Power sourcing unit for power over ethernet system

• US 20060217847A1
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADC Telecommunications Incorporated (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Anderson, John
• Application Number:
  US11/091,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217847A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/44 Arrangements for feeding power to a repeater along the transmission line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

A circuit board for a power sourcing unit for a power over ethernet system. The circuit board includes a power over ethernet controller. The circuit board also includes a switch connected to the power over ethernet controller. The switch switches a polarity of an output voltage controlled by the power over ethernet controller. The circuit board can also include a microcontroller to control a state of the switch. The switch can include a first state for a first output voltage polarity, and a second state for a second output voltage polarity that is opposite to that of the first state. The switch can be a latching relay. The circuit board can include a plurality of relays, one relay for each jack of the power sourcing unit. The circuit board can also include a second switch to switch transmit and receive pairs controlled by the power over ethernet controller.

Claims

1. A circuit board for a power sourcing unit for a power over ethernet system, the circuit board comprising:

a power over ethernet controller; and

a switch connected to the power over ethernet controller, wherein the switch switches a polarity of an output voltage controlled by the power over ethernet controller.

2. The circuit board of claim 1, further comprising a microcontroller to control a state of the switch.

3. The circuit board of claim 1, wherein the switch includes a first state for a first output voltage polarity, and a second state for a second output voltage polarity that is reversed from that of the first state.

4. The circuit board of claim 1, wherein the switch is a relay.

5. The circuit board of claim 4, wherein the relay is a latching relay.

6. The circuit board of claim 4, wherein the circuit board further comprises a plurality of relays, one relay for each jack of the power sourcing unit.

7. The circuit board of claim 1, further comprising a second switch connected to the power over ethernet controller, wherein the second switch switches transmit and receive pairs controlled by the power over ethernet controller.

8. A power sourcing unit for a power over ethernet system, the unit comprising:

a chassis;

a power supply positioned in the chassis;

a plurality of jacks; and

a printed circuit board coupled to the power supply and the plurality of jacks, the printed circuit board including a controller and a plurality of latching relays, at least one latching relay for each of the jacks, a state of each latching relay being controlled by the controller to switch a polarity of an output voltage from the power supply provided to a corresponding one of the jacks.

9. The power sourcing unit of claim 8, wherein the relay includes a first state for a first output voltage polarity, and a second state for a second output voltage polarity that is reversed from that of the first state.

10. The power sourcing unit of claim 8, wherein the state of each relay is controlled based on whether a device connected to a jack associated with a given relay is a compliant device or a non-compliant device.

11. The power sourcing unit of claim 10, wherein each relay has a first state for the compliant device and a second state for the non-compliant device.

12. The power sourcing unit of claim 11, wherein in the first state a voltage of positive polarity is provided to a first pair of a jack, and wherein in the second state a voltage of negative polarity is provided to the first pair of the jack.

13. The power sourcing unit of claim 8, further comprising a second plurality of latching relays, wherein each of the second plurality of latching relays switches transmit and receive pairs for one of the jacks.

14. A method for powering devices using an ethernet connection, the method comprising:

providing a power sourcing unit including a power over ethernet controller, and a switch connected to the power over ethernet controller; and

switching the switch to change a polarity of an output voltage controlled by the power over ethernet controller when a legacy device is connected to the power sourcing unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of switching further comprises switching between a first state for a first output voltage polarity for a compliant device, and a second state for a second output voltage polarity for the legacy device that is reversed from that of the first state.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a latching relay for the switch.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a plurality of switches, one switch for each jack of the power sourcing unit.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a second switch connected to the power over ethernet controller; and

switching the second switch to switch transmit and receive pairs controlled by the power over ethernet controller.