Method to control current imbalance between differential pairs providing a DC power feed
First Claim
1. A method to at least partially power an Ethernet network device, with a plurality of power signals fed through an Ethernet network connection, comprising:
- physically coupling the Ethernet network device 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 to an integrated circuit (IC) wherein the IC comprises;
an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module;
a power management module; and
a direct connection module;
separating with the direct connection module, the data signal from the Ethernet signal, wherein the data signal is passed to the Ethernet PHY module of the IC;
separating with the direct connection module, the plurality of power signals from the Ethernet signal;
sensing a current associated with each power signal of the plurality of power signals;
balancing the plurality of power signals with an active control circuit and based on the sensed current associated with each power signal of the plurality of power signals, wherein the balanced plurality of power signal are passed to the power management module; and
at least partially powering the Ethernet network device from the plurality of balanced power signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a method to at least partially power an Ethernet device from a plurality of balanced network power signals received through a network connection. This involves attaching the network device to the network, wherein network signals are received and contain both power signals and/or data signals. These network signals may be passed through surge protection and power-conditioning circuitry wherein the output of these circuits may be provided to a power absorbing circuit. This power absorbing circuit may separate the communication signal and power signal from the network signal. The communication signal may be passed to a network physical layer while the power signal may be passed to a power distribution module. Additionally, because certain embodiments may provide multiple pairs of network power signals to the power absorbing circuit, the current or power associated with each power signal must be sensed and balanced. This may be done with an active control circuit. The balanced power signals may then be supplied from the power absorbing circuit to the network-attached device in order to at least partially power the network-attached device.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method to at least partially power an Ethernet network device, with a plurality of power signals fed through an Ethernet network connection, comprising:
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physically coupling the Ethernet network device 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 to an integrated circuit (IC) wherein the IC comprises;
an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module;
a power management module; and
a direct connection module;
separating with the direct connection module, the data signal from the Ethernet signal, wherein the data signal is passed to the Ethernet PHY module of the IC;
separating with the direct connection module, the plurality of power signals from the Ethernet signal;
sensing a current associated with each power signal of the plurality of power signals;
balancing the plurality of power signals with an active control circuit and based on the sensed current associated with each power signal of the plurality of power signals, wherein the balanced plurality of power signal are passed to the power management module; and
at least partially powering the Ethernet network device from the plurality of balanced power signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An Ethernet network device operable to receive a plurality of power signals and data signals through a coupled Ethernet network, comprising:
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an Ethernet network connector operable to physically couple the Ethernet network device to the Ethernet network, wherein the Ethernet network connector receives four twisted pairs that carry the plurality of power signals, wherein the plurality of power signals comprise a first power signal and a second power signal;
an integrated circuit (IC) operably coupled to the Ethernet network connector, wherein the IC comprises;
an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) module;
a power management module; and
a direct connection module operable coupled to the Ethernet network connector, wherein the direct connection module is operable to;
pass the received data signal(s) to the Ethernet PHY;
sense a current associated with each twisted pair;
actively balance the current associated with each twisted pair; and
pass the received plurality of power signals to the power management module, wherein the power management module is operable to at least partially power the Ethernet network device from the received plurality of power signals. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification