Patent ID: 7286487

Claim:
A method of providing a single line frequency rate operation between node elements (NEs) of a communication transmission network receiving a multitude of different client signals of different payload types with different client signal payload rates which client signals are propagated at the single line frequency rate between NEs of the network, comprising the steps of: providing a constant line rate between node elements regardless of the client signal payload rates; establishing at a node element an overhead ratio (OHR) between the line rate and an effective payload rate where the effective payload rate is determined from a payload offset size from an actual client signal payload size for a particular client signal payload type; buffering ingress of the client signals at node element where the client signal payload is clocked into the node element at the higher line frequency rate and clocked within the node element at the client signal payload rate; and utilizing the established effective payload rate at the node element to generate the client signal payload clock for clocking the client signals through the node element at the client signal payload rate.