Power-over-Ethernet (POE)-Enabled Network Device and USB Device Power Negotiation using USB to POE Protocol Conversion

• US 20150331464A1
• Filed: 12/02/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Balasubramanian, Koussalya, Liston, Rob
• Granted Patent: US 9,690,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• 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: G06F 13/387 for adaptation of different data processing systems to different peripheral devices, e.g. protocol converters for incompatible systems, open system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/42 Bus transfer protocol, e.g. handshake; Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0042 Universal serial bus [USB]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

A Network-Universal Serial Bus (NUSB) adaptor exchanges Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) packets with, and receives power from, a Power Source Equipment (PSE) over a PoE connection with the PSE, and exchanges Universal Serial Bus (USB) messages with, and provides power to, a USB device over a USB connection with the USB device. The NUSB adaptor converts between a USB power negotiation protocol implemented between the USB device and the NUSB adaptor and a PoE power negotiation protocol implemented between the NUSB adapter and the network device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a Network-Universal Serial Bus (NUSB) adaptor to exchange (i) Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) packets with, and receive power from, a Power Source Equipment (PSE) over a PoE connection with the PSE, and (ii) Universal Serial Bus (USB) messages with, and provide power to, a USB device over a USB connection with the USB device;

receiving a USB power request from the USB device that specifies a power-related parameter for use by the USB device;

converting the received USB power request to a PoE power request that specifies the power-related parameter;

sending the PoE power request to the PSE;

receiving a PoE response from the PSE that indicates acceptance of the sent PoE power request;

converting the received PoE response to a USB response; and

sending the USB response to the USB device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the NUSB adaptor:

receiving the specified power-related parameter from the PSE; and

providing the received specified power-related parameter to the USB over the USB connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the specified power-related parameter is a power level or a voltage level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the converting the received USB power request includes converting the received USB power request to one or more Link Layer Data Protocol (LLDP) power request packets; and

the sending the PoE power request includes sending the one or more LLDP power request packets to the PSE using the LLDP.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the USB power request includes one or more USB messages including a USB message identifier (PID) to indicate a power request and a type of power-related parameter, an address of the USB device, and a value of the specified power-related parameter.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the receiving a PoE response includes receiving the PoE response as an LLDP response packet; and

the converting the received PSE response includes converting the received LLDP response packet to the USB response.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the NUSB:

receiving a PoE power change request from the PSE;

converting the received PoE power change request to a USB power change request; and

sending the USB power change request from the NUSB to the USB device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, at the NUSB:

receiving a USB power change accept from the USB device;

converting the USB power change accept to a PoE power change accept; and

sending the PoE power change accept to the PSE.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, at the NUSB:

receiving a change in power level from the PSE; and

forwarding the changed power level to the USB device.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a PoE interface to connect with a Power Source Equipment over a PoE connection;

a USB interface to connect with a USB device over a USB connection;

a controller coupled to the PoE and USB interfaces, to;

receive a USB power request from the USB device that specifies a power-related parameter for use by the USB device;

convert the received USB power request to a PoE power request that specifies the power-related parameter;

send the PoE power request to the PSE;

receive a PoE response from the PSE that indicates acceptance of the sent PoE power request;

convert the received PSE response to a USB response that indicates the acceptance; and

send the USB response to the USB device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising power circuitry, to:

receive the specified power-related parameter from the from the PSE through the PoE interface; and

provide the received specified power-related parameter to the USB over the USB connection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the specified power-related parameter is a power level or a voltage level.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller:

converts the received USB power request by converting the received USB power request to one or more Link Layer Data Protocol (LLDP) power request packets; and

sends the PoE power request by sending the one or more LLDP power request packets to the PSE using the LLDP.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the USB power request includes one or more USB messages including a USB message identifier (PID) to indicate a power request and a type of power-related parameter, an address of the USB device, and a value of the specified power-related parameter.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the controller:

receives a PoE response by receiving the PoE response as an LLDP response packet; and

converts the received PSE response by converting the received LLDP response packet to the USB response.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller further:

receives a PoE power change request from the PSE;

converts the PoE power change request to a USB power change request; and

sends the USB power change request from the NUSB adaptor to the USB device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller further:

receives a USB power change accept from the USB device;

converts the USB power change accept to a PoE power change accept; and

sends the PoE power change accept to the PSE.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising power circuitry to:

receive a change in power level from the PSE after the PoE power change accept has been sent by the controller; and

forward the change in power level to the USB device.

19. A system comprising:

a power source equipment (PSE);

a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device; and

a Network-USB (NUSB) adaptor to connect with the PSE over a PoE connection and with the USB device over a USB connection, wherein;

the NUSB adaptor and the USB exchange USB messages with each other over the USB connection using a USB power negotiation protocol;

the NUSB adaptor and PSE exchange PoE packets with each other over the PoE connection using a PoE power negotiation protocol;

the NUSB adaptor converts (i) messages from the USB to the PoE power negotiation protocol to convey a power request from the USB device to the PSE, and (ii) packets from the PoE to the USB power negotiation protocol to convey a power request acknowledgement from the PSE to the USB device;

the PSE provides power to the NUSB adaptor responsive to the power request; and

the NUSB adaptor forwards the power received from the PSE to the USB device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the USB device sends a USB power request representative of the power request to the NUSB adaptor using the USB power negotiation protocol;

the NUSB adaptor converts the USB power request to a PoE power request; and

the NUSB adaptor sends the PoE power request to the PSE using the PoE power negotiation protocol.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the PSE sends power to the NUSB adaptor responsive to the PoE power request; and

the NUSB adaptor includes power circuitry to receive the power from the PSE and forward the power to the USB device.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the PoE power negotiation protocol is based on a Link Layer Data Protocol (LLDP) and the NUSB adaptor converts the USB power request to an LLDP formatted power request, and sends the LLDP formatted power request to the PSE using the LLDP.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the NUSB adaptor further converts (iii) packets from the PoE to the USB power negotiation protocol to convey a power change request from the PSE device to the USB device, and (iv) messages from the USB to the PoE power negotiation protocol to convey a power change accept from the USB device to the PSE;

the PSE provides a change in power to the NUSB adaptor responsive to the power change accept from the USB device; and

the NUSB adaptor forwards the changed power received from the PSE to the USB device.