Asynchronous transfer mode packet video transmission system

A prototype point-to-point packet transmission system carrying a DS-3 rate, NTSC-quality digital video signal has been made and demonstrated. Fixed bit-rate video signals are transported in packet form using the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) technique. A packet assembler integrates the transmit terminals' information into an ATM data stream suitable for application to a broadband ISDN. A packet disassembler distributes the incoming data to the proper receive terminals. The flexible and modular architecture of both the packet assembler and disassembler allows service equipment to be physically remote and provides easy expansion or reconfiguration of the service channels in the future. Service clock information not carried by the network is recovered at the receive end by use of a digital phase-locked loop.