Patent ID: 7035265

Claim:
A multiplexer which transmits packet data, generated based on data from a plurality of terminal side lines, onto a network side line, said multiplexer comprising: a plurality of buffers which are respectively disposed in correspondence with said terminal side lines; terminal side line interface means for accommodating said terminal side lines, packetizing data sent from each of said terminal side lines and storing the packet data in said buffers respectively correspondent to said terminal side lines from which said data has been sent; priority control means for selecting one of said packet data stored in said buffers, as packet data to-be-transmitted; and network side line interface means for transmitting the packet data selected by said priority control means onto the network side line, wherein said priority control means selects packet data which has the highest priority level and as to which a priority sequence of the buffer storing the packet data therein is the earliest, among packet data stored in said plural buffers, as packet data to-be-transmitted in a current cycle, in accordance with priority levels of the respective packet data specified under predetermined rules by the terminal side line interface means and with the priority sequence of said buffers which is specified so that the buffer having stored therein packet data selected as packet data to-be-transmitted in a last cycle may become the latest among, at least, the buffers storing therein packet data of the same level as the priority level of the packet data to-be-transmitted in the last cycle.