Patent ID: 7089345

Claim:
An apparatus for providing a plurality of ports to a device using a point to point communications protocol, comprising: a first data port, wherein said first data port is adapted for interconnection to said device; a second data port; a first signal path, wherein said second data port may be selectively interconnected to said first data port by said first signal path; a third data port; and a second signal path, wherein said third data port may be selectively interconnected to said first data port by said second signal path, wherein data is passed over said first signal path in a first mode of operation, wherein data is passed over said second signal path in a second mode of operation, wherein a portion of said first signal path is also a portion of said second signal path, wherein said first mode of operation is entered in response to at least one of a command and data received at said second data port, and wherein at least one of a command and data is prevented from being passed over said second signal path until at least one of a command and data is received from said device at said first data port in reply to said at least one of a command and data received at said second data port.