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Abstract

Method and apparatus for synchronizing Fast Ethernet data packets to radio frames in a wireless metropolitan area network. A method of synchronizing Fast Ethernet data packets to radio frames includes receiving Fast Ethernet data packets, storing packet data in a packet buffer according to a first clock signal wherein the first clock signal is derived from the data packets, retrieving the packet data from the packet buffer according to a second clock signal wherein the second clock signal is asynchronous with the first clock signal, and formatting the retrieved packet data according to radio frames. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of synchronizing radio frames to Fast Ethernet data packets includes recovering packet data for Fast Ethernet data packets from radio frames, storing packet data from the radio frames in a packet buffer according to a first clock signal synchronous with the radio frames, retrieving the packet data from the packet buffer according to a second clock signal wherein a frequency of the second clock signal is lower than a frequency of the first clock signal, and forwarding the data packets reconstructed from the radio frames. The method can also include adjusting a frequency of the second clock signal according to an amount of space available in the packet buffer, adjusting an inter-packet gap for the data packets according to an amount of space available in the packet buffer, or pausing the step of forwarding according to an amount of space available in the packet buffer.

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First Claim