Patent ID: 6650638
Filing Date: 2003-11-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of decoding a frame of data, the frame being one of a set of frames that represent a packet of information words and that additionally represent coded control words preceding and following the packet, the frames each including a master transition and a payload field, the payload field being one of (a) composed exclusively of ones of the information words, and (b) including a TYPE word that identifies a structure of the payload field, the master transition being in a first state when the payload field is composed exclusively of ones of the information words, and otherwise being in a second state, the method comprising:determining when the master transition is in the first state; when the master transition is in the first state, adopting the payload field as a block of received data; and when the master transition is not in the first state: extracting the TYPE word from the payload field, expanding the payload field in response to the TYPE word, and adopting the payload field after expansion as a block of received data.