Power over ethernet injector
First Claim
1. A midspan power over Ethernet (“
- PoE”
) injector (20) or supplying electrical power to at least one powered device (“
PD”
) (518) that is;
a. located remotely from the POE injector (20); and
b. connectable to the POE injector (20) by a first LAN cable (514) having;
i. a remote end that is connectable to the PD (518); and
ii. a midspan end (516) that is connectable to the POE injector (20),the first LAN cable (514) including;
i. receiving conductors via which the PD (518) receives data;
ii. transmitting conductors via which the PD (518) transmits data; and
iii. at least a pair of insulated electrical conductors via which the PD (518) receives electrica power from the POE injector (20), the POE injector (20) comprising;
a. at least one (1) pair of sockets (24),i. a first of the sockets (24) of the pair being a powered socket (24) for receiving the midspan end (516) of the first LAN cable (514); and
ii. a second of the sockets (24) of the pair being an unpowered socket (24) for receiving a midspan end of a second LAN cable, the second LAN cable carrying only data received by and transmitted from the PD (518),the POE injector (20) including a data-signal bus (188) interconnecting the unpowered socket (24) and the powered socket (24) for coupling data signals therebetween;
b. a power switch (156) that;
i. is connected to the powered socket (24); and
ii. when closed supplies electrical power to the powered socket (24) to be coupled therefrom via the midspan end (516) of a first LAN cable (514) that is mated with powered socket (24) to the pair of insulated electrical conductors of the first LAN cable (514); and
c. a controller (34) that without negotiating with a PD (518) connected to the powered socket (24) by a first LAN cable (514);
i. transmits a signal which effects closing of the power switch (156) thereby transmitting electrical power to the connected PD (518) via;
1. the powered socket (24); and
2. a first LAN cable (514) connected thereto; and
ii. concurrently monitors operational status both;
1. of a PD (518) connected to the powered socket (24) by a first LAN cable (514); and
2. internal conditions within the POE injector (20).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A midspan power over Ethernet (“PoE”) injector (20) connects via LAN cables (514) to remote PDs (518). Each cable (514) has a remote end; and a midspan end (516). The cables (514) includes receiving and transmitting conductors, and insulated electrical conductors. The injector (20) includes pairs of sockets (24) a first socket (24) of each pair is a powered socket, and a second socket (24) is unpowered and carries only data. A data-signal bus (188) interconnects the unpowered and powered sockets. Power switches (156), equal in number to the socket pairs, connect respectively to one of the powered sockets (24). Without negotiating with a PD (518) connected by the cable (514) to the powered socket (24), a controller (34) causes switches (156) to close thereby transmitting electrical power via the powered socket (24) connected thereto and the cable (514) mated therewith to the PD (518). The controller (34) also concurrently monitors operational status:
- a. of each connected PD (518); and
- b. internal conditions within the injector (20).
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A midspan power over Ethernet (“
- PoE”
) injector (20) or supplying electrical power to at least one powered device (“
PD”
) (518) that is;a. located remotely from the POE injector (20); and b. connectable to the POE injector (20) by a first LAN cable (514) having; i. a remote end that is connectable to the PD (518); and ii. a midspan end (516) that is connectable to the POE injector (20), the first LAN cable (514) including; i. receiving conductors via which the PD (518) receives data; ii. transmitting conductors via which the PD (518) transmits data; and iii. at least a pair of insulated electrical conductors via which the PD (518) receives electrica power from the POE injector (20), the POE injector (20) comprising; a. at least one (1) pair of sockets (24), i. a first of the sockets (24) of the pair being a powered socket (24) for receiving the midspan end (516) of the first LAN cable (514); and ii. a second of the sockets (24) of the pair being an unpowered socket (24) for receiving a midspan end of a second LAN cable, the second LAN cable carrying only data received by and transmitted from the PD (518), the POE injector (20) including a data-signal bus (188) interconnecting the unpowered socket (24) and the powered socket (24) for coupling data signals therebetween; b. a power switch (156) that; i. is connected to the powered socket (24); and ii. when closed supplies electrical power to the powered socket (24) to be coupled therefrom via the midspan end (516) of a first LAN cable (514) that is mated with powered socket (24) to the pair of insulated electrical conductors of the first LAN cable (514); and c. a controller (34) that without negotiating with a PD (518) connected to the powered socket (24) by a first LAN cable (514); i. transmits a signal which effects closing of the power switch (156) thereby transmitting electrical power to the connected PD (518) via; 1. the powered socket (24); and 2. a first LAN cable (514) connected thereto; and ii. concurrently monitors operational status both; 1. of a PD (518) connected to the powered socket (24) by a first LAN cable (514); and 2. internal conditions within the POE injector (20). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- PoE”
Specification