Distributed antenna system using power-over-ethernet

• US 8,880,915 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hunter, Roger A. Jr., McAllister, Donald Robert, Ranson, Christopher G., Kummetz, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Suryawanshi, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US13/491,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20120317426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 713/300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40045 Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0833 for reduction of network energy consumption

Abstract

A system is provided for adjusting power provided to a device. The system can include power sourcing equipment and a sub-system. The power sourcing equipment can provide power to a powered device via a channel. The sub-system can determine an amount by which to increase the power based on a resistance of the channel. The power sourcing equipment or the powered device can adjust the power (or load) responsive to a command from the sub-system. The sub-system can include a measurement device and a processor. The measurement device can measure an output voltage of the power sourcing equipment, an input voltage of the powered device, and a current on the channel. The processor can determine the resistance of the channel based on the output voltage, the input voltage, and the current. The processor can output a command specifying an increase or decrease in power supplied by the power sourcing equipment.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

power sourcing equipment configured for providing power to a powered device via a channel; and

a sub-system configured for;

determining, based on a resistance of the channel, an amount by which to increase a level of power provided to the powered device by;

selecting a base load in the powered device to receive power,

determining respective priorities for a plurality of optional loads in the powered device,

determining a respective power requirement of each of the plurality of optional loads in the powered device, and

selecting one or more optional loads selected to receive power in order of priority until a power requirement of an additional optional load would cause the level of power provided to the powered device to exceed a maximum level of power based on the resistance of the channel;

wherein the power sourcing equipment is configured to adjust the level of power by the amount in response to a command from the sub-system, wherein the amount is equal to a sum of the respective power requirements of the base load and the one or more optional loads selected to receive power.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power sourcing equipment is disposed in a master unit of a distributed antenna system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the powered device is a remote antenna unit of the distributed antenna system and wherein the channel comprises one or more physical components configured for transmitting information from one network location to a second network location, the physical components comprising at least two of a cable, cordage, a patch panel, an outlet, or a concentration point.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the power sourcing equipment is further configured to provide data to the powered device via the channel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power sourcing equipment is further configured for

providing a first level of power to the powered device, wherein the first level of power is sufficient for the sub-system to determine the resistance of the channel;

and

providing a second level of power to the powered device based on the command from the sub-system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-system comprises:

at least one measurement device configured for;

measuring an output voltage of the power sourcing equipment;

measuring an input voltage of the powered device;

measuring a current on the channel;

a processor configured for;

determining the resistance of the channel based on the output voltage, the input voltage, and the current; and

outputting the command to the power sourcing equipment, the command specifying an increase in the level of power by the amount and specifying load allocation for the powered device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-system is further configured for determining that increasing the power provided via the channel is unsafe based on comparing the resistance of the channel to a threshold resistance, wherein the threshold resistance comprises a resistance associated with a temperature increase exceeding a threshold temperature indicating an overall power loss in the channel exceeding a safe level.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-system is further configured for determining, based on the resistance of the channel, a safe level of power to the powered device, wherein the safe level of power comprises an amount of power sufficient to operate one or more components of the powered device configured to receive signals via the channel.

9. The system of claim 1,

wherein the channel comprises at least two powered pairs over which the power sourcing equipment is configured to provide the power to the powered device,

wherein the sub-system is further configured for:

determining a respective resistance of each of the at least two powered pairs, and

adjusting a level of power provided over each of the at least two powered pairs based on a determined power scheme and the respective resistance of each powered pair.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the determined power scheme comprises one of:

equalizing power provided over each of the at least two powered pairs;

equalizing power dissipation over each of the at least two powered pairs;

or

equalizing current provided over each of the at least two powered pairs.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-system comprises:

at least one measurement device configured for;

measuring an output voltage and current of the power sourcing equipment;

a processor configured for;

determining the resistance of the channel based on the output voltage, the current and a known impedance of the powered device; and

outputting the command to the power sourcing equipment, the command specifying an increase in the level of power by the amount and specifying load allocation for the powered device.

12. A system comprising:

at least one measurement device configured for;

measuring an output voltage of power sourcing equipment,

measuring an input voltage of a powered device, and

measuring a current on a channel coupling power sourcing equipment to the powered device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the power sourcing equipment, the processor configured for;

determining the resistance of the channel based on the output voltage, the input voltage, and the current;

determining, based on the resistance of the channel, an amount by which to increase a level of power provided to the powered device by;

selecting a base load in the powered device to receive power,

determining respective priorities for a plurality of optional loads in the powered device,

determining a respective power requirement of each of the plurality of optional loads in the powered device, and

selecting one or more optional loads selected to receive power in order of priority until a power requirement of an additional optional load would cause the level of power provided to the powered device to exceed a maximum level of power based on the resistance of the channel; and

outputting a command to the power sourcing equipment to increase the level of power and the amount by which to increase the level of power, wherein the amount is equal to a sum of the respective power requirements of the base load and the one or more optional loads selected to receive power.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured for:

determining an electrical length and one or more loss characteristics of the channel;

determining a channel type for the channel based on the electrical length and the one or more loss characteristics; and

determining a maximum amount of power to be provided via the channel based on the channel type.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the powered device is a remote antenna unit of a distributed antenna system and wherein the channel comprises an Ethernet cable.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the powered device is a remote antenna unit of a distributed antenna system that comprises a master unit separate from the remote antenna unit, and wherein the channel comprises a coaxial cable.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the channel comprises an optical fiber cable and a parallel electrical cable, wherein the power sourcing equipment is configured for providing data to the powered device via the optical fiber cable, wherein determining the resistance of the cable comprises determining the resistance of the parallel electrical cable.

17. A method, comprising:

determining, based on a resistance of a channel between power sourcing equipment and a powered device, an amount by which to increase a level of power provided to the powered device over the channel, wherein determining the amount comprises;

selecting a base load in the powered device to receive power,

determining respective priorities for a plurality of optional loads in the powered device,

determining a respective power requirement of each of the plurality of optional loads in the powered device, and

selecting one or more optional loads selected to receive power in order of priority until a power requirement of an additional optional load would cause the level of power provided to the powered device to exceed a maximum level of power based on the resistance of the channel; and

adjusting the level of power by the amount, wherein the amount is equal to a sum of the respective power requirements of the base load and the one or more optional loads selected to receive power.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining that increasing the power provided via the channel is unsafe based on comparing the resistance of the channel to a threshold resistance, wherein the threshold resistance comprises a resistance associated with a temperature increase exceeding a threshold temperature indicating an overall power loss in the channel exceeding a safe level.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining, based on the resistance of the channel, a safe level of power to the powered device, wherein the safe level of power comprises a minimum amount of power sufficient to operate one or more components of the powered device that receive signals via the channel.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the channel comprises at least two powered pairs over which the power sourcing equipment provides the power to the powered device, and further comprising:

determining a respective resistance of each of the at least two powered pairs, and

adjusting a level of power provided over each of the at least two powered pairs by equalizing power dissipation over each of the at least two powered pairs.