Distributed antenna system using power-over-ethernet based on a resistance of a channel

• US 9,544,156 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Outdoor Wireless Networks LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hunter, Roger A. Jr., McAllister, Donald R., Ranson, Christopher G., Kummetz, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Suryawanshi, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US14/506,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 over a channel 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) in response to a command from the sub-system. The sub-system can include at least one 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 the level of power supplied by the power sourcing equipment.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a powered device configured for receiving power from a power source device via a channel, the powered device comprising a base load and a plurality of optional loads; and

a sub-system configured for;

determining a resistance of the channel,

determining a respective power requirement for each of the plurality of optional loads, and

based on the resistance of the channel and the respective power requirements for the plurality of optional loads, configuring the powered device to operate the base load and a subset of optional loads from the plurality of optional loads.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-system is at least partially disposed in the powered device and wherein configuring the powered device to operate the base load and the subset of optional loads comprises configuring power control circuitry of the powered device to route the power received via the channel to the base load and the subset of optional loads.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sub-system is at least partially disposed in a master unit of a distributed antenna system and wherein configuring the powered device to operate the base load and the subset of optional loads comprises transmitting, via the channel, a control signal for activating the base load and the subset of optional loads to a remote antenna unit of the distributed antenna system, wherein the remote antenna unit comprises the powered device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel comprises at least one physical component configured for transmitting information from one network location to a second network location, the at least one physical component comprising at least two of a cable, cordage, a patch panel, an outlet, or a concentration point.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the powered device is further configured to communicate data with the power source device via the channel.

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 source device;

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 measured by the at least one measurement device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the base load comprises a minimum amount of circuitry required for operating the powered device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the powered device is a remote antenna unit of a distributed antenna system and each of the plurality of optional loads comprises a signal processing device associated with a respective frequency range for the remote antenna unit.

9. 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 that exceeds a threshold temperature indicative of an overall power loss in the channel that exceeds a safe level.

10. 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.

11. The system of claim 1,

wherein the channel comprises at least two powered pairs over which the power source device 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

equalizing power dissipation over each of the at least two powered pairs based on the respective resistance of each powered pair.

12. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor, a resistance of a channel used for providing power from a power source device to a powered device, the powered device comprising a base load and a plurality of optional loads; and

determining, by the processor, a respective power requirement for each of the plurality of optional loads; and

based on the resistance of the channel and the respective power requirements for the plurality of optional loads, configuring the powered device to operate the base load and a subset of optional loads from the plurality of optional loads.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein configuring the powered device to operate the base load and the subset of optional loads comprises configuring power control circuitry to route the power received via the channel to the base load and the subset of optional loads.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein configuring the powered device to operate the base load and the subset of optional loads comprises transmitting, via the channel, a control signal for activating the base load and the subset of optional loads to a remote antenna unit of a distributed antenna system, wherein the remote antenna unit comprises the powered device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the powered device is further configured to communicate data with the power source device via the channel.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the base load comprises a minimum amount of circuitry required for the powered device to operate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the powered device is a remote antenna unit of a distributed antenna system and each of the plurality of optional loads comprises a signal processing device associated with a respective frequency range for the remote antenna unit.

18. The method of claim 12, 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 that exceeds a threshold temperature indicative of an overall power loss in the channel that exceeds a safe level.

19. The method of claim 12, 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 an amount of power sufficient to operate one or more components of the powered device configured to receive signals via the channel.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the channel comprises at least two powered pairs over which the power source device is configured to provide the power to the powered device, and further comprising:

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

equalizing power dissipation over each of the at least two powered pairs based on the respective resistance of each powered pair.