Power transfer apparatus for concurrently transmitting data and power over data wires

• US 7,005,969 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Burns, Lawrence M., Fisher, David A., Muther, Stephen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/799,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 34031001-31008
• US Class Current: 375/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5437 Wired telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5441 Wireless systems or telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5445 Local network
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/547 via DC power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5483 using coupling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5491 using filtering and bypassing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/542 the information being in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

Power supply current, sufficient to power a remote network device, is transmitted concurrently with a network data signal over a transmission line. A power-sourcing network device that can include a coupling circuit provides power and data to the remote network device. The remote network device (which can be a wireless access point) can separate the power signal from the data signal and use the power supply current to further process or retransmit the data signal. The power signal may be a low frequency relative to the frequency of the data signal, or it may be DC.

Claims

1. A power-delivery circuit for delivering a combined power and data signal, the power delivery circuit comprising:

a power-input port receiving a power supply signal;

a data-input port receiving a data signal;

a mixer circuit combining the power supply signal and the data signal to generate the combined power and data signal;

a data/power-output port communicating the combined power and data signal over a network data cable;

a data/power-input port receiving the combined power and data signal via the network cable; and

an indicator circuit providing an indication when the circuit is providing the combined power and data signal.

2. The power delivery circuit of claim 1, wherein the indicator circuit comprises a light emitting diode (LED) circuit.

3. The power delivery circuit of claim 2, wherein the LED circuit is coupled with the power input port such that applying the power supply signal to the power input port energizes the LED circuit.

4. The power delivery circuit of claim 1, further comprising a high-frequency suppression circuit reducing electromagnetic interference from the combined power and data signal with a network device, the network device being coupled with the power delivery circuit.

5. The power delivery circuit of claim 4, wherein the high-frequency suppression circuit comprises one or more common-mode chokes coupled between the power-input and data-input ports and the network device.

6. The power delivery circuit of claim 5, wherein the one or more common-mode chokes each comprises a transformer coupled serially between the data/power-input port and the network device.

7. The power delivery circuit of claim 1, further comprising a power regulation circuit coupled with the data/power-input port and the network device, the power regulation circuit controlling a power supply voltage applied to a network device.

8. A power-delivery circuit for delivering a combined power and data signal to a network device, the power delivery circuit comprising:

a power-input port receiving a power supply signal;

a data-input port receiving a data signal;

a mixer circuit combining the power supply signal and the data signal to generate the combined power and data signal;

a data/power-output port communicating the combined power and data signal to the network device over a network data cable;

a data/power-input port receiving the combined power and data signal via the network cable;

a filter circuit separating the data signal from the combined power and data signal; and

a high-frequency suppression circuit reducing electromagnetic interference from the combined power and data signal with the network device.

9. The power delivery circuit of claim 8, wherein the high-frequency suppression circuit comprises a series impedance.

10. The power delivery circuit of claim 8, wherein the high-frequency suppression circuit comprises one or more common-mode chokes coupled between the data/power-input port and the network device.

11. The power delivery circuit of claim 10, wherein the one or more common-mode chokes each comprises a serially coupled transformer.

12. A power-delivery circuit for delivering a combined power and data signal to a network device, the power delivery circuit comprising:

a power-input port receiving a power supply signal;

a data-input port receiving a data signal;

a mixer circuit combining the power supply signal and the data signal to generate the combined power and data signal;

a data/power-output port communicating the combined power and data signal over a network data cable;

a data/power-input port receiving the combined power and data signal via the network cable;

a filter circuit coupled with the data/power-input port and the network device, the filter circuit separating the data signal from the combined power and data signal; and

a power regulation circuit coupled with the data/power-input port and the network device, the power regulation circuit controlling a power supply voltage applied to the network device.

13. The power delivery circuit of claim 12, wherein the power regulation circuit comprises a center-tapped inductor.

14. The power delivery circuit of claim 12, wherein the power regulation circuit comprises a linear regulator.

15. The power delivery circuit of claim 12, wherein the power regulation circuit comprises a direct-current to direct-current voltage converter.

16. The power delivery circuit of claim 12, wherein the power supply signal is a direct-current signal.

17. The power delivery circuit of claim 12, wherein the power supply signal is an alternating current signal and the power delivery circuit further comprises an alternating current-to-direct current converter coupled with the data/power-input port and the network device.