Inline Power Controller

• US 20080256372A1
• Filed: 05/13/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schindler, Frederick R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/44 Arrangements for feeding power to a repeater along the transmission line
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus

Abstract

An inline power controller includes at least one analog interface circuit module (AICM) having a first analog input node for receiving an inline power port voltage, a second analog input node for receiving an inline power port current, a first analog output for effecting an inline power port voltage, a second analog output for effecting an inline power port current, and a digital interface converting the received inline power port voltage to a digital value, the inline power port current to a digital value, a first digital value to the first analog output and a second digital value to the second analog output. A digital serial bus (DSB) couples the AICM to a digital controller via digital serial bus interfaces (DSBIs).

Claims

1. An inline power controller, comprising:

at least one analog interface circuit module, the analog interface circuit module having;

a first analog input node for receiving an inline power port voltage;

a second analog input node for receiving an inline power port current;

a first analog output for effecting an inline power port voltage;

a second analog output for effecting an inline power port current;

a digital interface configured to convert the received inline power port voltage to a first digital value, the inline power port current to a second digital value, a third digital value to the first analog output and a fourth digital value to the second analog output;

a digital serial bus (DSB);

a digital controller responsive to a series of instructions stored in a programmable memory associated with the digital controller; and

the digital controller coupled to communicate with the at least one analog interface circuit module via the DSB.

2. The inline power controller of claim 1, wherein the DSB has a width of more than one bit.

3. The inline power controller of claim 1, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power discovery.

4. The inline power controller of claim 1, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power classification.

5. The inline power controller of claim 1, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power operation and protection steps.

6. An inline power controller, comprising:

at least one analog interface circuit, the analog interface circuit having;

a first input for receiving an inline power port voltage;

a second input for receiving an inline power port current;

a first output for effecting an inline power port voltage;

a second output for effecting an inline power port current;

a digital interface configured to convert the received inline power port voltage to a first digital value, the inline power port current to a second digital value, a third digital value to the first output and a fourth digital value to the second output;

a digital serial bus (DSB);

a digital controller responsive to instructions stored in a program memory associated with the digital controller and coupled to communicate with the at least one analog interface circuit module via the DSB.

7. The inline power controller of claim 6, wherein the DSB has a width of more than one bit.

8. The inline power controller of claim 6, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power discovery.

9. The inline power controller of claim 6, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power classification.

10. The inline power controller of claim 6, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power operation and protection steps.

11. An inline power controller, comprising:

at least one interface circuit, the interface circuit having;

a first input for receiving an inline power port voltage;

a second input for receiving an inline power port current;

a first output configured to transmit voltage effector signals;

a second output configured to transmit current effector signals;

a digital interface configured to convert the received inline power port voltage to a first digital value, the inline power port current to a second digital value, a third digital value to the first output and a fourth digital value to the second output;

a digital serial bus (DSB);

a digital controller responsive to instructions stored in a program memory associated with the digital controller and coupled to communicate with the at least one analog interface circuit module via the DSB.

12. The inline power controller of claim 11, wherein the DSB has a width of more than one bit.

13. The inline power controller of claim 11, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power discovery.

14. The inline power controller of claim 11, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power classification.

15. The inline power controller of claim 11, wherein the digital controller is further configured to carry out inline power operation and protection steps.