Power prioritization in power source equipment
First Claim
1. A power sourcing equipment (PSE) configured for being operatively coupled to a plurality of powered devices (PDs), the PSE comprising:
- a plurality of power over ethernet (PoE) ports, wherein each of the ports is configured for receiving one or more protocol data units (PDUs);
a classifier configured for associating at least one of a plurality of power allocation policies with each port of the plurality of ports based on the one or more PDUs received on the respective ports and for assigning a respective power priority level derived from the associated at least one power allocation policy thereto; and
a power manager configured for selectively allocating power to each of the plurality of ports in accordance with the associated at least one power allocation policy, wherein selectively allocating power to each of the plurality of ports in accordance with the associated at least one power allocation policy includes receiving the respective power priority level from the classifier and selectively allocating power to each of the plurality of ports at least partially dependent upon the respective power priority level, wherein selectively allocating power includes suspending power delivery, and wherein each one of said power priority levels corresponds to a respective level of importance of functionality provided through an associated one of ports such that suspending power delivery to a particular one of said ports is performed dependent upon the respective level of importance of functionality provided therethrough and independent of a particular level of power being drawn thereby.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for automatically suspending power from an IEEE 802.3af Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) switch to one or more Powered Devices (PDs) in accordance with user defined power allocation policies is disclosed. The PSE switch includes a classifier to associate each switch port with a power allocation policy and assign the applicable power priority level. The IEEE 802.3af PSE switch also includes a power manager to selectively allocate power between the PDs in accordance with those policies during a power outage, for example. If the switch is unable to provide power to each of the PDs, power to ports associated with a relatively low power priority is suspended before suspending power to higher priority ports. The policies may be automatically distributed to and implemented by multiple devices throughout a network without an administrator manually configuring the priorities base on knowledge of the specific types of end nodes coupled to the various ports or their priorities.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A power sourcing equipment (PSE) configured for being operatively coupled to a plurality of powered devices (PDs), the PSE comprising:
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a plurality of power over ethernet (PoE) ports, wherein each of the ports is configured for receiving one or more protocol data units (PDUs); a classifier configured for associating at least one of a plurality of power allocation policies with each port of the plurality of ports based on the one or more PDUs received on the respective ports and for assigning a respective power priority level derived from the associated at least one power allocation policy thereto; and a power manager configured for selectively allocating power to each of the plurality of ports in accordance with the associated at least one power allocation policy, wherein selectively allocating power to each of the plurality of ports in accordance with the associated at least one power allocation policy includes receiving the respective power priority level from the classifier and selectively allocating power to each of the plurality of ports at least partially dependent upon the respective power priority level, wherein selectively allocating power includes suspending power delivery, and wherein each one of said power priority levels corresponds to a respective level of importance of functionality provided through an associated one of ports such that suspending power delivery to a particular one of said ports is performed dependent upon the respective level of importance of functionality provided therethrough and independent of a particular level of power being drawn thereby. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of allocating power to a plurality of powered devices (PDs) with a power sourcing equipment (PSE) switching device, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving one or more protocol data units (PDUs) from a plurality of power over ethernet (PoE) ports; associating at least one of a plurality of power allocation policies with each port of the plurality of ports based on the one or more PDUs received on the respective ports; deriving a respective power priority level in accordance with the at least one power allocation policy associated with each port; assigning the respective power priority level with a corresponding one of the ports; and allocating power to each of the plurality of ports in accordance with the respective power priority level thereof, wherein allocating power includes suspending power delivery, and wherein each one of said power priority levels corresponds to a respective level of importance of functionality provided through an associated one of ports such that suspending power delivery to a particular one of said ports is performed dependent upon the respective level of importance of functionality provided therethrough and independent of a particular level of power being drawn thereby. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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Specification