Patent ID: 8432835

Claim:
A system for switching electrical components, the system comprising: a codec coupled to the electrical components and configured to receive audio, visual, or both types of signals from the electrical components; a control system coupled to the codec and configured to control the codec; a control panel configured to generate a signal indicative of a selected mode for the system; a switching unit coupled to the codec, control system, and control panel, the switching unit comprising: a memory encoded with a relay configuration associated with a plurality of modes for the system, including the selected mode; a processor coupled to the control panel and the memory, the processor configured to receive the indication of the selected mode, access the relay configuration stored in the memory associated with the selected mode, and generate relay control signals based, at least in part, on the relay configuration; a first interface to a first Ethernet network having a first security level; a second interface to the first Ethernet network having the first security level; a third interface to a second Ethernet network having a second security level; at least a first electromechanical relay coupled between the codec, the first interface to the first Ethernet network, and the third interface to the second Ethernet network, the first electromechanical relay further coupled to the processor and configured to disconnect the codec, or couple the codec to the first interface, or couple the codec to the third interface based on a relay control signal received from the processor; at least a second electromechanical relay coupled between the control system and the second interface to the first Ethernet network having the first security level, the second electromechanical relay coupled to the processor and configured to disconnect the control system from or couple the control system to the second interface based on a relay control signal received from the processor; and wherein: when the selected mode is a first mode, the relay configuration corresponds to the first electromechanical relay forming a connection between the codec and the first interface to the first Ethernet network and the second electromechanical relay forming a connection between the control system and the second interface to the first Ethernet network; when the selected mode is a second mode, the relay configuration corresponds to the first electromechanical relay disconnecting the codec from the first and third interfaces and the second electromechanical relay connecting the control system to the second interface; and when the selected mode is a third mode, the relay configuration corresponds to the first electromechanical relay connecting the codec to the third interface and the second electromechanical relay disconnecting the control system from the second interface.