System and method of polarity reversal for reload detection

• US 7,668,572 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Proxim Wireless Corporation
• Inventors: Van de Water, Cor
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Application Number:
  US11/252,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20060128319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 455/572, 455/419, 455/420, 455/3.02, 455573-574, 4553431-3434, 4551271-1275, 34031011-31016, 375/340, 375/257, 375/219, 375/233, 370/286
• US Class Current: 455/572
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A system and method to remotely activate a procedure, preferably to Reload, a transceiver unit powered with an Ethernet cable. The system and method includes a power source including circuitry to reverse the polarity of voltage for a desired amount of time to a detection circuit in the transceiver unit. Upon successful detection, a reload circuit preferably in the transceiver unit activates the Reload procedure in the transceiver unit.

Claims

1. In a wireless network, a wireless transceiver unit powered by a remote power source via an Ethernet cable and that is not easily accessible, the transceiver unit comprising:

a detector circuit at the transceiver unit and adapted to detect a reversal in polarity of power via the Ethernet cable from a remote power source; and

a reload circuit coupled to the detector circuit, wherein the reload circuit activates a Reload procedure in the transceiver unit upon the detector circuit detecting the reversed polarity of power, so that the Reload procedure is triggered remotely using the remote power source and without having access to a reload switch at the transceiver unit, wherein the Reload procedure comprises a procedure for reloading default configuration parameters at the transceiver unit.

2. The transceiver unit of claim 1 wherein the remote power source is coupled to the transceiver unit via an Ethernet cable, wherein the power does not interfere with data signals transmitted to the transceiver unit.

3. The transceiver unit of claim 1 wherein the reversed polarity is provided to the transceiver unit for a threshold amount of time to activate the Reload procedure.

4. The transceiver unit of claim 1 wherein the reversed polarity is provided to the transceiver unit over a threshold amount of time to activate a Reset procedure in the transceiver unit.

5. The transceiver unit of claim 1 wherein the remote source further comprises a power injector having a Reload actuator.

6. The transceiver unit of claim 1 wherein the detect and reload circuits comprise an optocoupler.

7. A power source component adapted to be coupled to a wireless transceiver unit that is not easily accessible and that is remotely located from the power source, the power source comprising:

a circuit adapted to receive a voltage and output the voltage to a remotely located transceiver unit; and

a local switch coupled to the circuit, wherein the circuit reverses a polarity of the output voltage for a desired amount of time upon the local switch being activated, the circuit outputting the reversed polarity voltage to the remotely located transceiver unit, wherein in response to detection of the revised polarity voltage at the remotely located transceiver unit, a Reload procedure is remotely triggered in the transceiver unit in order to reload default configuration parameters.

8. The power source component of claim 7 wherein the power source unit is coupled to the transceiver unit via an Ethernet cable, wherein the power does not interfere with data signals transmitted to the transceiver unit.

9. The power source component of claim 7 wherein the reversed polarity is provided to the transceiver unit over the desired amount of time to activate a Reset procedure in the transceiver unit, wherein the Reset procedure restarts software in the transceiver unit.

10. The power source component of claim 7 further comprising at least one transistor configured to reverse the polarity of voltage output.

11. The power source component of claim 7 where the local switch reverses the polarity of voltage output.

12. A method for remotely triggering a function at a wireless transceiver unit that is not easily accessed, the method comprising:

supplying a voltage from a power source to a remote transceiver unit over an Ethernet cable;

reversing a polarity of the voltage supplied to the remote transceiver unit for a desired amount of time; and

remotely triggering using the power source a reload procedure at the transceiver unit upon detecting the reversed voltage at the transceiver unit, the reload procedure for reloading default configuration parameters.

13. A system for remotely triggering a function in a wireless transceiver unit that is not easily accessed, comprising:

means for supplying a voltage to a remote transceiver unit over an Ethernet cable;

means for reversing a polarity of the voltage supplied to the remote transceiver unit for a desired amount of time;

means for detecting the reversed voltage polarity at the transceiver unit; and

means for remotely triggering using the means for supplying the voltage a reload procedure at the transceiver unit upon detecting the reversed voltage, the procedure for erasing and reloading configuration parameters.

14. A system for remotely triggering a function at a wireless transceiver unit that is not accessible itself for triggering the function, comprising:

a power source remote from the transceiver unit, the power source configured to supply power to the transceiver unit and capable of reversing the polarity of the power supplied to the transceiver unit; and

a detection circuit at the transceiver unit, the detection circuit configured to detect reversed polarity of power from the remote power source and configured to remotely trigger a procedure in response to the detection of the reversed polarity of power.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the transceiver unit activates the procedure upon detecting the polarity reversal for a desired time duration.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the transceiver unit activates the procedure upon detecting a plurality of polarity reversals in a time duration.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the remote power source is coupled to the transceiver unit via an Ethernet cable, wherein the power does not interfere with data signals transmitted to the transceiver unit.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the remote source further comprises a power injector having a local switch to reverse polarity.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the detection circuit comprises an optocoupler to detect the polarity reversal and activate the procedure.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising an accessible switch for causing the reversing of the polarity of power supplied by the power source.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the power source is at an accessible location to thereby permit a user to actuate a switch at the power source to cause the reversing of the polarity of power supplied by the power source.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the transceiver unit is a wireless transceiver in a wireless network.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the procedure comprises a Reload procedure for reloading default configuration parameters into the wireless transceiver unit.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the reversed polarity is provided to the transceiver unit for a threshold amount of time to activate the Reload procedure.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the procedure comprises a Reset procedure for restarting software in the wireless transceiver unit.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the reversed polarity is provided to the transceiver unit over a threshold amount of time to activate a Reset procedure in the transceiver unit.