Patent ID: 7167465

Claim:
A method of communicating along a time division multiplex link on which digital signals are exchanged in the form of successive frames each having a specified number of transmission timeslots, wherein a first unit inserts ATM cells into a part of the timeslots allotted to an ATM flow intended for a second unit, and other data into other timeslots allotted to the transport of at least one non-ATM flow intended for a third unit, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing digital signals received in successive frames to search for synchronization with the cells of the ATM flow and to identify the part of the timeslots allotted to the ATM flow, the analysis comprising a synchronization test executed successively on subsets of timeslots within the frames until the test indicates good synchronization, whereby the subset on which the test indicates good synchronization is identified as constituting said part allotted to the ATM flow; directing the ATM cells extracted from the timeslots of the identified part to the second unit; and directing the data of the timeslots situated outside the identified part to the third unit.