Patent ID: RE39395

Claim:
In a data communication network for communicating data between a plurality of data stations over a communications medium under control of a processor which outputs a plurality of control signals, apparatus comprising: a receive memory means and a transmit memory means; a receive datapath corresponding to each data station coupled between said communications medium and said receive memory means for providing at least some data received over said communications medium to said receive memory means; a transmit datapath corresponding to each data station coupled between said transmit memory means and said communications medium for providing at least some data from said transmit memory means to said communications medium; each said receive datapath including: a deserializer configured to receive serial data from said communications medium and output at least a portion of said received serial data in parallel; means for selectively transmitting, in response to one of said plurality of control signals, said data output by said deserializer to said receive memory means; each said transmit datapath including a serializer configured to receive parallel data and output serial data.