INTELLIGENT MIDSPAN POE INJECTOR

• US 20130339760A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: ZIMMERMAN, Craig, BULLOCK, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

Adding a separate communication link between an intelligent midspan Power Source Equipment (PSE) device and a network device (or between the midspan PSE device and a powered device (PD)) enables data communication from the network device to the intelligent midspan PSE device. The communication link provides a communication channel that the intelligent midspan PSE device may use to perform additional functions such as reallocating power, budgeting power, enabling or disabling Power over Ethernet (PoE) for a particular PD, prioritizing PoE management, and the like.

Claims

1. A midspan device, comprising:

a first Ethernet port configured to couple to a first Ethernet cable, the first Ethernet cable coupling the midspan device to a network device, wherein the network device transmits only data to the midspan device;

a second Ethernet port configured to couple to a second Ethernet cable, the second Ethernet cable coupling the midspan device to a powered device;

a communication port configured to communicatively couple the midspan device to at least one of the network device and the powered device; and

a power supply configured to provide power via the second Ethernet port to the powered device, the power supply configured to receive a request via the communication port and allocate power to the powered device based on a specified power level in the request, wherein the request is received from one of the network device and the powered device.

2. The midspan device of claim 1, wherein the communication port is a different port from the first and second Ethernet ports.

3. The midspan device of claim 1, wherein the network device routes data communications to the powered device, and from the powered device, in a network.

4. The midspan device of claim 1, wherein the communication port is coupled to a wire, and wherein the communication port is one of:

an I²C port, a RS-232 serial port, and a third Ethernet port.

5. The midspan device of claim 1, wherein the communication port is communicatively coupled to the network device, wherein the network device transmits the request to change a power allocated by the power allocator to the powered device.

6. The midspan device of claim 5, wherein, the request is transmitted in response to the network device receiving a power change message from the powered device via the first and second Ethernet cables, the power change message specifying a requested power allocation for the powered device.

7. The midspan device of claim 1, wherein the network device transmits the request to change a power allocated to the powered device based on a time of day.

8. The midspan device of claim 1, wherein the network device does not contain power source equipment for providing power over Ethernet.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving a data communication from a network device via a first Ethernet cable coupled to a first Ethernet port of a midspan device, wherein the network device transmits only data to the midspan device;

forwarding the data communication to a powered device using a second Ethernet cable coupled to a second Ethernet port of the midspan device;

providing power to the powered device via the second Ethernet cable;

receiving a request via a communication port of the midspan device, the request specifying a change to a power allocated to the powered device, wherein the communication port communicatively couples the midspan device to at least one of the network device and the powered device; and

changing the power allocated to the powered device based on a specified power level in the request, wherein the request is received from one of the network device and the powered device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication port is a different port from the first and second Ethernet ports.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the network device routes data communications to the powered device, and from the powered device, in a network.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication port is coupled to a wire, and wherein the communication port is one of:

an I²C port, a RS-232 serial port, and a third Ethernet port.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication port is communicatively coupled to the network device, wherein the midspan device receives the request to change a power allocated from the network device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, the request is transmitted in response to the network device receiving a communication from the powered device via the first and second Ethernet cables, the communication specifying a requested power allocation for the powered device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting a confirmation via the communication port to the network device, the confirmation specifying the power allocated to the powered device based on the received request; and

in response to receiving the confirmation, forwarding the confirmation to the powered device using the first and second Ethernet cables.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the network device does not contain power source equipment for providing power over Ethernet.

17. A system, comprising:

a powered device;

a network device; and

a midspan device comprising;

a first Ethernet port configured to couple to a first Ethernet cable, the first Ethernet cable coupling the midspan device to the network device, wherein the network device transmits only data to the midspan device;

a second Ethernet port configured to couple to a second Ethernet cable, the second Ethernet cable coupling the midspan device to the powered device;

a communication port configured to couple to a wire, the wire coupling the midspan device to at least one of the network device and the powered device; and

a power supply configured to provide power via the second Ethernet port to the powered device, the power supply configured to receive a request via the communication port and allocate power to the powered device based on a specified power level in the request, wherein the request is received from one of the network device and the powered device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the network device further comprises a Power over Ethernet module configured to receive power messages from the powered device using a first communication protocol and transmitting the request to the midspan device using a different, second communication protocol.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the network device further comprises a Power over Ethernet module that transmits the request to the midspan device based on the time of day.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the midspan device is configured to, after allocating power to the powered device based on the power level in the request, transmit a confirmation message to one of the network device and powered device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the network device routes data communications to the powered device, and from the powered device, in a network.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the communication port is a different port from the first and second Ethernet ports.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the network device does not contain power source equipment for providing power over Ethernet.