Synchronization of pulse communication systems

Claim 1

IN A SYNCHRONOUS PULSE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WHICH INCLUDES RECEIVER APPARATUS FOR RECONSTITUTING A MESSAGE FROM CODE GROUPS OF PULSES OF AN INCOMING PULSE TRAIN, AT LEAST ONE PULSE PERIOD OF EACH FRAME OF SAID TRAIN BEING ASSIGNED TO A FRAMING DIGIT WHICH IS DISTINGUISHABLE FROM OTHER DIGITS OF THE TRAIN BY VIRTUE OF ITS UNIQUE RECURRENT PATTERN, WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES CLOCK PULSE GENERATOR MEANS OPERATIVE IN RESPONSE TO THE RECEIVED PULSE TRAIN TO NORMALLY GENERATE A SYNCHRONOUS CLOCK PULSE SIGNAL FOR EACH FRAME OF SAID INCOMING PULSE TRAIN, MEANS FOR COMPARING THE TIMING OF THE RECURRING CLOCK PULSE SIGNALS WITH RESPECT TO THE RECEIVED FRAMING DIGITS, AND MEANS OPERATIVE IN RESPONSE TO A LOSS OF SYNCHRONISM BETWEEN SAID CLOCK PULSE SIGNALS AND SAID RECEIVED FRAMING DIGITS TO ADVANCE THE RELATIVE PHASE OF SAID CLOCK PULSE SIGNALS A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF PULSE PERIODS AND TO THEREAFTER INTERMITTENTLY RETARD SAID PHASE ONE PULSE PERIOD AT A TIME UNTIL SAID SYNCHRONISM IS OBTAINED.