Method and system for encapsulating time division multiplex data into individual packets of a packet based network

A data packet constructed and arranged to encapsulate TDM data for transmission over a packet network, comprising:

• a segment of the TDM data from one or more TDM time-slots, wherein the segment of the TDM data corresponds to a signaling multiframe of the TDM data including one period of a periodic signaling pattern;
• and,
• a header associated with the individual data packets appended to the segment of the TDM data.

A method of selecting a value of a parameter k, wherein the parameter k represents a number of multiframes of TDM data in a data packet for transmission across a packet network, and the packet includes packet payload data and packet overhead data, comprising:

• calculating one or more values of the parameter k as a function of one or more input parameters, each value of k corresponding to n, a number of time-slots in the TDM data, such that the efficiency of the data packet increases exponentially as the number of time-slots in the TDM data increases;
• and,
• selecting a value of the parameter k corresponding to the input parameters associated with the payload data and the overhead data.

A system for compiling one or more data packets for transmission across a packet network, each packet including packet payload data and packet overhead data, wherein a parameter k describes the number of multiframes of TDM data in each data packet, and a parameter n describes a number of time-slots in the TDM data, comprising:

• a processor (i) for calculating one or more values of the parameter k as a function of one or more input parameters, such that each value of k corresponds to a value of n, and the efficiency of the data packet increases exponentially as n increases, and (ii) for selecting a particular value of the parameter k corresponding to the input parameters associated with the payload data and the overhead data;
• a packet assembler for receiving data from one or more TDM time-slots, along with the parameter k and one or more of the input parameters, and producing one or more data packets each having k multiframes of TDM data.