METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A CONNECTOR WITH INTEGRATED POWER OVER ETHERNET FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20110217873A1
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diab, Wael William, Brown, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/620.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/66 Structural association with built-in electrical component coupling devices having concentrically or coaxially-arranged contacts H01R24/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus

Abstract

Aspects of a method and system for a connector with integrated power over Ethernet functionality are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits and/or processors that reside within and/or on a connector may be operable to manage a supply power that is delivered over a cable based on characteristics of the connector and/or characteristics of the cable. The cable may carry the supply power while concurrently carrying data communications. The one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to source and sink the supply power. The one or more circuits and/or processors may be operable to control which one or more conductors of the cable are utilized for conveying the supply power.

Claims

1. A method for networking, the method comprising:

performing by one or more circuits and/or processors that reside within and/or on a connector;

managing a supply power that is delivered over a cable based on characteristics of said connector and/or characteristics of said cable, wherein;

said cable carries said supply power while concurrently carrying data communications;

said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to source and sink said supply power; and

said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to control which one or more conductors of said cable are utilized for conveying said supply power.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics of said connector comprise one or both of:

a quantity of pins within and/or on said connector;

a type of one or more pins within and/or on said connector; and

a configuration of one or more circuits within and/or on said connector.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said characteristics of said cable comprise one or more of:

a length of said cable;

a diameter of one or more conductors of said cable; and

whether said cable is shielded.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said connector comprises:

one or more first interfaces that enable electrically coupling said connector to said cable;

one or more second interfaces that enable electrically coupling said connector to a device that said connector is mounted within or on; and

one or more third interfaces that enable electrically coupling said connector to another connector that is mounted on or within said device.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising performing, by said one or more circuits and/or processors, managing supply power delivered via said another connector.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are controlled via a fourth interface.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing, by said one or more circuits and/or processors, managing said supply power utilizing layer two and/or 2-event power classification.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors enable said supply power and said data communications to be carried concurrently on the same one or more conductors of said cable.

9. The method according to claim to claim 1, comprising performing, by said one or more circuits and/or processors, communicating information to a link partner coupled to another end of said cable by varying a load and/or a voltage on one or more conductors of said cable.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing, by said one or more circuits and/or processors, detecting variations in said supply power and recover information conveyed via said variations.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing, by said one or more circuits and/or processors, measuring an amount of said supply power delivered via said connector and performing said managing based on a result of said measuring.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing, by said one or more circuits and/or processors, processing packets to terminate one or more network management protocols.

13. A system for networking, the system comprising:

one or more circuits and/or processors that reside within and/or on a connector, said one or more circuits and/or processors being operable to;

manage a supply power delivered over a cable based on characteristics of said connector and/or characteristics of said cable, wherein;

said cable carries said supply power while concurrently carrying data communications;

said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to source and sink said supply power; and

said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to control which one or more conductors of said cable are utilized for conveying said supply power.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said characteristics of said connector comprise one or both of:

a quantity of pins within and/or on said connector;

a type of one or more pins within and/or on said connector; and

a configuration of one or more circuits within and/or on said connector.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said characteristics of said cable comprise one or more of:

a length of said cable;

a diameter of one or more conductors of said cable; and

whether said cable is shielded.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said connector comprises:

one or more first interfaces that enable electrically coupling said connector to said cable;

one or more second interfaces that enable electrically coupling said connector to a device that said connector is mounted within or on; and

one or more third interfaces that enable electrically coupling said connector to another connector that is mounted on or within said device.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to manage supply power provided and/or drawn via said another connector.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are controlled via a fourth interface.

19. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to manage said supply power utilizing layer two and/or 2-event power classification.

20. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors enable said supply power and said data communications to be carried concurrently on the same one or more conductors of said cable.

21. The system according to claim to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to communicate information to a link partner coupled to another end of said cable by varying a load and/or a voltage on one or more conductors of said cable.

22. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to detect variations in said supply power and recover information conveyed via said variations.

23. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to measure an amount of said supply power provided and/or drawn via said connector and performing said managing based on said measuring.

24. The system according to claim 13, wherein said one or more circuits and/or processors are operable to process packets to terminate one or more network management protocols.