Patent ID: 8121116

Claim:
An apparatus for multiplexing a plurality of data streams received over a packet switched network for transfer over a modulated channel that extends through a constant transmission delay network, the apparatus comprising: a first component to determine preferred transmission times for transmitting modulated representations of received packets over the plurality of data streams, the determined transmission times based on timestamps included in the received packets; a local clock to provide a clock value; and a second component to compare the clock value to the determined transmission times, to schedule transmission of at least a portion of the modulated packet representations over the modulated channel according to the comparison; wherein the second component is further operable to: identify a time range that corresponds to the clock value, the time range being bounded by the clock value and a different clock value; identify a portion of the determined transmission times within the time range; identify one of the determined transmission times from the portion that is earliest; and transmit one of the modulated representations that corresponds to the identified earliest transmission time.