Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080239978 | Automatic data rate and power adjustment on communications uplink based on communications activity on communications downlink - An Internet Protocol (IP) telephone operates a communications uplink to a switch based on activity on a separate communications downlink (such as to a personal computer) to conserve power when possible. The IP telephone monitors the communications activity of a link partner on the communications downlink, and when the link partner is present and operating at a relatively high data rate, the IP telephone operates the communications uplink at a correspondingly high data rate to support the communications needs of the IP telephone and the link partner. If the monitoring indicates that the link partner has reduced communications activity (which may include becoming entirely disconnected from the communications downlink), the IP telephone transitions to a second operating condition to operate the communications uplink at a relatively low data rate, with a corresponding decrease in the power required for operation of the communications uplink interface circuitry. By this mechanism, the power required to operate the IP telephony system can be reduced to realize costs savings etc. | 10-02-2008 |
20090088908 | Low-power ethernet device - In accordance with the teachings of this disclosure, an Ethernet device is provided that draws current below a predetermined voltage, and as the voltage across the device exceeds the threshold, the device transforms into a high-impedance state, appearing as a high impedance device. Once in the high-impedance state, the discovery process proceeds normally as the current drawn through the high-impedance device is no more than normally occurs due to leakage or other typical conditions. Thus, the IEEE discovery now proceeds normally in the higher voltage ranges (6V to 9V) where the device of this disclosure is effectively out of the circuit, causing no interference. | 04-02-2009 |
20090172207 | COMMUNICATING THROUGH A PHYSICAL PORT OF AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device has a physical port, and a control circuit coupled to the physical port. The control circuit is arranged to electrically sense the physical port, and operate the physical port as one of an Ethernet port and an RS-232 port based on electrically sensing the physical port. In some arrangements, the physical port operates as an Ethernet port at one time and an RS-232 port at another time. In some arrangements, the electronic device senses for Ethernet signals and RS-232 signals concurrently. In other arrangements, the electronic device senses for Ethernet signals and RS-232 signals at different times in an alternating manner. | 07-02-2009 |
20100017631 | Detection Algorithm for Delivering Inline Power Down Four Pairs of an Ethernet Cable to a Single Powered Device - Methods and apparatus for determining that all conductors of an Ethernet connection are connected to the same powered device (PD). In one disclosed embodiment, it is first determined that a signal conductor pair of the Ethernet connection is coupled to a valid PD according to a discovery process, and the unused conductor pair of the Ethernet connection is also coupled to a valid PD. However, it is not yet determined whether they are both coupled to the same PD. This disclosure provides for injecting a polluting signal into one of the conductor pairs, and performing the discovery process on the other conductor pair. If the discovery process fails on the other conductor pair as a result of the polluting signal, then it is determined that both of the conductor pairs are indeed coupled to same PD. | 01-21-2010 |
20100042855 | SYSTEM EMPLOYING SIGNALING AT A POWERED COMMUNICATIONS INTERFACE TO MODIFY OR OVERRIDE A POWER-WITHHOLDING POLICY AT A POWER-SOURCING EQUIPMENT - A power-sourcing equipment (PSE) has a powered communications interface to which a powered device (PD) is coupled. The PD presents a valid PD signature indicating that the PD is attached and capable of receiving normal operating power from the PSE. Per a power-withholding policy, the PSE operates in a power-withholding state to withhold the normal operating power notwithstanding the valid PD signature, and monitors for a signal via the powered communications interface indicating that the normal operating power should be delivered to the PD. The signal may be an alternative signature generated by a user-activated switch for example. In response to receiving the signal in the power-withholding state, the PSE enters a power-providing state in which it provides the normal operating power to the PD notwithstanding the power-withholding policy. An intermediate device (dongle) may be employed to generate the signal. | 02-18-2010 |
20100045302 | POWER OVER ETHERNET SYSTEM HAVING HAZARD DETECTION CIRCUITRY TO DETECT POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CABLE CONDITIONS - An apparatus includes power circuitry and hazard detection circuitry connectible to a multi-conductor cable. The power circuitry transfers electrical power from a power-sourcing equipment (PSE) to a powered device (PD) over the multi-conductor cable. The hazard detection circuitry senses an electrical characteristic of the multi-conductor cable and generates a detection signal indicating whether a potentially hazardous abnormal operating condition exists in the multi-conductor cable based on the sensed electrical characteristic. Examples include short-circuit detection circuitry which detects a hazard-producing short-circuit connection between sets of conductors that can cause a “stacking” or additive combining of PSE output voltages, and hot-cable detection circuitry detecting the presence of full operating voltage on the cable under abnormal conditions. | 02-25-2010 |
20100049998 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHANGING POWER CLASS FOR A POWERED DEVICE - A method and apparatus for changing power class for a powered device are provided. During operation, a powered device, such as an IP telephone, receives power from a power source via a PoE device. In the event that the powered device detects connection to a second powered device, such as an IP telephone module, the powered device transmits a classification signal to the power source. Based upon the classification signal, the power source performs a powered device classification procedure to reclassify the powered device, such as according to an IEEE 802.3af standard, and provide an increase amount of power to the powered device. The powered device, in turn, provides a portion of the power to the modular device. The modular powered device, therefore, receives power directly from the first powered device and does not require additional equipment in order to operate. | 02-25-2010 |
20100095136 | POWERED COMMUNICATIONS INTERFACE WITH PRE-OPERATING MODE USING LOW VOLTAGES AND CURRENTS FOR INFORMATION SIGNALING - A powered device can provide information to another device (such as a power sourcing equipment) via a powered communications interface when operating power is not being provided to the powered device via the powered communications interface, enabling a variety of functions and applications. Relatively low voltages and currents of the type used for detection and classification of the powered device are used in an extended way to achieve the communications. The power sourcing equipment performs additional detections and/or classifications, and the powered device responds by presenting corresponding signatures or identity networks that convey additional information beyond the presence and power requirements of the powered device. As an example, a powered device can present a sequence of signatures signifying that power should be applied to the powered device notwithstanding an active policy of withholding power in furtherance of a power conservation scheme. Many other kinds of information can be signaled for a variety of system-level purposes and using a variety of signal forms using the relatively low signaling voltages and currents. | 04-15-2010 |
20100217447 | DETECTION OF MULTIPLE POWERED DEVICES CONNECTED TO AN INLINE POWER DELIVERY CHANNEL - A system provides for indicating/detecting multiple powered devices connected to a power delivery channel of a power sourcing equipment, so that power can be coherently shared among the powered devices. A first operation includes (a) applying a standard first detection signal (such as a detection voltage) to the power delivery channel and (b) detecting and interpreting a second detection signals (such as a detection current) which in a standard response would be either zero or a predetermined value indicating the presence of a single powered device. The interpreting includes determining whether the second detection signal indicates that multiple powered devices may be connected, for example by detecting current values of n*Idet or Idet/n, where n is an integer greater than one. A second operation includes (c) providing a plurality of distinct signals to the power delivery channel, each eliciting a distinct individual response signal from a corresponding powered device, and (d) detecting each distinct individual response signal to identify the powered devices connected to the power delivery channel. The distinct signals may be non-standard classification signals or other specialized signals to elicit the individual responses. | 08-26-2010 |
20100229048 | FIELD FAILURE DATA COLLECTION - The operation of a powered device is monitored to detect a failure condition, the powered device connected to power sourcing equipment by a communications channel including inline power delivery from the power sourcing equipment to the powered device. Diagnostic information is captured including (i) configuration and status information identifying the power sourcing equipment, the communications channel, and status of the inline power delivery at the time of detection of the failure condition, and (ii) failure information identifying the failure condition. This diagnostic information is stored as diagnostic information signals in an electronic memory which is electronically accessible by an external user as part of a failure analysis process. By this process, diagnostic information pertaining to the operation of the powered device with the power sourcing equipment and the communications channel is captured and stored, providing greater information for more thorough failure analysis. | 09-09-2010 |