Patent ID: 8127055

Claim:
A device for connecting a framer interface to a single link layer interface, said device comprising: a data stream interface for linking the device to a similar device; extraction means for extracting data that have to be transmitted to said link layer interface from an output data stream received from said framer interface; transmission means for: transmitting an output data stream received from said data stream interface to said framer interface; transmitting an output data stream received from said framer interface to said data stream interface; and transmitting an output data stream received from said framer interface back to said framer interface; and merging means for: combining data received from said framer interface, said data stream interface and said link layer interface and destined for said framer interface, and combining data received from said data stream interface and said framer interface and destined for said link layer interface, said merging means comprising: frame encapsulation means, classification means for classifying frames received from said frame encapsulation means, according to their destination and priorities, and memorization means, wherein said classified frames that have to be transferred to said framer interface and the frames received from said data stream interface and said framer interface that have to be transferred to said framer interface are queued.