Patent ID: 6735636
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
An intelligent splitter device, comprising:a buffer memory; at least three input/output (I/O) ports, each port having logic for transmitting and receiving information on an associated input/output (I/O) communication link, and each port in electrical communication with the buffer memory; and control logic to control each port to write I/O data received from its respective I/O communication link into a portion of the buffer memory associated with that port, and to transmit data onto its respective I/O communication link by reading data from the buffer memory at selectable buffer memory locations, including locations associated with one of the other ports; wherein (i) the control logic makes available data received from a first of the at least three I/O ports to a second of the at least three I/O ports without modifying a first protocol communicated between the first and second ports, and (ii) the control logic duplicates the data that is made available from the first of the at least three I/O ports, and further makes the data available to a third of the at least three I/O ports, enforcing a second protocol that is undetected by one or more communication devices attached to the first and second of the at least three I/O ports.