Patent ID: 7944945

Claim:
An apparatus for use in a communications network for processing at least one of an STM-n (Synchronous Transport Module-n) and STS-m (Synchronous Transport Signal-m) type data frames, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of an STM-n and STS-m line interface unit operable to receive STM-n and STS-m type data frames from a communications network and processor means operable to receive data from at least one of an STM-n and STS-m frame coming from said line Interface unit to: i) segment the whole of said received frame into m groups of p successive bytes, wherein each group comprises payload data and overhead of the received frame; ii) generate for each group an associated control header containing data that represents a position of each group within the at least one of an STM-n and STS-m frame; and iii) encapsulate each group and the associated control header in a payload data field of an Ethernet frame wherein timing information is transported with the payload data field.