Patent ID: 7230957

Claim:
An apparatus for multiplexing variable-length packets, comprising a plurality of input buffers for storing gigabit Ethernet media access control (MAC) data which is input according to gigabit media independent interface (GMII); a multiplexer monitor block for determining an operating mode of each input buffer based on management and status information of gigabit Ethernet MAC data; a selection controller for generating a control signal for selecting one of the plurality of input buffers; and a selection and conversion block for sequentially selecting the gigabit Ethernet MAC data in response to the control signal, converting the selected gigabit Ethernet MAC data into 10-gigabit media independent interface (XGMII) data, and outputting the XGMII data according to XGMII; wherein the selection controller comprises: a transmit status storage block for receiving and storing transmit status information from the selection and conversion block; a transmit table storage block for storing the address of each input port; and a transmit port selection controller for selecting a particular input buffer based on status information from a start-of-frame (SOF) and end-of-frame (EOF) processor included in each of the input buffers, the transmit information from the transmit status storage block, and information from the transmit table storage block.