Structure cabling system

• US 6,473,608 B1
• Filed: 08/02/1999
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsemi Corp. - Analog Mixed Signal Group, Ltd. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: PowerDsine Limited (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pincu, David, Korcharz, Dror, Lehr, Amir, Atias, Ilan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Application Number:
  US09/365,584
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 370/274, 370/353, 370/402, 370/908, 370/338, 713/340, 713/310, 713/300, 455/402, 455/41, 455/572, 379/250, 379/402, 379/390.04, 379/413
• US Class Current: 455/402
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/00 Installations of electric cables or lines or protective tubing therefor in or on buildings, equivalent structures or vehicles installations of bus-bars H02G5/00; overhead installations H02G7/00; installations in or on the ground H02G9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/323 in the physical layer [OSI layer 1]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/08 with current supply sources at the substations generating ringing current H04M19/04

Abstract

This invention discloses a local area network including a hub, a plurality of nodes, communication cabling connecting the plurality of nodes to the hub for providing data communication, and a power supply distributor operative to provide at least some operating power to at least some of the plurality of nodes via the communication cabling.

Claims

1. A local area network comprising:

a plurality of local area network nodes;

a LAN switch;

a power supply subsystem; and

communication cabling connecting said plurality of nodes to said switch via the power supply subsystem for providing data communication,

the power supply subsystem including a power management and control unit governing the supply of power to at least some of the plurality of local area network nodes via the communication cabling,

wherein said power supply subsystem is operative to supply power to at least one of the local area network nodes via the communication cabling over wire pairs within the cabling not used for data communication,

said power supply subsystem being operative to couple power into the communication cabling substantially without interfering with data communication and including current limiting circuitry controlling current delivered into the communication cabling,

wherein said power management and control unit is operative to interrogate at least one node to which it is intended to transmit power over the communication cabling in order to determine whether the node'"'"'s characteristics allow it to receive power over the communication cabling.

2. A network according to claim 1 wherein said current limiting circuitry is operative to provide a first current limit level which is never exceeded, and a second current limit level which is not exceeded for more than a predetermined period of time.

3. A network according to claim 2 wherein the interrogation of at least one node includes measuring the voltage across the communication cabling connected to a node which is being interrogated and determining whether the measured voltage is within a predefined range.

4. A network according to claim 3 wherein a node for which the measured voltage is within the predetermined range is marked as a Power over LAN node.

5. A network according to claim 2 wherein the interrogation of at least one mode includes measuring the voltage across the communication cabling connected to a node which is being interrogated and determining whether the measured voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. A network according to claim 5 wherein a node for which the measured voltage exceeds said predetermined threshold is marked as an external voltage fed node.

7. A network according to claim 1 wherein the interrogation of at least one node includes measuring the voltage across the communication cabling connected to a node which is being interrogated and determining whether the measured voltage is within a predefined range.

8. A network according to claim 7 wherein a node for which the measured voltage is within the predetermined range is marked as a Power over LAN node.

9. A network according to claim 1 wherein the interrogation of at least one node includes measuring the voltage across the communication cabling connected to a node which is being interrogated and determining whether the measured voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. A network according to claim 9 wherein a node for which the measured voltage exceeds said predetermined threshold is marked as an external voltage fed node.

11. A network according to claim 1, the local area network also comprising:

a reporting functionality operative to output a report pertaining to the status of at least one of the plurality of nodes.

12. A network according to claim 11 wherein said report includes a report of at least one characteristic of at least one node from among the plurality of nodes.

13. A network according to claim 12 wherein said at least one characteristic comprises an indication of power consumption of at least one node from among the plurality of nodes.