Apparatus and method for communication system
First Claim
1. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a rack and first and second network transmission media, the system comprising:
- a chassis mountable to the rack;
a first connector assembly, supported at least in part by said chassis, the first connector assembly including a first plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the first network transmission media, a second plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the second network transmission media and a plurality of conductors for receiving power to be supplied to one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the first connector assembly further including circuitry for coupling the first plurality of contacts to the second plurality of contacts and for coupling the plurality of conductors to the first plurality of contacts;
a power supply assembly, supported at least in part by the chassis, the power supply assembly including a power supply for receiving input power and having an output port for supplying output power; and
a controller, coupled to the output port of the power supply, for providing, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, the power to be supplied to the one or more network devices through the first network transmission media.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A patch panel and power distribution system is provided. The system generally includes a chassis, a connector assembly, a power supply and a controller. The connector assembly operates to connect first and second network transmission media. The power supply is adapted to supply output power to remotely located devices. The connector assembly and the power supply are each supported (at least in part) by the chassis, which is generally mounted with respect to a rack. The disclosed patch panel and power distribution system obviates the need to separately mount/locate a power supply and facilitates access to/maintenance of the overall system. Accessory features and functionalities are associated with the disclosed patch panel and power distribution system, e.g., common mode chokes for introduction of DC power to data communication lines and light emitting diodes (LEDs) for indicating the power-related status of one or more ports associated with the patch panel. The disclosed patch panel and power distribution system is advantageously compliant with IEEE 802.3af and TIA/EIA 568B.1-6 standards.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a rack and first and second network transmission media, the system comprising:
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a chassis mountable to the rack; a first connector assembly, supported at least in part by said chassis, the first connector assembly including a first plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the first network transmission media, a second plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the second network transmission media and a plurality of conductors for receiving power to be supplied to one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the first connector assembly further including circuitry for coupling the first plurality of contacts to the second plurality of contacts and for coupling the plurality of conductors to the first plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly, supported at least in part by the chassis, the power supply assembly including a power supply for receiving input power and having an output port for supplying output power; and a controller, coupled to the output port of the power supply, for providing, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, the power to be supplied to the one or more network devices through the first network transmission media. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a rack and first and second network transmission media, the system comprising:
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a chassis mountable to the rack; a first connector assembly, supported at least in part by said chassis, the first connector assembly including a first plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the first network transmission media, a second plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the second network transmission media and a plurality of conductors for receiving at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the first connector assembly further including circuitry for coupling the first plurality of contacts to the second plurality of contacts and for coupling the plurality of conductors to the first plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly, supported at least in part by the chassis, the power supply assembly including a power supply for receiving input power and supplying at least one power supply voltage; and a controller for receiving the at least one power supply voltage and supplying, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, the at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media.
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9. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a rack and first and second network transmission media, the system comprising:
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a first connector assembly including a first plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the first network transmission media, a second plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the second network transmission media and a plurality of conductors for receiving at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the first connector assembly further including circuitry for coupling the first plurality of contacts to the second plurality of contacts and for coupling the plurality of conductors to the first plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly including a power supply for receiving input power and supplying at least one power supply voltage; and a controller for receiving the at least one power supply voltage and supplying, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, the at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media; wherein the power supply and the first connector assembly are disposed within a 1U vertical portion of the rack. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a rack and first and second network transmission media, the system comprising:
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a first connector assembly including a first plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the first network transmission media, a second plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the second network transmission media and a plurality of conductors for receiving power to be supplied to one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the first connector assembly further including circuitry for coupling the first plurality of contacts to the second plurality of contacts and for coupling the plurality of conductors to the first plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly including a power supply for receiving input power and having a port for supplying output power; and a controller, coupled to the output port of the power supply, for providing, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, the power to be supplied to the one or more network devices through the first network transmission media; wherein the power supply and the first connector assembly are disposed within a volume having a vertical height of no greater than 1.75 inches.
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12. A patch and power distribution system for use in association with a rack, the system comprising:
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a patch panel assembly mountable to the rack and including a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly having a first plurality of contacts disposed in a first region for connecting to a first network transmission media and further having a second plurality of contacts disposed in a second region for connecting to a second network transmission media, the first plurality of contacts being electrically coupled to the second plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly for providing at least one power supply voltage and being removably mountable to the patch panel assembly after the patch panel assembly is mounted to the rack; and a controller for receiving at least one of the at least one power supply voltage and providing, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, at least one voltage for use in powering the one or more network devices through the first network transmission media. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a rack, the system comprising:
a patch panel assembly mountable to a rack and including a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly having a first plurality of contacts disposed in a first region for connecting to a first network transmission media and further having a second plurality of contacts disposed in a second region for connecting to a second network transmission media, the first plurality of contacts being electrically coupled to the second plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly for providing at least one power supply; and a controller for receiving at least one of the at least one power supply voltage and providing, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the controller being removably mountable to the patch panel assembly after the patch panel assembly is mounted to the rack.
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45. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a first and second network transmission media, the system comprising:
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a patch panel assembly including a first connector assembly, a first mounting assembly and a second mounting assembly laterally spaced from the first mounting assembly, the first connector assembly including a first plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the first network transmission media, a second plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the second network transmission media and a plurality of conductors for receiving at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the first connector assembly further including circuitry for coupling the first plurality of contacts to the second plurality of contacts and for coupling the plurality of conductors to the first plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly including a power supply for receiving input power and supplying at least one power supply voltage, the power supply assembly including a mounting assembly removably mountable to the first mounting assembly of the patch panel assembly and removably mountable to the second mounting assembly of the patch panel assembly; and a controller for receiving the at least one power supply voltage and supplying, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, the at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media.
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46. A patch panel and power distribution system for use in association with a first and second network transmission media, the system comprising:
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a patch panel assembly including a first connector assembly, the first connector assembly including a first plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the first network transmission media, a second plurality of contacts for electrically connecting to the second network transmission media and a plurality of conductors for receiving at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media, the first connector assembly further including circuitry for coupling the first plurality of contacts to the second plurality of contacts and for coupling the plurality of conductors to the first plurality of contacts; a power supply assembly including a power supply for receiving input power and supplying at least one power supply voltage, power supply assembly being removably mountable to the patch panel assembly in a first relative positioning of said power supply assembly and said patch panel assembly and being further removably mountable to the patch panel assembly in a second relative positioning of said power supply assembly relative to said patch panel assembly, said second positioning being different than said first positioning; and a controller for receiving the at least one power supply voltage and supplying, in response to information indicating that one or more network devices is to receive power through the first network transmission media, the at least one voltage for use in powering one or more network devices through the first network transmission media.
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Specification