Patent ID: 8811432

Claim:
A system for synchronizing a plurality of network devices in a network, the system comprising: a communication link for transporting signals in compliance with a standard that defines a first nominal frequency and a first tolerance; a first network device communicatively coupled to the communication link, the first network device being configured to transmit over the communication link a first signal carrying a first data stream clocked by a first clock signal expressly synthesized to have a frequency different from the first nominal frequency but within the first tolerance; and a second network device communicatively coupled to the communication link, the second network device being configured: to receive the first signal over the communication link; to generate an extracted clock signal from the first signal; to select between a locally generated clock signal and the extracted clock signal based on a speed of the locally generated clock signal relative to the extracted clock signal to provide a selected clock signal; and to clock a second data stream with the selected clock signal to produce a second signal for transmission from the second network device to the first network device.