Redundant power and data in a wired data telecommunincations network
First Claim
1. A method for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the method comprising:
- coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device;
coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second network device configured as a second PSE device;
coupling a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device;
coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device;
detecting a failure in the flow of data and power; and
activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface;
wherein detecting a failure in the flow of data and power includes detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and
wherein activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface includes restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Redundancy of data and/or inline power in a wired data telecommunications network from a pair of network devices via a selection device is provided by communicating redundant signals with each of the pair of network devices and coupling ports of the first network device and corresponding ports of the second network device to paired inputs of the selection device. The selection device operates: 1) under the control of the pair of network devices, one acting as master and one as slave, the master selecting (for each port or for all ports) one of the two paired inputs and causing the selection device to communicate data and/or inline power via a third port of the selection device to a third network device receiving data connectivity and/or inline power from the selection device; or 2) to route two redundant signals to a third network device which then selects one for use.
105 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the method comprising:
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coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device; coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second network device configured as a second PSE device; coupling a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device; coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device; detecting a failure in the flow of data and power; and activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface; wherein detecting a failure in the flow of data and power includes detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and wherein activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface includes restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device; means for coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second network device configured as a second PSE device; means for coupling a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device; means for coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device; means for detecting a failure in the flow of data and power; and means for activating the redundancy selection device responsive to said means for detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface; wherein the means for detecting a failure in the flow of data and power includes means for detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and wherein means for activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface includes means for restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A system for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the system comprising:
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circuitry for coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device; circuitry for coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second network device configured as a second PSE device; circuitry for coupling a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device; circuitry for coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device; circuitry for detecting a failure in the flow of data and power; and circuitry for activating the redundancy selection device responsive to said circuitry for detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface; wherein circuitry for detecting a failure in the flow of data and power includes circuitry for detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and wherein circuitry for activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently couple data and power communicated over the second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with the third interface includes circuitry for restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the method comprising:
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coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first interface providing four pairs of connectivity between the first port of the first network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device; coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second interface providing two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the second network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device, the second network device configured as a second PSE device; coupling a third interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device, the third interface providing four pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the third port of the redundancy selection device; coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device; detecting a fault in the flow of data and power through the first port of the first network device; and activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently;
(1) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device; and
(2) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the second network device;wherein detecting a fault in the flow of data and power through the first port of the first network device includes detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and wherein activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently;
(1) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device; and
(2) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the second network device includes restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device.
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56. An apparatus for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first interface providing four pairs of connectivity between the first port of the first network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device; means for coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second interface providing two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the second network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device, the second network device configured as second PSE device; means for coupling a third interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device, the third interface providing four pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the third port of the redundancy selection device; means for coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device; means for detecting a fault in the flow of data and power through the first port of the first network device; and means for activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently;
(1) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device; and
(2) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the second network device;wherein means for detecting a fault in the flow of data and power through the first port of the first network device includes means for detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and wherein means for activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently;
(1) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device; and
(2) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the second network device includes means for restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device.
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57. A system for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the system comprising:
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circuitry for coupling a first interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a first network device, the first interface providing four pairs of connectivity between the first port of the first network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device, the first network device configured as a first power sourcing equipment (PSE) device; circuitry for coupling a second interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to a first port of a second network device, the second interface providing two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the second network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device, the second network device configured as a second PSE device; circuitry for coupling a third interface of a first port of a redundancy selection device to a first port of a third network device, the third interface providing four pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the third port of the redundancy selection device; circuitry for coupling data and power communicated with the first interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device to communicate data and power with a third interface of the first port of the redundancy selection device; circuitry for detecting a fault in the flow of data and power through the first port of the first network device; and circuitry for activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently;
(1) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device; and
(2) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the second network device;wherein circuitry for detecting a fault in the flow of data and power through the first port of the first network device includes circuitry for detecting a loss of power that originates from the first PSE device and is destined for the third network device, the third network device configured as a powered device (PD); and wherein circuitry for activating the redundancy selection device in response to said detecting to subsequently;
(1) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the redundancy selection device; and
(2) provide two pairs of connectivity between the first port of the third network device and the first port of the second network device includes circuitry for restoring power to the PD with power from the second PSE device.
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Specification