Inter-integrated circuit bus router for providing increased security

An inter-integrated circuit router comprising:

• a high-speed internal bus for communicating data;
• at least one inter-integrated circuit port coupled to said high-speed internal bus, said inter-integrated circuit port operable to provide said communicating of said data between said high-speed internal bus and an inter-integrated circuit bus segment based on control information, wherein said inter-integrated circuit port includes:
• an electrical connector for communicative coupling to an inter-integrated circuit bus;
• a controller coupled to said electrical connector for controlling communication of data through said electrical connector based on said control information such that communication to any address designated by said control information is allowed to pass through said inter-integrated circuit port while communication to all other address not designated by said control information is not allowed to pass through said inter-integrated circuit port;
• and
• a mask coupled to said controller for providing said control information to said controller, wherein said mask comprises a first mask register configured for storing a designated address to which data communication can be transmitted through said electrical connector and a second mask register for designating Do Not Care bits which are used in conjunction with said designated address to define a range of addresses to which data communication can be transmitted through said electrical connector;
• and
• a high-speed external port coupled to said high-speed internal bus, said high-speed external port providing an interface to an external bus.

A method for controlling data communications over an inter-integrated router, said method comprising:

• receiving data at an inter-integrated circuit port from an inter-integrated circuit bus, said data comprising a destination address, wherein said inter-integrated circuit port includes:
• an electrical connector for communicative coupling to an inter-integrated circuit bus;
• a controller coupled to said electrical connector for controlling communication of data through said electrical connector based on said control information such that communication to any address designated by said control information is allowed to pass through said inter-integrated circuit port while communication to all other address not designated by said control information is not allowed to pass through said inter-integrated circuit port;
• and
• a mask coupled to said controller for providing said control information to said controller, wherein said mask comprises a first mask register configured for storing a designated address to which data communication can be transmitted through said electrical connector and a second mask register for designating Do Not Care bits which are used in conjunction with said designated address to define a range of addresses to which data communication can be transmitted through said electrical connector
• comparing said destination address to said control information of said inter-integrated circuit port, wherein said comparing is performed at said controller by comparing said destination address to said designated address and said Do Not Care bits to determine if said destination address can be transmitted through said inter-integrated circuit port;
• and
• providing said comparing indicates that transmission through said inter-integrated circuit port is permitted, transmitting said data through said inter-integrated circuit port.