Active area network connector

• US 20030194912A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nevermore Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PowerDsine Limited (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ferentz, Alon Zeev
• Granted Patent: US 6,764,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6464 by adding capacitive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/719 specially adapted for high frequency, e.g. with filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45

Abstract

An active connector for use in a local area network (LAN) including at least one LAN node. The active connector includes an active connector housing, at least one first plurality of first electrical contacts mounted in the housing and arranged for detachable connection with corresponding electrical contacts of at least one plugs, at least one second plurality of second electrical contacts mounted in the housing and arranged for connection with corresponding electrical contacts of local area network equipment and active power control circuitry located within the housing and coupled to at least some of the first and second electrical contacts, the active power control circuitry being operative for controlling the supply of electrical power over the local area network cabling to at least one node of the local area network.

Claims

1. An active connector for use in a local area network (LAN) including at least one LAN node, the active connector comprising:

an active connector housing;

at least one first plurality of first electrical contacts mounted in said housing and arranged for detachable connection with corresponding electrical contacts of at least one plugs;

at least one second plurality of second electrical contacts mounted in said housing and arranged for connection with corresponding electrical contacts of local area network equipment; and

active power control circuitry located within said housing and coupled to at least some of said first and second electrical contacts, said active power control circuitry being operative for controlling the supply of electrical power over said local area network cabling to at least one node of the local area network.

2. An active connector according to claim 1 and also comprising at least one RJ-45 socket arranged for selectably retaining at least one RJ-45 plug in electrical contact with said first plurality of first electrical contacts.

3. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein said active connector is RJ-45 compatible.

4. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein said active connector is RJ-21 compatible.

5. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein said active connector is Ethernet compatible.

6. An active connector according to claim 5 wherein said Ethernet compatible connector is compatible with the IEEE 802.3 standard.

7. A local area network switch with integral power over LAN functionality, the switch comprising at least one active connector according to claim 1.

8. A local area network midspan device with integral power over LAN functionality, the midspan device comprising at least one active connector according to claim 1.

9. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second pluralities of contacts are arranged in signal pairs.

10. An active connector according to claim 9 and wherein at least some of said first and second pluralities of electrical contacts are configured and operative to reduce crosstalk between said signal pairs.

11. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein said housing is at least partially encapsulated in a metal shield.

12. An active connector according to claim 1 and also comprising at least one socket arranged for selectably retaining at least one plug in electrical contact with said first plurality of first electrical contacts.

13. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein said at least one first plurality of electrical contacts comprises multiple pluralities of first electrical contacts configured and operative to provide attachment of said active connector to at least one plugs.

14. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein said at least one node comprises multiple nodes and wherein said active power control circuitry is operative to simultaneously control power to said plurality of nodes.

15. An active connector according to claim 1 and also comprising at least one RJ-21 socket arranged for selectably retaining at least one RJ-21 plug in electrical contact with said first plurality of first electrical contacts.

16. An active connector according to claim 5 which complies with the IEEE 802.3 standard.

17. An active connector according to claim 16 wherein said Ethernet compatible active connector supports one of the following group of communication protocols:

a 10 baseT communication protocol;

a 100 baseT communication protocol; and

a 1000 baseT communication protocol.

18. A local area network switch with integral power over LAN functionality, the switch comprising at least one active connector according to claim 5.

19. A local area network switch with integral power over LAN functionality, the switch comprising at least one active connector according to claim 6.

20. A local area network switch with integral power over LAN functionality, the switch comprising at least one active connector according to claim 16.

21. A local area network switch with integral power over LAN functionality, the switch comprising at least one active connector according to claim 17.

22. A local area network midspan device with integral power over LAN functionality, the midspan device comprising at least one active connector according to claim 5.

23. A local area network midspan device with integral power over LAN functionality, the midspan device comprising at least one active connector according to claim 6.

24. A local area network midspan device with integral power over LAN functionality, the midspan device comprising at least one active connector according to claim 16.

25. A local area network midspan device with integral power over LAN functionality, the midspan device comprising at least one active connector according to claim 17.

26. A local area network switch with integral power over LAN functionality, the switch comprising at least one active connector according to claim 11.

27. A local area network midspan device with integral power over LAN functionality, the midspan device comprising at least one active connector according to claim 11.

28. An active connector according to claim 1 wherein the active power control circuitry comprises at least one of the following types of circuitry:

application specific integrated circuitry (ASIC);

FET circuitry;

current sensing circuitry;

voltage measuring circuitry;

current limiting circuitry; and

AC disconnecting circuitry.

29. A local area network switch with integral power over LAN functionality, the switch comprising at least one active connector according to claim 28.

30. A local area network midspan device with integral power over LAN functionality, the midspan device comprising at least one active connector according to claim 28.