Patent ID: 7747725

Claim:
A data network suitable for transporting media packets, the network comprising: a master clock device to generate a system time signal for the network, wherein the system time signal and media packets are both communicated in a same band on the network; a plural number of network devices interconnected such that each network device can send media packets to other network devices, and to receive media packets from other network devices; each network device also being configured to receive media signals from a media device, to transmit media signals to a media device, or to do both; wherein, each network device is coupled to the master clock device and uses the system time signal and a network time protocol to generate a local clock signal synchronised to the system time signal for both rate and offset, the local clock signal governing both the rate and offset of the received or transmitted media signals; and wherein a media clock signal is synthesized from at least the local clock signal, such that the media clock signal directly governs the rate and offset at which media signals are received or transmitted.