Patent ID: 7953004

Claim:
A method for outputting packets from a playout buffer in a node in a packet-switched network, the method comprising: configuring a Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM) pseudowire terminating at the node; receiving a plurality of fixed-length packets transmitted over the TDM pseudowire; determining a length of the fixed-length packets; configuring the target fill level of the playout buffer such that the target fill level is other than a multiple of the length of the fixed-length packets; adding the plurality of fixed-length packets to the playout buffer such that the playout buffer reaches a current fill level; inserting at least one dummy packet into the playout buffer, wherein: a total length of the at least one dummy packet is equal to a target fill level of the playout buffer minus the current fill level, and the target fill level represents a minimum fill level required before output of packets from the playout buffer; determining, in response to insertion of the at least one dummy packet, that the playout buffer has reached the target fill level; and outputting the plurality of fixed-length packets and the at least one dummy packet from the playout buffer.