Hit-less switching pointer aligner apparatus and method

A method for processing digital signals in a telecommunications system that allows for hit-less switching between a first digital signal having a first payload, a first pointer value, and a first frame, that is transported on a first channel, and a second digital signal having a second payload identical to the first payload, a second pointer value, and a second frame, that is transported on a second channel, comprising:

• receiving the first signal at a first pointer follower and forwarding the first pointer value and the first payload;
• receiving the second signal at a second pointer follower and forwarding the second pointer value and the second payload;
• at a first comparator, determining between the first signal and the second signal which signal is ahead and which is behind and generating a select bit;
• receiving the ahead signal, the behind signal, and the select bit at a first multiplexer, and selecting and forwarding the behind signal;
• receiving the first payload, the second payload, and the select bit at a second multiplexer, and selecting and forwarding an ahead payload;
• receiving the first pointer value, the second pointer value, and the select bit at a third multiplexer, and selecting and forwarding a bypass pointer value;
• receiving the ahead payload at a delay buffer with control circuit and forwarding the ahead payload;
• aligning the ahead signal payload with the behind signal payload, comprising:
• (a) receiving at a pointer generator the ahead payload, generating a third frame and a PG pointer value, forwarding the PG pointer value, and including the third frame and the PG pointer value with the ahead payload to create a third signal;
• (b) comparing at a second comparator the PG pointer value and the bypass pointer value to determine the delay between the first payload and the second payload;
• (c) generating an increment/decrement request signal for the delay buffer to align the third signal with the behind signal;
• and
• (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) until the bypass pointer value is aligned with the PG pointer value;
• forwarding the third signal to a fourth multiplexer;
• and
• receiving at the fourth multiplexer the third signal and the behind signal, hit-lessly selecting between the third signal and the behind signal, and forwarding the selected signal to the rest of the telecommunications system.