Patent ID: 6438137
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A network communication system, comprising:a plurality of tributary network ports, a trunk network port, and a packet translator operatively connected between the tributary network ports and the trunk network port, the packet translator configured to translate data between a tributary format, communicated through the tributary network ports, of a plurality of tributary packets that each include a tributary header field and a data field, and an aggregate format of an aggregate packet communicated through the trunk network port that includes an aggregate header field and the data field of each of the tributary packets, the aggregate header including less than all of the information of the tributary header of at least one of the tributary packets associated with the aggregate packet; wherein the aggregate header field includes tributary header data from a tributary header only if the tributary header data is relatively new to the packet translator, and wherein the tributary header data is considered relatively new if the packet translator has not received an indication of receipt of the tributary header data.