Data transmission

A transmitting node for use in a data communication system, said transmitting node comprising:

• a data transmitter to transmit data from at least two streamed data signals across respective transmission paths of a communication link;
• a timing transmitter to transmit timing information for at least two base clock signals across said communication link;
• and
• a configuration transmitter to transmit configuration data specifying respective associations between each transmission path and a corresponding one of said base clock signals such that a transmission path can be associated with any one of said base clock signals.

A receiving node for use in a data communication system, said receiving node comprising:

• a data receiver to receive data from transmission paths of a communication link, said data comprising timing information for at least two base clock signals, data from at least two streamed data signals and configuration data specifying respective associations between each transmission path and a corresponding one of said base clock signals such that a transmission path can be associated with any one of said base clock signals;
• a processor to process said timing information for said base clock signals in response to said configuration data to generate a respective sample clock corresponding to each transmission path;
• and
• logic to associate said sample clock with data from said respective transmission path in dependence upon said configuration data to recover said streamed data signals.

A data communication method for communicating data between a transmission node and a reception node across a communication link, said method comprising the steps of:

• said transmitting node:
• transmitting data from at least two streamed data signals across respective transmission paths of said communication link;
• transmitting timing information for at least two base clock signals across said communication link;
• and
• transmitting configuration data specifying respective associations between each transmission path and a corresponding one of said base clock signals such that a transmission path can be associated with any one of said base clock signals;
• and said reception node:
• receiving data from said transmission paths of said communication link;
• processing said timing information for said base clock signals in response to said configuration data to generate a respective sample clock corresponding to each transmission path;
• and
• associating said sample clock with data from said respective transmission path in dependence upon said configuration data to recover said streamed data signals.

A method of operation of a transmission node for use in a data communication system, said method comprising the steps of:

• transmitting data from at least two streamed data signals across respective transmission paths of said communication link;
• transmitting timing information for at least two base clock signals across said communication link;
• and
• transmitting configuration data specifying respective associations between each transmission path and a corresponding one of said base clock signals such that a transmission path can be associated with any one of said base clock signals.

A method of operation of a reception node for use in a data communication system, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving data from transmission paths of a communication link, said data comprising timing information for at least two base clock signals, data from at least two streamed data signals and configuration data specifying respective associations between each transmission path and a corresponding one of said base clock signals such that a transmission path can be associated with any one of said base clock signals;
• processing said timing information for said base clock signals in response to said configuration data to generate a respective sample clock corresponding to each transmission path;
• and
• associating said sample clock with data from said respective transmission path in dependence upon said configuration data to recover said streamed data signals.