초록 ▼

This invention discloses a local area network including a hub, a plurality of nodes, communication cabling connecting the plurality of nodes to the hub for providing data communication, and a power supply distributor operative to provide at least some operating power to at least some of the pluralit

This invention discloses a local area network including a hub, a plurality of nodes, communication cabling connecting the plurality of nodes to the hub for providing data communication, and a power supply distributor operative to provide at least some operating power to at least some of the plurality of nodes via the communication cabling.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A local area network comprising: a LAN switch; a plurality of local area network nodes; a power supply subsystem comprising at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor; a power management and control unit; and a communication cabling connecting said plurality

The invention claimed is: 1. A local area network comprising: a LAN switch; a plurality of local area network nodes; a power supply subsystem comprising at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor; a power management and control unit; and a communication cabling connecting said plurality of local area network nodes to said power supply subsystem and to said LAN switch, said communication cabling providing data communication between said LAN switch and said plurality of local area network nodes; said power supply subsystem being operative under control of said power management and control unit to; provide at least some power via the communication cabling to said plurality of local area network nodes; monitor via said at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor at least one of the power consumption of, and the current flow to, each of said plurality of local area network nodes; and classify, responsive to said monitored at least one of the power consumption and the current flow, each of said plurality of local area network nodes for which said at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as alternatively one of over-current current, under current and normal. wherein in the event said power management and control unit classifies one of said plurality of local area network nodes for which at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as under current, said power management and control unit is further operative to terminate said provided power to said under current one of said plurality of local area network nodes within a predetermined time of said classification of said one of said plurality of local area network nodes as under current. 2. A local area network according to claim 1, wherein in the event said power management and control unit classifies one of said plurality of local area network nodes for which at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as over current, said power management and control unit is further operative to terminate said provided power to said over current one of said plurality of local area network nodes. 3. A local area network comprising: a LAN switch; a plurality of local area network nodes; a power supply subsystem comprising at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor; a power management and control unit; and a communication cabling connecting said plurality of nodes to said power supply subsystem and to said LAN switch, said communication cabling providing data communication between said LAN switch and said plurality of local area network nodes; said power supply subsystem being operative under control of said power management and control unit to: provide at least some power via the communication cabling to said plurality of local area network nodes; monitor via said at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor at least one of the power consumption of, and the current flow to, each of said plurality of local area network nodes; classify, responsive to said monitored at least one of the power consumption and the current flow, each of said plurality of local area network nodes for which said at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as alternatively one of over-current, under current and normal; monitor a total of the current flow to said plurality of local area network nodes provided at least some power via the communication cabling; and classify said monitored total current flow as being alternatively one of over-current and normal, wherein said total of the current flow represents the overall current flow to said plurality of local area network nodes. 4. A local area network according to claim 3, further comprising a management workstation in communication with said power management and control unit, said power management and control unit being operative to report said over-current or normal classification of said monitored total current flow to said management workstation. 5. A local area network according to claim 3, wherein said over current classification of said monitored total current flow exhibits a plurality of sub-classifications, each of said over current sub-classifications of said monitored total current flow being associated with a particular one of a plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 6. A power supply subsystem for supplying power to a plurality of local area network nodes over communication cabling, said power supply subsystem comprising: at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor; and a power management and control unit, said power management and control unit being operative to: provide at least some power via the communication cabling to the plurality of local area network nodes; monitor via said one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor at least one of the power consumption of, and the current flow to, each of the plurality of local area network nodes; classify, responsive to said monitored at least one of the power consumption and the current flow, each of the plurality of local area network nodes for which said at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as alternatively one of over-current, under current and normal; monitor a total of the current flow to said plurality of local area network nodes; and classify said monitored total current flow as being one of over-current and normal, wherein said total of the current flow represents the overall current flow to said plurality of local area network nodes being provided said at least some power. 7. A power supply subsystem according to claim 6, wherein said power management and control unit is further operative to communicate said over-current or normal classification to a management workstation. 8. A power supply subsystem according to claim 6, wherein said power management and control unit is further operative to interrogate each of said plurality of local area network nodes to determine if the local area network node has characteristics allowing the local area network node to receive power over the communication cabling, and wherein said power management and control unit is further operative to report a status of said interrogation of each of said local area network nodes to a management workstation. 9. A power supply subsystem according to claim 6, wherein said over current classification of said monitored total current flow exhibits a plurality of sub-classifications, each of said over current sub-classifications of said monitored total current flow being associated with a particular one of a plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 10. A method of supplying power to at least one network node over communication cabling, the method comprising: providing power to the at least one network node over the communication cabling; monitoring at least one of power consumption of, and current flow to, said at least one network node for which said power is provided; classifying, responsive to said monitoring, the at least one network node for which said power is provided as alternatively one of over-current, under current and normal; and providing a plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds for said over current classification, wherein said over current classification exhibits a plurality of sub-classification, each of said over current sub-classifications being associated with a particular one of said provided plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 11. A method according to claim 10, farther comprising: terminating, in the event the at least one network node is classified as over current, said provided power to said over current at least one network node within a predetermined time of said classification of the at least one network node as over current, and wherein said predetermined time is a function of said particular one of said provided plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising: in the event the at least one network node is classified as under current, terminating said provided power to said under current at least one network node. 13. A method of supplying power to at least one network node over communication cabling, the method comprising: providing power to the at least one network node over said communication cabling; monitoring at least one of power consumption of, and current flow to, said at least one network node for which said power is provided; classifying, responsive to said monitoring, the at least one network node for which said power is provided as alternatively one of over-current, under current and normal; and in the event the at least one network node is classified as under current, terminating said provided power to said under current at least one network node within a predetermined time of said classification of said at least one network node as under current. 14. A method of supplying power to a plurality of network nodes over communication cabling, the method comprising: providing power to a plurality of network nodes over the communication cabling; monitoring at least one of power consumption of and current flow to, each of said plurality of network nodes for which said power is provided; classifying, responsive to said monitoring, each of said plurality of network nodes for which said power is provided as alternatively one of over-current, under current and normal; monitoring a total of the current flow to said plurality of network nodes; and classifying said monitored total current flow as being alternatively one of over-current and normal, wherein said total current flow represents the overall current flow to said plurality of network nodes. 15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising: reporting said classification of said total current flow to a management workstation. 16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising: providing a plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds for said total current flow over current classification, wherein said total current flow over current classification exhibits a plurality of sub-classification, each of said total current flow over current sub-classifications being associated with a particular one of said provided plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 17. A local area network comprising: a LAN switch; a plurality of local area network nodes; a power supply subsystem comprising at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor; a power management and control unit; and a communication cabling connecting said plurality of nodes to said power supply subsystem and to said LAN switch, said communication cabling providing data communication between said LAN switch and said plurality of local area network nodes; said power supply subsystem being operative under control of said power management and control unit to: provide at least some power via the communication cabling to said plurality of local area network nodes; monitor via said at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor at least one of the power consumption of, and the current flow to, each of said plurality of local area network nodes; and classify, responsive to said monitored at least one of the power consumption and the current flow, each of said plurality of local area network nodes for which said at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as alternatively one of over-current current, under current and normal, wherein said over current classification exhibits a plurality of sub-classifications, each of said over current sub-classification being associated with a particular one of a plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 18. A local area network according to claim 17, wherein in the event said power management and control unit classifies one of said plurality of local area network nodes for which at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as over current, said power management and control unit is farther operative to terminate said provided power to said over current one of said plurality of local area network nodes within a predetermined time of said classification of said one of said plurality of local area network nodes as over current, and wherein said predetermined time is a function of said particular one of said plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 19. A power supply subsystem for supplying power to at least one local area network node over communication cabling, said power supply subsystem comprising: at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor; and a power management and control unit, said power management and control unit being operative to: provide at least some power via the communication cabling to the at least one local area network node; monitor via said one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor at least one of the power consumption of, and the current flow to, the at least one local area network node: and classify, responsive to said monitored at least one of the power consumption and the current flow, the at least one network node for which said at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as alternatively one of over-current, under current and normal, wherein in the event said power management and control unit classifies one of the at least one local area network nodes for which at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as under current, said power management and control unit is further operative to terminate said provided power to said under current at least one local area network within a predetermined time of said classification of said at least one local area network node as under current. 20. A power supply subsystem according to claim 19, wherein in the event said power management and control unit classifies one of the at least one network node for which at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as over current, said power management and control unit is further operative to terminate said provided power to said over current at least one network node. 21. A power supply subsystem for supplying power to at least one local area network node over communication cabling, said power supply subsystem comprising: at least one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor; and a power management and control unit, said power management and control unit being operative to: provide at least some power via the communication cabling to the at least one local area network node; monitor via said one of a voltage sensor and a current sensor at least one of the power consumption of, and the current flow to, the at least one local area network node: and classify, responsive to said monitored at least one of the power consumption and the current flow, the at least one local area network node for which said at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as alternatively one of over-current, under current and normal, wherein in the event said power management and control unit classifies the at least one local area network node for which at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as over current, said power management and control unit is further operative to terminate said provided power to said over current at least one network node, and wherein said over current classification exhibits a plurality of sub-classifications, each of said over current sub-classification being associated with a particular one of a plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded. 22. A power supply subsystem according to claim 21, wherein in the event said power management and control unit classifies one of the at least one local area network nodes for which at least some power is provided via the communication cabling as under current, said power management and control unit is further operative to terminate said provided power to said under current at least one local area network node. 23. A power supply subsystem according to claim 21, wherein said termination of said provided power is within a predetermined time of said classification of said one of said plurality of local area network nodes as over current, and wherein said predetermined time is a function of said particular one of said plurality of programmably adjustable thresholds which is exceeded.