Synchronous payload pointer processing system in digital data transmission network

A synchronous payload envelope pointer processing system in synchronous transmission equipment for transmitting information in SONET signals or CCITT signals, the processing system comprising:

• a pointer detection unit for monitoring a group of pointer bytes in a receive multiplex signal applied to said pointer detection unit and for determining a group of pointer values included in the monitored group of pointer bytes, said receive multiplex signal being comprised of a plurality of multiplexed synchronous payload envelope signals, each associated with one of the pointer bytes;
• a storage unit for storing payload data carried by the receive multiplex signal;
• a write timing signal generator unit receiving a receive clock signal and generating a write clock signal and being coupled to said pointer detection unit and to said storage unit, said write timing signal generator unit supplying said write clock signal to said storage unit;
• a read timing signal generator unit receiving a transmit clock signal and generating a read clock signal, said read timing signal generator unit being coupled to said storage unit and supplying said read clock signal thereto;
• a phase difference counter unit receiving a receive frame timing signal and a transmit frame timing signal, and being coupled to said write timing signal generator unit and said read timing signal generator unit, said phase difference counter unit counting a phase difference between said receive frame timing signal and said transmit frame timing signal;
• a phase comparator unit coupled to said write timing signal generator unit and said read timing signal generator unit for comparing a phase between said write clock signal and said read clock signal to produce a control signal;
• a pointer addition unit coupled to said storage unit, said pointer detection unit, said phase difference counter unit, said read timing signal generator unit and said phase comparator unit, for processing said group of pointer values determined by said pointer detection unit, the phase difference counted by said phase difference counter unit and said control signal produced by said phase comparator unit to produce a new group of pointer values, and for adding overhead bytes including the new group of pointer values to payload data read from the storage unit to produce a transmit multiplex signal.