Method of providing synchronous transport of packets between asynchronous network nodes in a frame-based communications network

摘要

A method of providing synchronous transport of packets between asynchronous network nodes, each asynchronous network node having a local clock and transmitting and receiving packets to and from the asynchronous network according to an asynchronous network media access protocol. An asynchronous network node capable of transmitting and receiving packets on the asynchronous network is designated as a master node. Each non-master asynchronous network node which desires to synchronously transport packets across the asynchronous network as a slave node and each slave node is designated as a slave node. A master node clock of the master node is synchronized with a slave node clock of each slave node. A best arrival time for the reception by the master node of each particular packet transmitted by each particular slave node is determined at the master node. Best arrival times for packets transmitted from slave nodes to the master node are communicated from the master node to the slave nodes. Best packet assembly times for packets to be transmitted by the particular slave node to the master node in the future in order for the packets to be received by the master node at future master clock referenced best arrival times. Each slave node clock is continuously corrected compared with the master node clock to smooth slave clock error to an average of zero compared with the master clock as a reference in response to a message from the master node. Packets for transmission at slave nodes according to determined future best packet assembly time information. Packets at slave nodes are then transmitted according to the determined future best packet assembly time information.