input and multiple lower speed data signal outputs is described. In one preferred embodiment, the interface comprises a receiver core for separating the high speed data signal into multiple independent channels with each channel having a different priority; an Interface Logic Unit comprising multiple interface logic subunits each for processing one of the multiple independent channels. Each of the interface logic subunits includes a separator for separating the individual channel into multiple intermediate signals; and feedback device for providing feedback to the receiver core regarding a condition of one or more of the multiple intermediate signals. The interface further includes multiple multiplexer with each receiving one of the multiple intermediate signals and multiplexing the received intermediate signals to create one of the multiple lower speed data signals.

Abstract: Implementation schemes for transmitting High-Bandwidth Digital Content (HDCP) control-related data in HDCP systems over a single communication channel.

Abstract: In order to facilitate the transport of 1 Gbit/s Ethernet signals over an Optical Transport Network using the Optical Transport Hierarchy as specified by ITU-T G.709, a new OTH entity referred to as Optical Channel Data Unit-0 (ODU0, 101) with a capacity of approximately 1.22 Gbit/s is defined. This new entity fits perfectly into the existing OTH multiplexing structure, allowing the transport of two times a 1 Gbit/s Ethernet client layer signal within the capacity of one ODU1 (110), while being individually switchable. A 1 Gbit/s Ethernet signal (102) can be mapped into the ODU0 payload (103) using the Transparent Generic Framing Procedure (GFP-T) encapsulation technique as specified in Rec. G.7041.

Abstract: Disclosed is a display device using a demultiplexer. The demultiplexer sequentially samples the data current that is time-divided and applied by a data driver, and holds it to the data lines. Since the demultiplexer is to sample the data currents corresponding to N data lines during one horizontal period when performing 1:N demultiplexing, the data current corresponding to one data line is sampled during the 1/N horizontal period. In the present invention, a signal line coupled between the demultiplexer and the data driver is precharged with the current before coupling a precharge circuit to a sample/hold circuit and sampling the data current. The precharge current is M times the data current where M is a real number greater than 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for streaming of media from a streaming server (111) to a mobile client device (101) over an air-interface, wherein, after a cell reselection, the method comprises requesting the streaming server (111) to resend streaming media which the mobile client device (101) was not able to receive due to the cell reselection.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for sharing network bandwidth between devices connected to a bus are presented. Each of the devices belongs to one of a number of device classes. Each device class is associated with a respective data transfer rate at which information may be exchanged over the bus. An exemplary method includes the step of assigning a gap interval to each device based on at least the data transfer rate of the class to which the device belongs, the assigned gap interval being inserted between portions of a data stream sent by the corresponding device over the bus. The assigned gap interval may be inserted between portions of a data stream sent by the corresponding device over the bus to achieve the desired data rate resulting in an equitable sharing of bandwidth between the devices connected to the bus.

Abstract: A high data rate switch is disclosed. The switch may include fiber optic channels where a plurality of switching elements necessarily operate at a significantly lower data rate providing routing of variable or fixed size data packets from a plurality of source ports to a plurality of destination ports via a single serial link. This is may be provided by storing the high rate data temporarily in memory in each of the source ports and then downloading it at a lower rate in a complete data packet to a designated switching element, almost immediately distributing the next data packet that has been received by the source port to a next switching element. The switching element configuration provides automatic redundancy and a minimum amount of frame overhead while sustaining throughput at the high data rate.

Abstract: A broadband local area data network uses coaxial cable wiring for interconnection of terminal devices. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with bit loading is used to overcome channel impairments and provide a path for terminal devices to transmit to and receive from other terminal devices. Probe messages are sent between devices to characterize the communication channel and determine optimum bit loading. The data network shares the cable spectrum with other services and uses frequency bands not used by other services. Adaptive power control can be used to maintain signal to noise ratio in a communication between terminal devices. Frequency coordination can be used to avoid interference between the LAN communications and other services transmitted on the cable.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a 10 Giga-bit Ethernet conversion system is provided that is operable to be inserted in 10 Gigabit optical fiber Ethernet systems, wherein each optical fiber Ethernet system includes an electrical-to-optical interface presenting electrical signals to an optical interface for converting the electrical signals to optical signals, the electrical signals being organized into a plurality of channels, wherein each channel carries Ethernet idle characters between data frame transmissions.

Abstract: A method of shaping an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal spectrum of a transmitted signal is disclosed. An input signal including an input component is received and a first instance of the input component is generated. The method also includes determining that a second instance of the input component is to be different than the first instance. The second instance of the input component that is different from the first instance is generated. An output signal to be transmitted is generated and includes the first instance and the second instance of the input component.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the transmission of digital data, and more particularly, to the transmission of digital data in a satellite digital audio radio (“SDAR”) system. In the SDAR system, there may be different types of required services. Some of these services may be considered high priority and others may be of a lower priority. Current SDAR systems have the same performance on all user data. Therefore, there is a need to vary the performance of different services. The present invention provides a method and apparatus for optimizing the throughput (i.e. information) in a digital transmission system by transmitting the different services with different performance levels. The present invention addresses the need in the art to vary the performance of different services (i.e., levels of data). Because the performance of the primary level of data will not be equal to the performance of the secondary level of data, the primary level will need to be further protected.

Abstract: Accelerated channel change (ACC) strategies are described for supplying a client module with media information by transitioning between a first delivery of media information provided by first delivery functionality and a second delivery of media information provided by second delivery functionality without exceeding prescribed data rate limitations. The first delivery functionality can represent server-based functionality for delivering a unicast stream of media information at a data rate (or maximum data rate) of some excess amount over the nominal rate of delivery, starting at a selected location within the media information. The second delivery functionality can represent any functionality for delivering the media information at the data rate (or maximum data rate) of the nominal rate of delivery. A join interval separates the first delivery at the excess rate and the second delivery at the nominal rate.

Abstract: A system for transporting a high speed data stream over a plurality of relatively low bandwidth unshielded twisted copper pairs within the local loop plant or in any environment having a plurality of copper lines. A transmit data processor may perform scrambling, FEC encoding, and interleaving on the data before it is divided and dispatched to the plurality of modem elements for transmission over the local loop plant, either bidirectionally or unidirectionally. On the receiving side, the individual data streams are collected, aggregated, and a receive data processor performs de-interleaving, FEC decoding and de-interleaving, resulting in the high speed data stream originally transmitted. The system also may include crosstalk cancellation, power and PSD control, data raze control and optimal routing of the transmitted signals within the twisted pair binders. The system may optionally multiplex a plurality of low bandwidth telephony services over the high speed link using either TDM or FDM techniques.

Abstract: In the face of data loss on connections between a content source and a content consumer, additional connections therebetween are opened. These additional connections are preferably opened between the content source and a proxy disposed between the content source and the content consumer. The proxy may then seam together data streams received from the content source across the additional connections in a recording on a computer-readable medium. The seamed stream may be constructed by filling in information gaps in any of the data streams received from the content source with content derived from others of the data streams received from the content source. This derivation may be made on the basis of identifying characteristics (e.g., packet contents) of packets from each of the data streams received from the content source.

Abstract: A method converts an input data rate associated with N units of data to an output data rate associated with M units of data. The method includes calculating N write-control parameters each associated with one of M addresses of an output memory, directing each of N values of input data to an associated address of the output memory in response to the N calculated write-control parameters, and reading the output memory to provide output data associated with the output data rate. If N is greater than M, some of the N write-control parameters are associated with at least one shared address of the M addresses. If M is greater than N, all of the N write-control parameters are associated with different addresses of the M addresses. An apparatus is configured to implement this method.

Abstract: A communication system includes a link module having a first serial interface for interfacing to a serial link. The link module also including a second serial interface. The system also includes a Media Access Control (MAC) module including a parallel interface. The system also includes a converter module, coupled between the parallel interface and the second serial interface, configured to convert symbols, transferred between the parallel interface and the second serial interface, between a parallel format at the parallel interface and a serial format at the serial interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for conveying multiple low-bit-rate data streams over a data transport medium which is configured to transport data in a single, high-bit-rate data stream. In one embodiment, a plurality of low-bit-rate signals are received and a corresponding data rate is determined. Each of the signals is formatted in frames comprising a payload and overhead data. The high-bit-rate signal is also formatted in frames comprising a payload and overhead data, but the frames (including payload and overhead) contain more bits than those of the low-bit-rate frames. The payloads of the low-bit-rate frames are mapped into the payloads of the high-bit-rate frames. The overhead and timing data of the low-bit-rate frames are mapped into the unused portion of the overhead of the high-bit-rate frames. After the high-bit-rate signal is transported, the payload, overhead and timing data of each of the low-bit-rate signals is extracted, and the corresponding signals are reproduced.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamic rate switching via medium access channel layer signaling is disclosed, wherein data rates for high data rate channels are automatically shifted up or down based on a predetermined metric. In a preferred embodiment, data rates are automatically shifted up or down based on transmit channel gain required to maintain a required signal to noise ratio.

Abstract: A bit stream demultiplexer that couples a high-speed bit stream media to a communication Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The bit stream multiplexer performs its demultiplexing function staged within at least two integrated circuits. The first Integrated Circuit (IC) receives a first bit stream and performs a first demultiplexing function. A second IC performs a second demultiplexing function. The second IC acts as either a slave or a master to the first IC. In a slave mode, the second IC depends upon a transmit data clock from the first IC for latching bit stream data received from the first IC. When the second IC operates in the master mode, the second IC uses the transmit data clock from first IC as a reference input for a PLL to generate a Receive Data Clock. If an LOL or LOS occurs within the first IC, a signal to the second IC indicates these conditions causing the second IC to switch to a local oscillator reference clock to generate the Receive Data Clock.

Abstract: The present invention is a novel and improved method and apparatus for transmitting data in a multiple carrier CDMA communication system. In the first implementation of the present invention, the data is encoded and the resulting encoded symbols are divided up and transmitted on different frequencies. The encoded symbols are provided to a symbol repetition means which keeps the symbol rate of data to be transmitted fixed. In a second embodiment, no symbol repetition is provided and variable length Walsh sequences are used to handle data rate variations.

Abstract: Apparatus for transmitting a data stream between cards connected by a midplane breaks the data stream into a plurality of channels. The apparatus comprises a serializer for each channel. Serialized data is transmitted across the midplane to a deserializer at the destination. Sequential cells are sent in different channels. Cell ordering is preserved by staggering the start of cell transmission in the channels. The invention permits data to be transmitted across a mid plane using a reduced number of data lines. The data stream on each card may be carried in a wide bus at a relatively low clock rate. Apparatus according to the invention may be used to transmit an OC-192 data stream across a pin-limited interface.

Abstract: An asynchronous sample rate converter interpolates and filters a digital audio input signal to produce a filtered, up-sampled first signal. A FIFO memory receives the first signal and stores samples thereof at locations determined by a write address and presents stored samples from locations determined by a read address. The presented samples are passed through an interpolation and resampling circuit to produce a continuous-time signal which is re-sampled to produce a signal that is up-sampled relative to a desired output. That signal then is filtered and down-sampled to produce the output signal. Sample rate estimating circuitry computes a difference signal representative of a time at which a data sample of the audio input signal is received and a time at which a corresponding audio output sample is required, and address generation circuitry generates the read and write addresses.

Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code that facilitate conversion of a single data stream into two or more data streams (e.g., a down rate conversion) and for systems, means and that facilitate conversion of two or more input data streams into a single output data stream (e.g., an up rate conversion). According to some embodiments of the present invention, for an up rate conversion of two or more input data streams into a single output data stream, bits from the input data stream are shifted through a set of shift register elements or other storage positions on each clock cycle, but bits are only loaded into shift register elements on every other clock cycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for combining at least two data signals having an input data rate into a single data stream having an output data rate being higher than the input data rate for transmission on a shared medium or vice versa, particularly, to a single SDH/SONET framer capable of handling a large range of SDH/SONET frames from STM-i to STM-j with an aggregated total capacity corresponding to an STM-j frame where i and j are integers in the range from 1 to 64 or higher according to the STM-N definition of the SDH/SONET standards. More over, the present invention can also be extended to work with STS-1 as lowest range. STS-1 exists in SONET only not SDH and corresponds to a data rate of 51.5 Mb/s a third of the 156 Mb/s of STM-1.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for bonding asynchronous transfer mode permanent virtual circuits using a multi-link segmentation and reassembly sublayer. A method includes: transforming a stream of asynchronous transfer mode cells into a stream of bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells; demultiplexing the stream of bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells into a plurality of streams of inverse multiplexed bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells; and transmitting the plurality of streams of inverse multiplexed bonded asynchronous transfer mode cells to a remote location via a plurality of permanent virtual circuits, characterized in that the transmitted plurality of streams of inverse multiplexed bonded asynchronized transfer mode cells can be multiplexed into a multiplexed stream of asynchronized transfer mode cells after transmission via at least two permanent virtual circuits, which compose the plurality of permanent virtual circuits, that do not have an identical bit-rate.

Abstract: A system for transporting a high speed data stream over a plurality of relatively low bandwidth unshielded twisted copper pairs within the local loop plant or in any environment having a plurality of copper lines, such as on campuses, within large buildings, etc. The copper twisted pairs are transformed from a plurality of low bandwidth, low reliability links into a high reliability, very high bandwidth long range communication channel utilizing optimized xDSL transmission technologies over the plurality of copper pairs. A transmit data processor perform scrambling, FEC encoding and interleaving on the data before it is divided and dispatched to the plurality of modem elements for transmission over the local loop plant, either bidirectionally or unidirectionally. On the receiving side, the individual data streams are collected, aggregated and a receive data processor performs de-interleaving, FEC decoding and de-interleaving, resulting in the high speed data stream originally transmitted.

Abstract: In a transmitting node (3) in a transmission system, a plurality of source signals are multiplexed by a multiplexer (34) into a multiplex signal. The multiplex signal is transmitted to a receiving node (5) where it is demultiplexed in the source signals. The multiplex signal comprises a plurality of packets having a flag field, a length field, a connection ID field and a data field. The flag field can be present to enable the receiver to find the beginning of the packet or to carry non-urgent control signals. According to the present invention, the length of the flag field is dependent on the aggregate bitrate of the source signals, making it possible that more source signals can be transmitted over the transmission link under heavy traffic conditions.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an improved transport demultiplexor that can receive and filter different data types before sending the data to system memory. The preferred embodiment provides a string comparator to facilitate real time filtering of continuous incoming data before loading the data into system memory. The string comparator preferably uses a bit-maskable matching filter that filters system data in real time as the data is being delivered to system memory. When data matching the filter is located, the destination address of that data is determined and delivered to the processor. This allows the processor to quickly locate the desired data and thus facilitates the real time processing of that data.