Patent ID: 6839858

Claim:
A local timing circuit for direct use with transport logic in a network element forming part of a data network, the local timing circuit comprising: a timing receiver having a timing input, a timing output, and a selection input, the timing receiver receiving one or more timing signals at the timing input selecting a selected timing signal, and distributing the selected timing signal directly to the transport logic via the timing output based on a selection signal received at the selection input; a determination circuit receiving input signals operable to determine whether the local timing circuit is one of a master timing circuit or a slave timing circuit, and based on the determination, produce the selection signal; and a sync transmitter coupled to the timing output, the determination circuit, and a communication channel, the sync transmitter operable to receive the selected timing signal and to transmit the selected timing signal on the communication channel when the determination circuit determines that the local timing circuit is the master timing circuit.