Patent ID: 6553040
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A network interface apparatus for providing data transmissions to a network controller that are synchronized with transmissions from other network interface apparatuses to the network controller, the apparatus comprising:a clock from which the network interface unit obtains a local time; a message receiver for receiving messages from the network controller; a time tag generator for recording local times of arrival of synchronizing messages at the interface unit, the synchronizing messages containing synchronizing information comprising an offset from the beginning of a received frame marker and a number of a transmit slot relative to the offset in which to transmit; a phase lock loop for accepting time tag information and synchronizing information corresponding to synchronizing messages and generating corresponding local transmit time information therefrom; and a transmission unit for generating data transmissions from the network interface unit to the network control unit in accordance with said local transmit time information.