Packet transmission system

A packet transmission method for transmitting a bit stream of a prescribed rate while also packeting the bit stream, comprising the steps of:

• periodically determining a position of a head bit of a frame of the bit stream at a transmission side;
• packeting the bit stream, said step of packeting the bit stream including detecting whether data comprising the bit stream to be packeted includes a head bit of the bit stream and adding to a packet including a head bit of the bit stream data indicative of a time corresponding to the determined position of the head bit of the bit stream;
• temporarily storing each of a received packet generated by said packeting step at a reception side;
• extracting from each received packet including data indicative of a time corresponding to the determined position of the head bit of the bit stream a time of the position of the head bit of the bit stream;
• and
• controlling a read-out rate of the bit stream included within each temporarily stored received packet with the extracted time;
• wherein said step of determining the position of the head bit of the bit stream comprises a step of operating a counter at the same rate as the bit stream.

A communication system having a plurality of pieces of equipment and a packet transmission system for transmitting a bit stream of a prescribed rate while also packeting the bit stream, comprising:

• means for periodically determining a position of a head bit of a frame of the bit stream at a transmission side;
• means for packeting the bit stream, said means for packeting the bit steam including means for detecting whether data comprising the bit stream to be packeted includes a head bit of the bit stream and an adder for adding to a packet including a head bit of the bit stream data indicative of a time corresponding to the determined position of the head bit of the bit stream;
• a temporary storage memory for temporarily storing at a reception side each of a received packet generated by the means for packeting;
• extraction means for extracting from each received packet including data indicative of a time corresponding to the determined position of the head bit of the bit stream a time of the position of the head bit of the bit stream;
• and
• a controller circuit for controlling a read-out rate of the bit stream included within each temporarily stored received packet in response to the extracted time.