Data communication system, method and apparatus for communicating a data signal formed of successive data elements
First Claim
1. A data communications system for communicating a data signal formed of successive data elements, said system comprising a transmission node, a reception node, and a link providing a data connection from said transmission node to said reception node,said transmission node comprising:
- a data clock transmitter configured to transmit a synchronization clocking signal to said reception node via said link, said synchronization clocking signal having synchronizing features occurring at a frequency lower than a data element rate; and
an assembler configured to assemble elements of said data signal into data frames, each data frame having a plurality of successive data elements of said data signal, for transmission to said reception node via said link, said assembler being responsive to said synchronization clocking signal so as to set a synchronization flag associated with a data element having a first predetermined temporal relationship with a synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal; and
said reception node comprising;
a detector configured to detect said synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal received from said transmission node;
a disassembler configured to diassemble received data frames to regenerate said data signal, said disassembler being operable to detect a data element associated with said set synchronization flag; and
an output unit configured to output said data element associated with said set synchronization flag at a second predetermined temporal relationship with respect to said synchronizing feature of said received synchronization clocking signal, said output unit comprising a time delay arrangement, so that data elements from a data frame associated with said set synchronization flag are output a predetermined delay time after said reception node receives said synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal,wherein said first and second predetermined temporal relationships are arranged so that a predetermined system latency exists between input of a data element to said transmission node and subsequent output of that data element by said reception node.
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Abstract
A data communications system for communicating a data signal formed of successive data elements, said system comprising a transmission node; a reception node; and a link providing a data connection from said transmission node to said reception node; in which: said transmission node comprises a clock signal transmitter for transmitting a synchronisation clocking signal to said reception node via said link, said synchronisation clocking signal having synchronising features occurring at a frequency lower than a data element rate; an assembler for assembling elements of said data signal into data frames, each data frame having a plurality of successive data elements of said data signal, for transmission to said reception node via said link, said assembler being responsive to said synchronisation clocking signal so as to set a synchronisation flag associated with a data element having a first predetermined temporal relationship with a synchronising feature of said synchronisation clocking signal; and said reception node comprises: a detector detecting a synchronising feature of said synchronisation clocking signal received from said transmission node; a disassembler for disassembling received data frames to regenerate said data signal, said disassembler being operable to detect a data element associated with a set synchronisation flag; an output unit for outputting a data element associated with a set synchronisation flag at a second predetermined temporal relationship with respect to said synchronising feature of said received synchronisation clocking signal; said first and second predetermined temporal relationships being arranged so that a predetermined system latency exists between input of a data element to said transmission node and subsequent output of that data element by said reception node.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A data communications system for communicating a data signal formed of successive data elements, said system comprising a transmission node, a reception node, and a link providing a data connection from said transmission node to said reception node,
said transmission node comprising: -
a data clock transmitter configured to transmit a synchronization clocking signal to said reception node via said link, said synchronization clocking signal having synchronizing features occurring at a frequency lower than a data element rate; and an assembler configured to assemble elements of said data signal into data frames, each data frame having a plurality of successive data elements of said data signal, for transmission to said reception node via said link, said assembler being responsive to said synchronization clocking signal so as to set a synchronization flag associated with a data element having a first predetermined temporal relationship with a synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal; and said reception node comprising; a detector configured to detect said synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal received from said transmission node; a disassembler configured to diassemble received data frames to regenerate said data signal, said disassembler being operable to detect a data element associated with said set synchronization flag; and an output unit configured to output said data element associated with said set synchronization flag at a second predetermined temporal relationship with respect to said synchronizing feature of said received synchronization clocking signal, said output unit comprising a time delay arrangement, so that data elements from a data frame associated with said set synchronization flag are output a predetermined delay time after said reception node receives said synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal, wherein said first and second predetermined temporal relationships are arranged so that a predetermined system latency exists between input of a data element to said transmission node and subsequent output of that data element by said reception node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A data communications system for communicating a data signal formed of successive data elements, said system comprising a transmission node, a reception node, and a link providing a data connection from said transmission node to said reception node,
said transmission node comprising: -
a data clock transmitter configured to transmit a synchronization clocking signal to said reception node via said link, said synchronization clocking signal having synchronizing features occurring at a frequency lower than a data element rate; and an assembler configured to assemble elements of said data signal into data frames, each data frame having a plurality of successive data elements of said data signal, for transmission to said reception node via said link, said assembler being responsive to said synchronization clocking signal so as to set a synchronization flag associated with a data element having a first predetermined temporal relationship with a synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal, said assembler comprising a frame assembly arrangement configured to receive input data elements at an input data rate and to buffer the input data elements prior to performing a frame assembly operation in which buffered data is retrieved and assembled to form the framed data, said frame assembly arrangement configured to output said framed data for transmission at a framed data rate; and said reception node comprising; a detector configured to detect said synchronizing feature of said synchronization clocking signal received from said transmission node; a disassembler comprising a frame receiving arrangement configured to receive framed data from said transmission node at said framed data rate and to buffer said received framed data, and to disassemble said buffered received frame data to regenerate said data signal, said diassembler configured to detect a data element associated with said set synchronization flag; and an output unit configured to output said data element associated with said set synchronization flag at a second predetermined temporal relationship with respect to said synchronizing feature of said received synchronization clocking signal, wherein said first and second predetermined temporal relationships are arranged so that a predetermined system latency exists between an input of a data element to said transmission node and a subsequent output of such data element by said reception node, and output of framed data is commenced by said frame assembly arrangement prior to assembly of a complete frame and output of data blocks is commenced by said frame receiving arrangement prior to disassembly of a complete frame of received framed data.
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Specification