Patent ID: 7180908

Claim:
A switch comprising: a plurality of ports, wherein at least one port of the plurality of ports comprises a first group of conductors and a second group of conductors; a first switching unit for switching data signals of a first data protocol to one or more of the plurality of ports; a second switching unit for switching data signals of a second data protocol to one or more of the plurality of ports; and one or more logic elements for performing steps comprising: determining the protocol of data signals received on the first group of conductors, determining the protocol of data signals received on the second group of conductors, directing the data signals received on the first group of conductors to either the first switching unit or the second switching unit based on the determined protocol of the data signals received on the first group of conductors, and directing the data signals received on the second group of conductors to either the first switching unit or second switching unit based on the determined protocol of the data signals received on the first group of conductors.