Integral board and module for power over LAN
First Claim
1. Apparatus for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the apparatus comprising:
- a power supply which is adapted to receive power from an unregulated source and to provide therefrom regulated power;
power distribution and control circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN, to receive the regulated power and to generate therefrom respective current limited output voltages for supply to the powered devices, and to monitor the current drawn by each of the powered devices, said current limited output voltages exhibiting a maximum current and a highest current which may drawn in normal working, said maximum current being greater than said highest normal current, said power distribution and control circuitry being adapted to allow the current drawn by each of the powered devices to exceed said highest normal current only for a predetermined time period so long as said current being drawn does not exceed said maximum current; and
a chassis which retains the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the apparatus including a power supply which is adapted to receive power from an unregulated source and to provide therefrom regulated power. The apparatus further includes power distribution and control circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN, to receive the regulated power and to generate therefrom respective output voltages for supply to the powered devices. The apparatus is housed in a chassis which retains the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module.
154 Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the apparatus comprising:
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a power supply which is adapted to receive power from an unregulated source and to provide therefrom regulated power; power distribution and control circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN, to receive the regulated power and to generate therefrom respective current limited output voltages for supply to the powered devices, and to monitor the current drawn by each of the powered devices, said current limited output voltages exhibiting a maximum current and a highest current which may drawn in normal working, said maximum current being greater than said highest normal current, said power distribution and control circuitry being adapted to allow the current drawn by each of the powered devices to exceed said highest normal current only for a predetermined time period so long as said current being drawn does not exceed said maximum current; and a chassis which retains the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus fore supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the apparatus comprising:
- circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN and to generate respective output voltages for supplying power to the powered devices over the LAN cabling, wherein the circuitry comprises a first application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); and
a controller which monitors and controls the circuitry and which together with the circuitry monitors and controls the output voltages and the power supplied to the powered devices, and which is implemented as a second ASIC. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN and to generate respective output voltages for supplying power to the powered devices over the LAN cabling, wherein the circuitry comprises a first application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); and
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18. A method for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the method comprising:
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receiving power from an unregulated source in a power supply; generating in the power supply regulated power from the unregulated source; identifying the powered devices on the LAN in power distribution and control circuitry; receiving the regulated power in the power distribution and control circuitry; generating in the power distribution and control circuitry, responsive to the regulated power, respective current limited output voltages for supply to the powered devices; monitoring said current limited output voltages to maintain a maximum current and a highest current which may be drawn in normal working, said maximum current being greater than said highest normal current; in the event that said current limited output exceeds said highest normal current but is less than said maximum current, allowing said excess current for only a predetermined time; and housing the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the method comprising:
- providing circuitry as a first application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN;
generating in the circuitry respective output voltages for supplying power to the powered devices over the LAN cabling;
providing a controller as a second ASIC, and which monitors and controls the circuitry; and
operating the controller and the circuitry so as to monitor and control the output voltages and the power supplied to the powered devices. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
- providing circuitry as a first application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN;
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35. Apparatus for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the apparatus comprising:
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a power supply which is adapted to receive power from an unregulated source and to provide therefrom regulated power; power distribution and control circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN, to receive the regulated power and to generate therefrom respective output voltages for supply to the powered devices; a chassis which retains the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module; and a switching hub within which the single module is disposed, and wherein the power supply provides further regulated power to power the switching hub, said switching hub comprising dimensions enabling the switching hub to be disposed within an industry-standard rack, said dimensions comprising a height no greater than 45 mm and a width no greater than 430 mm.
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36. Apparatus for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the apparatus comprising:
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a power supply which is adapted to receive power from an unregulated source and to provide therefrom regulated power; power distribution and control circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN, to receive the regulated power and to generate therefrom respective output voltages for supply to the powered devices; a chassis which retains the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module; and a switching hub within which the single module is disposed, and wherein the power supply provides further regulated power to power the switching hub, the single module comprising dimensions enabling the single module to replace a switching hub power supply disposed in the switching hub and adapted to only power the switching hub.
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37. Apparatus for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the apparatus comprising:
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a power supply which is adapted to receive power from an unregulated source and to provide therefrom regulated power; power distribution and control circuitry, which is adapted to identify the powered devices on the LAN, to receive the regulated power and to generate therefrom respective output voltages for supply to the powered devices; a chassis which retains the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module; a switching hub external to the single module; and a first cable comprised in the LAN cabling, the first cable being adapted to convey data between the switching hub and the single module, and wherein the power and control circuitry is adapted to convey the respective output voltages and the data to at least one of the powered devices via a second cable comprised in the LAN cabling, so that the single module acts as a mid-span device.
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38. A method for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the method comprising:
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receiving power from an unregulated source in a power supply; generating in the power supply regulated power from the unregulated source; identifying the powered devices on the LAN in power distribution and control circuitry; receiving the regulated power in the power distribution and control circuitry; generating in the power distribution and control circuitry, responsive to the regulated power, respective output voltages for supply to the powered devices; and housing the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module; and providing a switching hub within which the single module is disposed, and wherein the power supply provides a further regulated power level to power the switching hub, wherein the switching hub comprises dimensions enabling the switching hub to be disposed within an industry-standard rack, said dimensions comprising a height no greater than 45 mm and a width no greater than 430 mm.
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39. A method for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the method comprising:
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receiving power from an unregulated source in a power supply; generating in the power supply regulated power from the unregulated source; identifying the powered devices on the LAN in power distribution and control circuitry; receiving the regulated power in the power distribution and control circuitry; generating in the power distribution and control circuitry, responsive to the regulated power, respective output voltages for supply to the powered devices; and housing the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module; and providing a switching hub within which the single module is disposed, wherein the power supply provides a further regulated power level to power the switching hub and wherein the module comprises dimensions enabling the module to replace a switching hub power supply disposed in the switching hub and adapted to only power the switching hub.
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40. A method for supplying power to communication devices operating within a Local Area Network (LAN) over LAN cabling, the communication devices including one or more powered devices adapted to receive power over the LAN cabling, the method comprising:
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receiving power from an unregulated source in a power supply; generating in the power supply regulated power from the unregulated source; identifying the powered devices on the LAN in power distribution and control circuitry; receiving the regulated power in the power distribution and control circuitry; generating in the power distribution and control circuitry, responsive to the regulated power, respective output voltages for supply to the powered devices; and housing the power supply and the power distribution and control circuitry as a single module; and providing a switching hub external to the module, and a first cable comprised in the LAN cabling, the first cable being adapted to convey data between the switching hub and the module, and wherein the power and control circuitry is adapted to convey the respective output voltages and the data to at least one of the powered devices via a second cable comprised in the LAN cabling, so that the module acts as a mid-span device.
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Specification