POWER OVER ETHERNET TO USB ADAPTER

• US 20130301301A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FSR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FSR Incorporated
• Inventors: Fischer, Joseph W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,755,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]

Abstract

A power adapter comprising a POE connector for receiving electrical power from the power lines of a POE cable, a transformer circuit and a USB connector for delivering electrical power to a USB powered device, wherein a POE cable provides power to the USB powered device. The power adapter can have a POE receptacle for receiving an Ethernet plug, to receive the POE power, and a USB receptacle to receive a USB plug from a USB powered device, or dedicated wires from one or more of the POE power supply and/or the USB powered device.

Also, a method for providing USB power comprising the steps of running a POE cable from a power source to an adapter, adapting the POE power from the POE cable to USB power and making the USB power available to one or more USB powered devices.

Claims

1. A power adapter comprising a POE connector for receiving electrical power from the power lines of a POE cable, a transformer circuit and a USB connector for delivering electrical power to a USB powered device, wherein a POE power line provides power to the USB powered device.

2. The power adapter of claim 1 wherein the POE connector is taken from the group consisting of an Ethernet receptacle, spring contacts, screw down contacts, push-in contacts and stripped wires.

3. The power adapter of claim 2 wherein the POE connector is an Ethernet receptacle.

4. The power adapter of claim 1 wherein the USB connector is taken from the group consisting of USB Type A, USB Type B, USB Mini-A, USB Mini-B, USB Micro-A, USB Micro-B, Apple dock connector, spring contacts, screw down contacts, push-in contacts and stripped wires.

5. The power adapter of claim 4 wherein the USB connector is a USB Type A receptacle.

6. The power adapter of claim 1 wherein one or more USB connectors are associated with a single POE power line.

7. The power adapter of claim 1 wherein the power adapter is a self-contained device in a case.

8. The power adapter of claim 1 further comprising a mounting element for mounting the power adapter in an AC electrical box.

9. The power adapter of claim 1 for mounting in an AC electrical box wherein the POE connector is positioned to accept a POE cable internal to the AC electrical box and the USB connector is positioned to be accessed external to the AC electrical box.

10. A power adapter comprising in combination:

a. a POE connector for receiving electrical power from the power lines of a POE cable, a transformer circuit and a USB connector for delivering electrical power to a USB powered device, wherein a POE power line provides power to the USB powered device; and

b. an AC electrical box; and

c. a cover plate.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein the cover plate includes capture elements for mounting a USB powered device.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the capture elements further comprise securing elements for securely mounting the USB powered device.

13. The combination of claim 10 further including mounting elements for mounting the cover plate to the AC electrical box.

14. A method for providing USB power at a location remote from a power supply comprising the steps of;

a. running a POE cable from a power source to power adapter;

b. transforming the POE power from the POE cable to USB power; and

c. making the USB power available to a USB powered device.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising mounting an AC electrical box in the location remote from the power supply.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising mounting the power adapter within the AC electrical box.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising mounting a cover plate on the AC electrical box.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein one or more USB connectors are associated with a single POE cable.