US Patent 7760769 Serial stream filtering

Methods and apparatus provide for the combining and filtering of serial data from multiple serial data sources. At least one of the serial data sources frames serial data into packets. The serial data source that frames serial data drives a serial port in an exclusive manner. Another serial data source also provides data to the serial port. As the serial data comes from the sources, the serial port generates a stream of serial data that is sent to a serial stream filter. The serial stream filter extracts the packet from other serial data and selectively forwards the packet and the other serial data to one or more recipients.