Bidirectional inline power port

• US 7,788,518 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schindler, Frederick R., Biederman, Daniel, Coley, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEN, TSE W
• Application Number:
  US12/012,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 713/300, 713/340
• US Class Current: 713/340
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/266 Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for bidirectional provision of inline power over data telecommunications cabling permits power to be received at a local powered device (PD) from remote power sourcing equipment (PSE) via at least one conductor at a first time and power to be provided by the local device to the remote device or another device at a second different time.

Claims

1. A data telecommunications network, comprising:

a controller;

a first device;

a second device in data communication with the first device by way of a first cable;

a third device in data communication with the second device by way of a second cable; and

the controller configured to cause the third device to deliver power to the second device by way of the second cable upon a determination that the first device is not delivering power to the second device by way of the first cable;

wherein the second device comprises a rechargeable power store;

wherein the rechargeable power store of the second device is charged when the first device determines that the first device has surplus power.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an amount of power desired by the second device; and

provide an actual amount of power to the second device responsive to determining the amount of power desired by the second device.

3. The network of claim 2, wherein the amount of power desired by the second device is determined based upon power information received from the second device.

4. The network of claim 3, wherein the power information received from the remote device is received over the second cable.

5. The network of claim 4, wherein the power information is communicated using a network discovery protocol.

6. The network of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to:

detect a change in the amount of power desired by the second device; and

adjust the amount of power provided in response to detecting the change in the amount of power desired by the second device.

7. The network of claim 1, wherein the second device is a portable computing device.

8. The network of claim 1, wherein the first device is a portable computing device and the second device is a telecommunications device.

9. The network of claim 1, wherein the rechargeable power store of the second device is used to provide power to the second device when the second device requires power.

10. The network of claim 1, wherein the first and second cables are multi-conductor cables.

11. The network of claim 10, wherein the multi-conductor cables are Ethernet cables.

12. A method of providing power in a data telecommunications network, comprising:

monitoring, at a controller, the delivery of power from a first device to a second device via a first cable, the second device being in data communication with the first device by way of the first cable, the second device including a rechargeable power store;

determining, at the controller, that the first device is not delivering power to the second device by way of the first cable; and

in response to determining, sending a signal, from the controller, directing a third device to deliver power to the second device by way of a second cable, the third device being in data communication with the second device by way of the second cable; and

charging the rechargeable power store of the second device when the first device determines that the first device has surplus power.

13. A controller in a data telecommunications network, comprising:

circuitry configured to monitor the delivery of power from a first device to a second device via a first cable, the second device being in data communication with the first device by way of the first cable;

circuitry configured to determine that the first device is not delivering power to the second device by way of the first cable; and

circuitry configured to, in response to determining, signal a third device to deliver power to the second device by way of a second cable, the third device being in data communication with the second device by way of the second cable;

wherein the second device comprises a rechargeable power store;

wherein the rechargeable power store of the second device is charged when the first device determines that the first device has surplus power.