Patent ID: 6359893
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A switchable physical device circuit integrated on a semiconductor substrate for interfacing with an adapter of a computer system, said switchable physical device circuit comprising:a first physical device circuit operable at a first communication rate; a second physical device circuit operable at a second communication rate; a front end multiplexer controlled by a control signal and for multiplexing information between said adapter and one of said first and said second physical device circuits; a first and second bus; and a back end multiplexer controlled by said control signal and for multiplexing information between one of said first and said second physical device circuits and one of said first and said second buses; wherein said first bus is coupled to a first media independent interface circuit for communicating with a first collision domain and said second bus is coupled to a second media independent interface circuit for communicating with a second collision domain.