Patent ID: 7366754
Filing Date: 2008-04-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A server apparatus for receiving packetized multi-media data and transmitting the packetized multi-media data over an Ethernet network, the apparatus comprising: an input for receiving packetized multi-media data from a system headend, the packetized multi-media data including synchronizing information; a clock; a controller, coupled to the input and the clock, for synchronizing the clock to a clock associated with the system headend in response to the synchronizing information, the controller generating first time stamps in response to the receipt of the packetized multi-media data, each one of the first time stamps being indicative of a time a respective multi-media data packet is received at the input, the controller further generating data frames having the packetized multi-media data and the first time stamps included therein; an output, coupled to the Ethernet network, for transmitting the data frames to a client device; a time stamping device, coupled to the controller, the clock and the output, for placing a second time stamp in each one of the data frames, the second time stamp being placed into each data frame at the physical layer, the second time stamp being indicative of the time the respective data frame is placed onto the Ethernet network, wherein the client device controls a data flow rate in the client device to correspond to a rate that the packetized multi-media data is received at the input of the server apparatus in response to the first time stamps and synchronizes a clock associated with the client device with the clock associated with the server apparatus in response to the second time stamps.