Power sharing for network devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9703650-B1
Application number	US-201614991954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 10, 2016
Priority date	Jan 10, 2016
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

In one embodiment, a data processing device includes power port units for connection to network devices. Each power port unit is selectively configurable to operate as either (i) a Power Source Equipment port unit to provide power to a network device, or (ii) a Powered Device (PD) port unit to sink power from a network device. The device also includes a processor. In response to a power supply failure, the processor is operative to poll at least two network devices to determine if they are able to supply power, receive a response from each of the at least two network devices, and configure at least two power port units as PD port units to sink power from the at least two network devices. At least part of the received power is transferred from the at least two power port units via a power summing node to at least one local load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A data processing device comprising:
a plurality of power port units for connection to a plurality of network devices, each one power port unit of the plurality of power port units being selectively configurable to operate as either (i) a Power Source Equipment (PSE) port unit to provide electrical power to one network device of the plurality of network devices, or (ii) a Powered Device (PD) port unit to sink electrical power from the one network device;
a plurality of data port units to exchange data with the plurality of network devices;
a processor to process at least some of the data;
a power supply;
a plurality of local loads; and
a power summing node to electrically connect the power supply, the plurality of power port units and the plurality of local loads,
wherein in response to a failure of the power supply, the processor is operative to: poll at least two network devices of the plurality of network devices to determine if the at least two network devices are able to supply electrical power; receive a response from each of the at least two network devices; configure at least two power port units of the plurality of power port units as PD port units to sink electrical power from the at least two network devices, at least part of the received electrical power being transferred from the at least two power port units via the power summing node to one or more local loads of the plurality of local loads.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is also operative to: instruct each of the at least two network devices to configure a power port unit as a PSE port unit to provide electrical power to the data processing device.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each one power port unit of the plurality of power port units additionally includes a power port unit controller to control the selectively configurable operation of the one power port unit as either a PSE port unit or a PD port unit.

4. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a rechargeable battery to: receive electrical power from a power source via the power summing node; and to supply electrical power to the local loads or to at least one network device of the plurality of network devices via the power summing node.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of power port units includes: a port connector to mate with a cable connecting the port connector with the one network device; a bi-directional power convertor to selectively convert electrical power in either a first direction and to provide converted electrical power to the port connector when the power port unit is configured to operate as the PSE port unit, or in a second direction to convert electrical power received from the port connector when the power port unit is configured to operate as the PD port unit.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein in response to the failure of the power supply, the processor is operative to poll a first group of the plurality of network devices directly connected to the data processing device to determine if the first group of the plurality of network devices is able to supply electrical power; and if the first group is unable to supply all the electrical power, the processor is then operative to poll a second group of the plurality of network devices indirectly connected to the data processing device to determine if the second group of the plurality of network devices is able to supply electrical power.

7. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the processor is operative to: instruct a first network device of the second group of the plurality of network devices to configure a power port unit as a PSE port unit to provide electrical power to a second network device of the first group of the plurality of network devices; instruct the second network device to configure a first power port unit as a PD port unit to sink electrical power from the first network device and to configure a second power port unit as a PSE to provide electrical power to the data processing device; and configure one of the plurality of power port units connected to the second network device as a PD port unit to sink electrical power from the second network device.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is operative to: receive a request from a first network device of the plurality of network devices to receive electrical power; and determine if there is electrical power available to transfer to the first network device.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein if the data processing device is able to supply electrical power, the processor is operative to configure a first power port unit of the plurality of power port units as a PSE port unit to supply electrical power to the first network device.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is operative, in response to determining that the data processing device is unable to supply all the requested electrical power, to poll a second network device of the plurality of network devices to determine if the second network device is able to supply electrical power.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein based on the second network device being able to supply electrical power, the processor is operative to: instruct the second network device to configure a power port unit as a PSE port unit to provide electrical power to the data processing device; configure one of the plurality of power port units connected to the second network device as a PD port unit to sink electrical power from the second network device; and configure another one of the plurality of power port units as a PSE port unit to provide electrical power to the first network device.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein based on the second network device being able to supply electrical power, the processor is operative to instruct the first network device to configure a power port unit as a PD port unit to sink electrical power from the data processing device.

13. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is operative to receive an instruction from the first network device to configure one of the plurality of power port units connected to the first network device as a PSE port unit to provide electrical power to the first network device; and configure another one of the plurality of power port units as a PD port unit to sink electrical power from a second network device.

14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is operative to: poll at least some network devices of the plurality of network devices to determine a power supply level and power usage for at least one class of service for each of the at least some network devices; receive power supply level and usage data for each of the at least some network devices; based on the received power supply level and usage data, prepare an electrical power sharing plan to share electrical power among the at least some network devices; and instruct the at least some network devices to share electrical power in accordance with the electrical power sharing plan.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the processor is operative to instruct the at least some network devices to configure a plurality of power port units to share electrical power among the at least some network devices in accordance with the electrical power sharing plan.

16. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the processor is operative to: prepare an electrical power usage plan; and instruct the at least some network devices which services to operate in accordance with the electri

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Byers Charles Calvin
• Salgueiro Gonzalo
• Clarke Joseph M

Classifications

• G06F11/2015 Primary

  Redundant power supplies (power supply failure G06F1/30) · CPC title

• G06F1/263

  Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F1/30 Primary

  Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) · CPC title

• G06F2201/805

  Real-time · CPC title