Method for high voltage power feed on differential cable pairs
First Claim
1. A power feed circuit operable to supply power to an Ethernet network powered device (PD) coupled to an Ethernet network, comprising:
- two differential transistor pairs wherein each transistor of the differential transistor pairs is operable to pass an Ethernet power signal;
two pairs of impedance sense resistors, wherein each of the impedance sense resistors is coupled to a single transistor of the differential transistor pairs, wherein each of the impedance sense resistors is operable to pass Ethernet power signals received from a drain of the coupled transistor;
an amplifier coupled to the drains of each of the transistors within a coupled differential transistor pair, wherein the amplifier are operable to;
amplify a differential voltage across the pair of impedance sense resistors coupled to the differential transistor pair; and
apply a feedback signal to a gate of each of the transistors within the differential transistor pair coupled to the amplifier, wherein the feedback signal is based on the differential voltage, wherein the feedback signal forces the Ethernet power signal passed by each of the transistors in the differential transistor pair to be equal; and
a pair of output nodes, wherein one output node is associated with each of the differential transistor pairs, and wherein the pair of output nodes feed power to the Ethernet network PD.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a network device operable to receive a network signal that may include both power and data from a coupled network. This network device includes a network connector and an integrated circuit. The network connector physically couples the network device to the network. An optional protection circuit may provide surge protection or incoming network signals received by the network device through the network connector. An optional switching/rectifying circuit sees the output of the protection circuit and is operable to rectify a power signal when contained within the network signal. The integrated circuit further includes a power feed circuit conductively coupled to the protection circuit and the rectifying circuit. This power feed circuit is operable to separate and pass the received data signal to a network physical layer and separate and pass the received power signal to a power management module. The power management module electrically couples to the integrated circuit but is not necessarily part of the integrated circuit. The power management module is operable to at least partially power the network device for specific circuits within the network device from the received power signal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A power feed circuit operable to supply power to an Ethernet network powered device (PD) coupled to an Ethernet network, comprising:
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two differential transistor pairs wherein each transistor of the differential transistor pairs is operable to pass an Ethernet power signal;
two pairs of impedance sense resistors, wherein each of the impedance sense resistors is coupled to a single transistor of the differential transistor pairs, wherein each of the impedance sense resistors is operable to pass Ethernet power signals received from a drain of the coupled transistor;
an amplifier coupled to the drains of each of the transistors within a coupled differential transistor pair, wherein the amplifier are operable to;
amplify a differential voltage across the pair of impedance sense resistors coupled to the differential transistor pair; and
apply a feedback signal to a gate of each of the transistors within the differential transistor pair coupled to the amplifier, wherein the feedback signal is based on the differential voltage, wherein the feedback signal forces the Ethernet power signal passed by each of the transistors in the differential transistor pair to be equal; and
a pair of output nodes, wherein one output node is associated with each of the differential transistor pairs, and wherein the pair of output nodes feed power to the Ethernet network PD. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method to at least partially power an Ethernet network powered device PD, from an Ethernet power signal fed through an Ethernet network connection, comprising:
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physically coupling the Ethernet network PD to the Ethernet network;
receiving an Ethernet signal from the Ethernet network, wherein the Ethernet signal comprises the plurality of power signals and/or data signal(s);
passing the Ethernet signal an integrated circuit (IC), wherein the IC comprises a power feed circuit;
separating with the IC, the data signal from the Ethernet signal, wherein the data signal is passed to an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module;
separating with the IC, the Ethernet power signal from the Ethernet signal, wherein the power signal is passed to the power management module; and
at least partially powering the Ethernet network PD from the power signal. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method to at least partially power an Ethernet network powered device PD, from an Ethernet power signal fed through an Ethernet network connection, comprising:
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receiving a plurality of paired Ethernet power signals;
passing each pair of Ethernet power signal through a differential transistor pairs;
sensing a drain voltage at a drain of each of the transistors within the differential transistor pair;
comparing the drain voltages of each of the transistors within the differential transistor pair;
producing control signals for of each of the transistors within the differential transistor pair based on the comparison of the drain voltages of each of the transistors within the differential transistor pair;
applying the control signal to a gate of each of the transistors, wherein the control signal forces the Ethernet power signal passed by each of the transistors in a differential transistor pair to be equal; and
passing the Ethernet power signal from a pair of output nodes wherein one output node is associated with each of the differential transistor pairs, and wherein the pair of output nodes feed power to the Ethernet network PD. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A power feed circuit operable to supply power to an Ethernet network powered device (PD) coupled to an Ethernet network, comprising an integrated circuit (IC) that further comprises:
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two differential transistor pairs wherein each of the transistors of the differential transistor pairs is operable to pass an Ethernet power signal;
two pairs of impedance sense resistors, wherein each of the impedance sense resistors is coupled to a single transistor of the differential transistor pairs, wherein each of the impedance sense resistors is operable to pass Ethernet power signals received from a drain of the coupled transistor;
an amplifier coupled to the drains of each of the transistors within a differential transistor pair, wherein the amplifier are operable to;
amplify a differential voltage across the pair of impedance sense resistors coupled to the differential transistor pair; and
apply a feedback signal to a gate of each of the transistors within the differential transistor pair coupled to the amplifier, wherein the feedback signal is based on the differential voltage, wherein the feedback signal forces the Ethernet power signal passed by each of the transistors in the differential transistor pair to be equal; and
a pair of output nodes, wherein one output node is associated with each of the differential transistor pairs, and wherein the pair of output nodes feed power to the Ethernet network PD.
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Specification