Redundant power over ethernet
View Patent ↗A VoIP switch includes a first input Ethernet port configured to receive electrical power from a first power sourcing equipment, and a second input Ethernet port configured to receive electrical power from a second power sourcing equipment. The VoIP switch may be configured such that the first input Ethernet port is powered by the first power sourcing equipment concurrently with the second input Ethernet port being powered by the second power sourcing equipment.
1. A VoIP switch configured to receive electrical power over Ethernet, the VoIP switch comprising:
a first input Ethernet port configured to receive electrical power from a first power sourcing equipment;
a second input Ethernet port configured to receive electrical power from a second power sourcing equipment; and
a power supply coupled to the first input Ethernet port and to the second input Ethernet port, wherein the VoIP switch is configured such that the first input Ethernet port is powered by the first power sourcing equipment concurrently with the second input Ethernet port being powered by the second power sourcing equipment.
2. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the first input Ethernet port and the second input Ethernet port are configured to be powered by the first power sourcing equipment and the second power sourcing equipment, respectively, each using at least about 10 mA of electrical current for at least about 75 ms with no more than about 250 ms since a last use.
3. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the first input Ethernet port is configured to receive electrical power from the first power sourcing equipment simultaneous with the second input Ethernet port receiving electrical power from the second power sourcing equipment.
4. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the VoIP switch is configured such that the first input Ethernet port receives electrical power from the first power sourcing equipment at times other than when the second input Ethernet port receives electrical power from the second power sourcing equipment.
5. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein electrical power received at the VoIP switch is provided alternately by the first power sourcing equipment and by the second power sourcing equipment.
6. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a switching power supply coupled to the first input Ethernet port and to the second input Ethernet port, wherein the switching power supply is configured to receive electrical power alternately from the first input Ethernet port and from the second input Ethernet port.
7. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a first power supply coupled to the first input Ethernet port and a second power supply coupled to the second input Ethernet port, wherein the first power supply is configured to receive electrical power from the first input Ethernet port and the second power supply is configured to receive electrical power from the second input Ethernet port.
8. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the first input Ethernet port and the second input Ethernet port are further configured to receive network data.
9. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the first input Ethernet port is electrically isolated from the second input Ethernet port.
10. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the first power sourcing equipment is different from the second power sourcing equipment.
11. The VoIP switch of claim 1 wherein the first power sourcing equipment and the second power sourcing equipment are a same power sourcing equipment.
12. A method for receiving electrical power at a powered device, the method comprising:
receiving first electrical power using a first input Ethernet port at the powered device, the first electrical power received from a first power sourcing equipment; and
receiving second electrical power using a second input Ethernet port at the powered device, the second electrical power received from a second power sourcing equipment, wherein the first input Ethernet port is powered by the first power sourcing equipment concurrent with the second input Ethernet port being powered by the second power sourcing equipment.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first electrical power is received at the powered device using the first input Ethernet port simultaneous with the second electrical power being received at the powered device using the second input Ethernet port.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first electrical power is not received at the powered device using the first input Ethernet port simultaneous with the second electrical power being received at the powered device using the second input Ethernet port.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein electrical power is received at the powered device alternately using the first input Ethernet port and using the second input Ethernet port.
16. A powered device comprising:
a first input port configured to receive electrical power and network data; and
a second input port configured to receive electrical power and network data, wherein the first input port and the second input port are configured such that the first input port is powered by a first power sourcing equipment concurrently with the second input port being powered by a second power sourcing equipment.
17. The powered device of claim 16 wherein the first input port comprises an Ethernet port.
18. The powered device of claim 16 wherein the first input port comprises an Universal Serial Bus port.
19. The powered device of claim 16 wherein the first input port is configured to receive electrical power at the same time that the second input port receives electrical power.