Redundant powered device circuit

• US 7,509,114 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2005
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsemi Corp. - Analog Mixed Signal Group, Ltd. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elkayam, Shimon, Levi, Raanan, Berson, Yuval, Pincu, David, Darshan, Yair, Ferentz, Alon, Korcharz, Dror, Peker, Arkadiy, Atias, Ilan
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROOKS, SHANNON
• Application Number:
  US11/218,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20060019629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/423, 455/13.4, 455/127.1, 370/340
• US Class Current: 455/402
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 19/08 with current supply sources at the substations generating ringing current H04M19/04

Abstract

A redundant powering system for a powered device receiving power over communication cabling, the redundant powering system comprising: a redundant power supply comprising a first power sourcing equipment and a second power sourcing equipment; a powered device; communication cabling connecting the redundant power supply to the powered device, the communication cabling comprising a first path connecting the first power sourcing equipment to the powered device and a second path connecting the second power sourcing equipment to the powered device, the first and second paths at least partially being constituted of a single structured cable, the at least one powered device comprising at least one signature impedance, the redundant power supply being operable so that power is operably supplied to the powered device from only one of the first and second power sourcing equipment.

Claims

1. A redundant powering system for a powered device receiving power over communication cabling, the redundant powering system comprising:

a redundant power supply comprising a first power sourcing equipment and a second power sourcing equipment;

a powered device; and

communication cabling connecting said redundant power supply to said powered device, said communication cabling comprising a first path connecting said first power sourcing equipment to said powered device and a second path connecting said second power sourcing equipment to said powered device, said first and second paths at least partially being constituted of a single structured cable wherein said first path is constituted of different conductors within said single structured cable than said second path,

said powered device comprising at least one signature impedance,

said redundant power supply being operative so that power is operably supplied to said powered device from only one of said first and second power sourcing equipment, and wherein at least one of said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment is operative to perform detection of said at least one signature impedance.

2. A redundant powering system according to claim 1, wherein said first power sourcing equipment is operative to supply power via said first path to said powered device and said second power sourcing equipment is operative to remain in a standby mode, said second power sourcing equipment being operative to supply power to said powered device only in the event that said first power sourcing equipment does not supply power to said powered device.

3. A redundant powering system according to claim 2, wherein said powered device comprises a maintain power signature circuit operative to generate a maintain power signature on said second path, said second power sourcing equipment remaining in said standby mode at least partially responsive to said generated maintain power signature.

4. A redundant powering system according to claim 2, wherein said standby mode comprises an active power output.

5. A redundant powering system according to claim 1, wherein said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment are each operative to perform detection of said at least one signature impedance, said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment being operative to perform said detection at non-overlapping times.

6. A redundant powering system according to claim 1, wherein said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment are located within separate chassis.

7. A redundant powering system according to claim 1, wherein said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment are interchangeable.

8. A redundant powering system according to claim 1, wherein said powered device comprises:

a first diode bridge operatively connected to said first path;

a second diode bridge operatively connected to said second path; and

operating circuitry,

the outputs of said first and second diode bridges being operatively connected to said operating circuitry via a common connection.

9. A redundant power system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment is integral with switch/hub equipment.

10. A redundant power system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment is integral with midspan power insertion equipment.

11. A method of redundant powering of a powered device over communication cabling comprising:

supplying a first power sourcing equipment;

supplying a second power sourcing equipment;

supplying a powered device comprising at least one signature impedance;

supplying communication cabling connecting said first power sourcing equipment and said second power sourcing equipment to said powered device, said communication cabling comprising a first path connecting said first power sourcing equipment to said powered device and a second path connecting said second power sourcing equipment to said powered device, said first path and said second path being part of a single common cable wherein said first path is constituted of different conductors within said single common cable than said second path;

detecting by said first power sourcing equipment said signature impedance;

powering said powered device from said first power sourcing equipment via said first path; and

in the event of failure of said first power sourcing equipment to supply power via said first path,

powering said at least one powered device from said second power sourcing equipment via said second path without requiring detection subsequent to said failure event.

12. A method of redundant powering according to claim 11, further comprising detecting by said second power sourcing equipment said at least one signature impedance, said detecting by said second power sourcing equipment being prior to said failure event.

13. A method of redundant powering according to claim 12, wherein said detecting by said first power sourcing equipment and said detecting by said second power sourcing equipment are at non-overlapping times.

14. A method of redundant powering according to claim 11, wherein said provided first power sourcing equipment and said provided second power sourcing equipment are located within separate chassis.

15. A method of redundant powering according to claim 11, wherein said provided first power sourcing equipment and said provided second power sourcing equipment are interchangeable.

16. A method of redundant powering according to claim 11, further comprising operatively connecting the output of said first path to the output of said second path via at least one diode bridge so as to power a load of said provided at least powered device.

17. A method of redundant powering according to claim 11, further comprising maintaining said second power sourcing equipment in a standby mode.

18. A method of redundant powering according to claim 17, further comprising providing a maintain power signature via said second path to said second power sourcing equipment, said second power sourcing equipment being maintained in said standby mode at least partially responsive to said maintain power signature.

19. A method of redundant powering according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said provided first power sourcing equipment and said provided second power sourcing equipment is integral with switch/hub equipment.

20. A method of redundant powering according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said provided first power sourcing equipment and said provided second power sourcing equipment is integral with midspan power insertion equipment.

21. A redundant powering system comprising:

a first power sourcing equipment;

a second power sourcing equipment interchangeable with said first power sourcing equipment;

a powered device;

a first path comprising a communication cabling connecting said first power sourcing equipment to said powered device; and

a second path connecting said second power sourcing equipment to said powered device, said first and second paths at least partially being constituted of different respective conductors of a single structured cable of the communication cabling,

wherein said powered device comprises at least one signature impedance, and

wherein power is supplied to said powered device from said first power sourcing equipment via said first path and said second power sourcing equipment is operative to remain in a standby mode, said second power sourcing equipment being operative to supply power to said powered device via said second path only in the event that said first power sourcing equipment does not supply power to said powered device, said second power sourcing equipment supplying said power without requiring detection subsequent to said first power sourcing equipment not supplying power.