Dual mode power over ethernet controller
First Claim
1. A power over Ethernet controller arranged to control a plurality of ports, the controller comprising:
- a plurality of ports;
a control module; and
a means for enabling power to each specific port of the plurality of ports responsive to said control module, each of the specific ports having associated therewith a particular priority;
said control module having a first mode of operation in which;
responsive to receipt of a command from a supervisory control circuitry to enable a port, said control module determines a highest priority port of the plurality of ports requesting power, and enables said determined highest priority port via said power enabling means;
and a second mode of operation in which;
responsive to receipt of a command from the supervisory control circuitry to enable a specific port of the plurality of ports, said control module enables said specific port via said power enabling means.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A power over Ethernet controller comprising: management functionality; data send and receive functionality associated with the management functionality; priority determination functionality associated with the management functionality, the priority determination functionality being operative to determine a highest priority port requesting power; and power enabling functionality associated with the management functionality, the management functionality having a first mode of operation in which: responsive to receipt of a command via the data send and receive functionality to enable a port, the management functionality enables the determined highest priority port requesting power via the power enabling functionality; and a second mode of operation in which: responsive to receipt of a command via the data send and receive functionality to enable a specific port, the management functionality enables the specific port via the power enabling functionality.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A power over Ethernet controller arranged to control a plurality of ports, the controller comprising:
-
a plurality of ports; a control module; and a means for enabling power to each specific port of the plurality of ports responsive to said control module, each of the specific ports having associated therewith a particular priority; said control module having a first mode of operation in which; responsive to receipt of a command from a supervisory control circuitry to enable a port, said control module determines a highest priority port of the plurality of ports requesting power, and enables said determined highest priority port via said power enabling means; and a second mode of operation in which; responsive to receipt of a command from the supervisory control circuitry to enable a specific port of the plurality of ports, said control module enables said specific port via said power enabling means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A power over Ethernet controller arranged to control a plurality of ports, the controller comprising:
-
a plurality of ports; a management functionality; a data send and receive functionality associated with said management functionality; a power enabling functionality associated with said management functionality, said power enabling functionality arranged to enable power individually to each of the plurality of ports, each of the plurality of ports having associated therewith a particular priority; and a priority determination functionality associated with said management functionality, said priority determination functionality being operative to determine a highest priority port requesting power of the plurality of ports, said management functionality having a first mode of operation in which; responsive to receipt of a command from a supervisory control circuitry via said data send and receive functionality to enable a port, said management functionality enables, via said power enabling functionality, said determined highest priority port requesting power; and a second mode of operation in which; responsive to receipt of a command from the supervisory control circuitry via said data send and receive functionality to enable a specific port of the plurality of ports, said management functionality enables said specific port via said power enabling functionality. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A system for powering a port over Ethernet cabling, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of power over Ethernet controllers each having associated therewith a plurality of local ports, each of said local ports having associated therewith a particular priority; and a communication bus, each of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers being operatively connected to said communication bus, each of said power over Ethernet controllers comprising a control module operative to; detect a respective local port of the plurality of local ports requesting power over Ethernet; determine a priority of said detected local port requesting power; and determine, responsive to said particular priorities, a highest priority local port requesting power, and a level of said priority, one of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers further comprising a supervisory control circuitry operative to; receive information regarding a maximum power availability; receive from at least one of said control modules of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers via said communication bus information regarding said priority level of said highest priority local port requesting power; and responsive to said received information regarding maximum power availability and said received information regarding said priority level of said highest priority local port requesting power, communicate via said communication bus to a particular one of said control modules of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers a command to enable a port, said particular control module of said power over Ethernet controller being further operative responsive to said communication to enable said determined highest priority local port requesting power. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A system for powering a port over Ethernet cabling, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of power over Ethernet controllers each having associated therewith a plurality of local ports, each of said local ports having associated therewith a particular priority; and a communication bus, each of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers being operatively connected to said communication bus, each of said power over Ethernet controllers comprising a control module operative to; enable power individually to each of the associated plurality of local ports; determine a priority of said enabled local port; and determine a lowest priority local port receiving power, and a level of said priority, one of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers further comprising a supervisory control circuitry operative to; receive information regarding a maximum power availability; receive from at least one of said control modules of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers via said communication bus information regarding said priority level of said lowest priority local port receiving power; and responsive to said maximum power availability and said received information regarding said priority level, communicate via said communication bus to a particular one of said plurality of power over Ethernet controllers a command to disable at least one port, said control module of said particular power over Ethernet controller being further operative responsive to said communication from said supervisory control circuitry to disable said determined lowest priority local port receiving power. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
-
22. A method for powering ports comprising:
-
providing a power controller arranged to control a plurality of local ports of the power controller, each of said local ports having associated therewith a particular priority; determining for said provided power controller one of at least two modes of operation; in the event that a first mode of operation is determined; receiving a command from a supervisory control circuitry to enable a port; determining, from among the plurality of local ports each having associated therewith a particular priority, a local highest priority port requesting power; and enabling said local highest priority port requesting power, and in the event that a second mode of operation is determined; receiving a command from the supervisory control circuitry to enable a specific port of the plurality of local ports; and enabling said specific port in accordance with said received command. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification