Patent ID: 8249134

Claim:
A method for allowing a plurality of high speed communication transceivers connected to a transmission line to effectively receive data from the transmission line, wherein each communication transceiver is capable of receiving and transmitting data in an active state, and capable of sensing and receiving data in a high impedance state and wherein the transmission line has a characteristic impedance defined by a twisted pair of conductors, the method comprising the steps of: setting a first high speed communication transceiver to the active state, the first high speed communication transceiver having a characteristic impedance of 100 ohms at a transmission frequency of the first high speed communication transceiver, the characteristic impedance of the first high speed communication transceiver being equal to the characteristic impedance of the twisted pair of conductors in the active state; setting a second high speed communication transceiver to the high impedance state; setting a third high speed communication transceiver to the high impedance state; one of the second and third high speed communication transceivers sensing and receiving a message intended for the one high speed communication transceiver; and the one high speed communication transceiver switching to an active state with a characteristic impedance equal to the characteristic impedance of the transmission line while the first high speed communication transceiver switches to the high impedance state and wherein only one of the plurality of high speed transceivers is in an active state with a characteristic impedance equal to that of the transmission line at any given time, wherein each of the high speed transceivers comprise first and second receivers, a protective circuit and a switch wherein the second receiver is coupled to the transmission line by the protective circuit and the switch.