Patent ID: 8509616

Claim:
A method ( 700 ) for switching a physical (PHY) device of a system linked via a communication media to a remote system, from being connected to a first processing (MAC) device to being connected to a second processing (MAC) device, the method comprising: receiving (S 710 ) an indication of an upcoming change of connection by the first MAC device and the second MAC device; after the receiving of the indication, buffering (S 720 ) egress traffic in the second MAC device; transmitting (S 730 ) egress traffic buffered in the first MAC device prior to the receiving of the indication, via the PHY device and the communication media to the remote system; interrupting (S 740 ) transmission from the first MAC device to the first PHY device, while continuing reception of ingress traffic or of an empty-traffic indication by the first MAC device from the remote system via the PHY device; upon receiving (S 750 ) a no-remote-traffic indication from the remote system, interrupting, in the first MAC device, reception of ingress traffic or indications from the remote system via the PHY device; providing (S 760 ) a physical connection between the second MAC device and the PHY device; transmitting and receiving (S 770 ), in the second MAC device, no-remote-traffic indications towards and from the remote system via the PHY device, after the physical connection is provided; validating (S 780 ) a connection between the second MAC device and the PHY device, by transmitting and receiving empty-traffic indications towards and from the remote system via the PHY device, for at least a predetermined time interval; and transmitting (S 790 ) the buffered egress traffic from the second MAC device via the PHY device and the communication media, to the remote system after the validating.