METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INDICATING PACKET BOUNDARIES IN FRAMES

摘要

Frames (560) including a packet boundary information field indicator (567) and, optionally, packet boundary information field (565, 570, 571) in addition to packet data (559', 572, 574, 576) are described. Methods and apparatus for generating and using such frames (560) are also described. The packet boundary indicator (567) indicates the presence or absence of at least one packet boundary information field (565, 570, 571) in the frame. Frames with a payload (564) that is fully occupied with data corresponding to a single packet do not include a packet boundary information field. The packet boundary information field (565, 570, 571) indicates the location of a corresponding pack boundary and the type of boundary. One packet boundary information field is included in a frame for each boundary separating the data corresponding to different packets. By using packet boundary information fields (565, 570, 571) to specify the location of packet boundaries, the need to parse an entire packet to isentify the location of a packet boundary is avoided.