Patent ID: 6515962
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: H04B,H04J,H04L

Abstract:
A system for processing digital signals in a telecommunications system that allows for hit-less switching between a first digital signal, having a first payload, a first pointer value, and a first frame, that is transported on a first channel, and a second digital signal, having a second payload identical to the first payload, a second pointer value, and a second frame, that is transported on a second channel comprising:a first pointer follower to receive the first signal and forward the first pointer value and the first payload; a second pointer follower to receive the second signal and forward the second pointer value and the second payload; a first comparator to determine between the first signal and the second signal which signal is ahead and which is behind and to generate a select bit; a first multiplexer to receive the select bit, the first signal and the second signal and to select and forward the behind signal; a second multiplexer to receive the select bit, the first payload and the second payload, to determine which one of the first payload or the second payload corresponds to the ahead signal, and to select and forward the ahead signal payload; a third multiplexer to receive the select bit, the first pointer value and the second pointer value and to select and forward a bypass pointer value equal to the behind signal pointer value; a delay buffer with control circuit to receive, delay and forward the ahead signal payload; a pointer generator to receive the ahead signal payload, to generate a third frame and a PG pointer value, to forward the PG pointer value, and to include the third frame and the PG pointer value with the ahead signal payload to create and forward a third signal; a second comparator to receive the PG pointer value and the bypass pointer value and to generate, based on the amount of delay between the first payload and the second payload, an increment/decrement request signal used by the delay buffer to align the third signal with the behind signal; and a fourth multiplexer to receive the third signal and the behind signal, to hit-lessly select between the third signal and the behind signal, and to forward the selected signal.