Frame restructuring interface for digital bit streams multiplexed by time- division multiplexing digital tributaries with different bit rates

摘要

A frame restructuring interface for digital bit streams multiplexed by time-division multiplexing digital tributaries at different bit rates according to a synchronous multiplexing hierarchy at the various levels of which tributaries are constituted entities called containers and entities called multiplexing units. The interface includes a circuit for extracting from incoming frames the signals constituting the containers to be processed, and a circuit for constituting and for multiplexing into restructured frames subdivided into sections of the same length restructured multiplexing units, by inserting the signals together with indexing and justification signals for adapting their extraction and insertion timing rates at locations which for a given container to be processed have within each restructured frame section ranks defined relative to the start of the section, the ranks being invariant from one frame section to another and from one frame to another, and each set of the ranked locations of the restructured frame sections being assigned to at most one restructured multiplexing unit.