System and Method for Location Identification

• US 20070206749A1
• Filed: 02/19/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corp. - Analog Mixed Signal Group, Ltd. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Powerdsine Limited - Microsemi Corporation
• Inventors: BLAUT, Roni, DARSHAN, Yair, PINCU, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,073,110 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/142.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party

Abstract

A system for location identification in a local area network comprising: a current limited voltage source; a telecommunications outlet; communication cabling connecting the current limited voltage source to the telecommunications outlet; and a location identifier associated with the telecommunications outlet, the location identifier being responsive to a pre-determined voltage level from the current limited voltage source to transmit a multi-bit location data. In one embodiment the multi-bit location data is received at the power sourcing equipment and in another embodiment the multi-bit location data is received at a data terminal equipment connected to the telecommunications outlet.

Claims

1. A system for location identification in a local area network comprising:

a current limited voltage source;

a telecommunications outlet;

a communication cabling connecting said current limited voltage source to said telecommunications outlet; and

a location identifier associated with said telecommunications outlet, said location identifier being responsive to a pre-determined voltage level from said current limited voltage source to transmit a multi-bit location data.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said pre-determined voltage level comprises a plurality of levels, said plurality of levels indicating an address.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said current limited voltage source is constituted of one of an endpoint power sourcing equipment and a midspan power sourcing equipment.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said location identifier is operative to modulate the current flow from said current limited voltage source thereby transmitting said multi-bit location data.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said current limited voltage source is operative to monitor said current flow, thereby receiving said transmitted multi-bit location data.

6. A system according to claim 5, further comprising a location database, said current limited voltage source being further operative to communicate said received multi-bit location data to said location database.

7. A system according to claim 6, further comprising one of a switch, hub, router and bridge,

said one of a switch, hub, router and bridge being connected to said telecommunications outlet at least partially by said communication cabling,

said database being further operative to associate said received multi-bit location data with a specific port of said one of a switch, hub, router and bridge.

8. A system according to claim 7, further comprising a data terminal equipment connected to said telecommunications outlet, said database being further operative to transmit said received multi-bit location data to said data terminal equipment via said communication cabling.

9. A system according to any of claim 5 further comprising a switch host, said current limited voltage source being further operative to communicate said received multi-bit location data to said switch host.

10. A system according to claim 9, further comprising a switch associated with said switch host, said switch host being further operative to associate said received multi-bit location data with equipment connected to a specific port of said switch.

11. A system according to claim 10, further comprising a data terminal equipment connected to said telecommunication outlet, said switch host being further operative to communicate said multi-bit location data to said data terminal equipment.

12. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a data terminal equipment connected to said telecommunication outlet, said data terminal equipment receiving said transmitted multi-bit location data.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said data terminal equipment comprises a receiver operative to receive said multi-bit location data, said receiver being powered by said received multi-bit location data.

14. A system according to claim 12, said data terminal equipment further comprising a memory, said data terminal equipment being operative to store said multi-bit location data on said memory.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein said data terminal equipment is further operative to communicate said received multi-bit identification to a location database.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said pre-determined voltage signal is a classification voltage.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined voltage signal is current limited, said current limited voltage signal presenting less power than an amount that damages a data terminal equipment which has not been designed to accept power over communication cabling connected via said communication cabling.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein said pre-determined voltage signal is greater than 10 volts.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined voltage signal is current limited, is above 10 volts, and is time limited such that the average power of said pre-determined voltage signal over a pre-determined cycle time is less than 150 milliwatts.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein said multi-bit location data comprises one of a geographic location and a civic location.

21. A method for location identification in a local area network comprising:

providing a telecommunications outlet;

providing a location identifier associated with said telecommunications outlet;

providing a current limited voltage source connected via communication cabling to said telecommunications outlet;

setting a voltage of said current limited voltage source to a predetermined level; and

transmitting a multi-bit location data from said location identifier responsive to said predetermined level.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said predetermined level comprises a plurality of levels, said plurality of levels indicating an address.

23. A method according to claim 21, wherein said provided current limited voltage source is constituted of one of an endpoint power sourcing equipment and a midspan power sourcing equipment.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein said transmitting comprises modulating the current flow from said provided current limited voltage source.

25. A method according to claim 21, further comprising monitoring said current flow, thereby receiving said transmitted multi-bit location data.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising providing a location database, and communicating said received multi-bit location data to said provided location database.

27. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

providing one of a switch, hub and router; and

associating said received multi-bit location data with a specific port of said provided one of a switch, hub and router.

28. A method according to claim 25, further comprising transmitting said received multi-bit identification to a data terminal equipment connected to said specific port.

29. A method according to claim 25, further comprising:

providing a switch host; and

communicating said received multi-bit location data to said provided switch host.

30. A method according to claim 29, further comprising:

providing a switch; and

associating said communicated multi-bit location data with equipment connected to a specific port of said provided switch.

31. A method according to claim 30, further comprising communicating said multi-bit location data to the equipment connected to said specific port.

32. A method according to claim 21, further comprising providing a data terminal equipment, and receiving said transmitted multi-bit location data at said provided data terminal equipment.

33. A method according to claim 32, further comprising powering said receiving by a signal comprising said received multi-bit location data.

34. A method according to claim 32, further comprising storing said received multi-bit location data.

35. A method according to claim 32, further comprising communicating said received multi-bit identification from said data terminal equipment to a location database.

36. A method according to claim 21, wherein said pre-determined signaling voltage is a classification voltage.

37. A method according to claim 21, wherein said pre-determined signaling voltage is current limited, said current limited voltage signal presenting less power than an amount that damages a data terminal equipment which has not been designed to accept power over communication cabling connected via the communication cabling.

38. A method according to claim 21, wherein said predetermined signaling voltage signal is above 10 volts.

39. A method according to claim 21, wherein said pre-determined signaling voltage is current limited, is above 10 volts, and is time limited such that the average power of said predetermined voltage signal over a predetermined cycle time is less than 150 milliwatts.

40. A method according to claim 21, wherein said multi-bit location data comprises one of a geographic location and a civic location.

41. A system for automatic location identification comprising:

a current limited voltage source;

a telecommunications outlet;

a communication cabling connecting said current limited voltage source to said telecommunications outlet;

a data terminal equipment connected to said telecommunications outlet; and

a location identifier associated with said telecommunications outlet, said location identifier being responsive to a pre-determined voltage signal from said current limited voltage source to transmit a multi-bit location data to said data terminal equipment.

42. A system for automatic location identification comprising:

a current limited voltage source;

a telecommunications outlet;

a communication cabling connecting said current limited voltage source to said telecommunications outlet;

a data terminal equipment connected to said telecommunications outlet; and

a location identifier associated with said telecommunications outlet, said location identifier being responsive to a pre-determined voltage signal from said current limited voltage source to transmit a multi-bit location data to said data terminal equipment.

43. A system for asset management comprising:

one of a switch, hub, router and bridge;

a current limited voltage source associated with said one of a switch, hub and router;

a location database;

at least one of a telecommunications outlet, a consolidation point, a user patch panel and an equipment patch panel, each comprising a location identifier; and

a plurality of communication cabling serially connecting said one of a switch, hub and router to each of said equipment patch panel, user patch panel, consolidation point and telecommunications outlet;

said current limited voltage source being operative to signal in turn each of said location identifier of said equipment patch panel, user patch panel, consolidation point and telecommunications outlet,

each of said location identifiers transmitting location information to said current limited voltage source responsive to said signal.