Apparatus and methods of power over ethernet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10637672-B2
Application number	US-201615332963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2016
Priority date	Oct 22, 2015
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A power over Ethernet apparatus is provided. The power over Ethernet apparatus includes a power sourcing equipment (PSE) controller, a main chip and a redundant controller. The PSE controller is for power allocation among ports of the power over Ethernet apparatus. The main chip is coupled to the PSE controller through a first branch and for controlling the PSE controller. The redundant controller is coupled with the main chip, and coupled to the PSE controller through a second branch to control the PSE controller when the main chip stops sending a heart-beat signal. Methods of power over Ethernet are also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power over Ethernet apparatus, comprising:
a power sourcing equipment (PSE) controller for power allocation among ports of the power over Ethernet apparatus;
a main chip coupled to the PSE controller through a first branch and for controlling the PSE controller;
a redundant controller coupled with the main chip, and coupled to the PSE controller through a second branch to control the PSE controller when the main chip stops sending a heart-beat signal, wherein the main chip stopping sending the heart-beat signal indicates that the main chip no longer controls the PSE controller; and
a branch exchanging chip coupled with the redundant controller, and configured for switching between the first branch and the second branch according to a control signal from the redundant controller.

2. The power over Ethernet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the redundant controller comprises a micro-processor.

3. The power over Ethernet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the redundant controller comprises a complex programmable logic device.

4. The power over Ethernet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the branch exchanging chip comprises:
a first input terminal coupled with the main chip;
a second input terminal coupled with the redundant controller;
an output terminal coupled with the PSE controller; and
a control terminal coupled with the redundant controller.

5. The power over Ethernet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the branch exchanging chip comprises an Inter-Integrated Circuit exchanging chip.

6. The power over Ethernet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the connection between the redundant controller and the main chip is a bidirectional communication.

7. A method of power over Ethernet suited for the power over Ethernet apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
controlling, via the main chip, the PSE controller through the first branch, and sending the heart-beat signal to the redundant controller;
controlling, via the redundant controller, the PSE controller through the second branch when the main chip stops sending the heart-beat signal, wherein the main chip stopping sending the heart-beat signal indicates that the main chip no longer controls the PSE controller; and
switching, via the branch exchanging chip, between the first branch and the second branch according to a control signal from the redundant controller.

8. The method of power over Ethernet of claim 7 , comprising:
switching off, via the redundant controller, the second branch when the main chip resumes sending the heart-beat signal; and
controlling, via the main chip, the PSE controller through the first branch when the second branch is off.

9. A method of power over Ethernet suited for the power over Ethernet apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
sending, via the redundant controller, a first control signal to the branch exchanging chip when the main chip stops sending the heart-beat signal, wherein the main chip stopping sending the heart-beat signal indicates that the main chip no longer controls the PSE controller;
switching on, via the branch exchanging chip, the second branch in response to the first control signal; and
controlling, via the redundant controller, the PSE controller through the second branch when the second branch is on.

10. The method of power over Ethernet of claim 9 , comprising:
sending, via the redundant controller, a second control signal to the branch exchanging chip when the main chip resumes sending the heart-beat signal;
switching on the first branch and switching off the second branch, via the branch exchanging chip, in response to the second control signal; and
controlling, via the main chip, the PSE controller through the first branch when the first branch is on.

Assignees

• Zhejiang Uniview Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sun Lingliang
• Wu Binbin

Classifications

• H04L43/10

  Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route · CPC title

• H04L12/10 Primary

  Current supply arrangements · CPC title