SYSTEM FOR DIGITIZED VOICE AND DATA WITH MEANS TO COMPENSATE FOR VARIABLE PATH DELAYS

In a communications system in which voice is transmitted as packets of digitized samples, a receiving station delays the output of the first packet in a way that compensates for wide variations in the intervals at which successive packets are received. According to one feature of this system, a first packet is transmitted at a higher priority so that a greater delay can be used without encounter problems that arise from the uncertainty in the delay in transmitting this packet. In another feature of this system, the arrival time of the first few packets of a conversation are detected and the delay is readjusted in case the first packet has been unusually delayed.