INLINE POWER CONTROLLER
First Claim
1. Inline power control circuitry, comprising:
- analog interface circuitry for coupling to a plurality of inline powered ports of a network communications device, the analog interface circuitry operative to receive an analog input signal from each port and to generate an analog output signal for each port, each analog input signal conveying a sensed electrical value of the respective port and each analog output signal controlling a controlled electrical value of the respective port;
digital interface circuitry operative to convert between the analog input and output signals of the ports and corresponding digital input and output signals, each digital input signal conveying the corresponding sensed electrical value of the respective port and each digital output signal controlling the corresponding controlled electrical value of the respective port;
digital bus interface circuitry coupling the digital interface circuitry to a digital communications bus; and
a digital controller operatively coupled to the digital communications bus for digital communications with the digital interface circuitry by which the digital controller (i) receives the digital input signals to obtain the respective sensed electrical values of the ports and (ii) provides the digital output signals to control the respective controlled electrical values of the ports.
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Accused Products
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).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. Inline power control circuitry, comprising:
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analog interface circuitry for coupling to a plurality of inline powered ports of a network communications device, the analog interface circuitry operative to receive an analog input signal from each port and to generate an analog output signal for each port, each analog input signal conveying a sensed electrical value of the respective port and each analog output signal controlling a controlled electrical value of the respective port; digital interface circuitry operative to convert between the analog input and output signals of the ports and corresponding digital input and output signals, each digital input signal conveying the corresponding sensed electrical value of the respective port and each digital output signal controlling the corresponding controlled electrical value of the respective port; digital bus interface circuitry coupling the digital interface circuitry to a digital communications bus; and a digital controller operatively coupled to the digital communications bus for digital communications with the digital interface circuitry by which the digital controller (i) receives the digital input signals to obtain the respective sensed electrical values of the ports and (ii) provides the digital output signals to control the respective controlled electrical values of the ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A network communications device, comprising:
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a plurality of inline powered ports each configured to be connected to a respective powered communications link and each operable to provide electrical power to a powered device via the respective powered communications link; and one or more inline power control circuits each coupled to a respective set of the inline powered ports, each power control circuit including; analog interface circuitry for coupling to the respective set of inline powered ports, the analog interface circuitry operative to receive an analog input signal from each port of the set of ports and to generate an analog output signal for each port of the set of ports, each analog input signal conveying a sensed electrical value of the respective port and each analog output signal controlling a controlled electrical value of the respective port; digital interface circuitry operative to convert between the respective analog input and output signals of the ports and corresponding digital input and output signals, each digital input signal conveying the corresponding sensed electrical value of the respective port and each digital output signal controlling the corresponding controlled electrical value of the respective port; digital bus interface circuitry coupling the digital interface circuitry to a digital communications bus; and a digital controller operatively coupled to the digital communications bus for digital communications with the digital interface circuitry by which the digital controller (i) receives the digital input signals of the set of ports to obtain the respective sensed electrical values of the ports and (ii) provides the digital output signals to the set of ports to control the respective controlled electrical values of the ports. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a network communications device having (1) a plurality of inline powered ports each configured to be connected to a respective powered communications link and each operable to provide electrical power to a powered device via the respective powered communications link, and (2) one or more inline power control circuits each coupled to a respective set of the inline powered ports, comprising:
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at analog interface circuitry of each inline power control circuit, the analog interface circuitry coupling the inline power control circuit to the respective set of ports, receiving an analog input signal from each port of the respective set of ports and generating an analog output signal for each port of the respective set of ports, each analog input signal conveying a sensed electrical value of the respective port and each analog output signal controlling a controlled electrical value of the respective port; at a digital interface circuitry of each inline power control circuit, converting between the analog input and output signals of the respective set of ports and corresponding digital input and output signals, each digital input signal conveying the corresponding sensed electrical value of the respective port and each digital output signal controlling the corresponding controlled electrical value of the respective port; and at a digital controller operatively coupled to the digital communications bus, engaging in digital communications with the digital interface circuitry by which the digital controller (i) receives the digital input signals of the respective set of ports to obtain the respective sensed electrical values of the ports and (ii) provides the digital output signals to the respective set of ports to control the respective controlled electrical values of the ports. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification