INTERFACE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ETHERNET POWERED DEVICE
A system, topology, and methods for providing an interface module between a powered device (PD) and power sourcing equipment (PSE) in POE architecture, the interface module coupling the PSE to the PD and a listening device.
1 . A Power over Ethernet (PoE) interface, including:
an upstream Ethernet port for receiving power from a power source, the upstream port including a data wire pair and a power wire pair;
a downstream Ethernet port for communicating data with and providing power to a powered Ethernet device, the downstream port including a data wire pair and a power wire pair;
a listening Ethernet port for communicating data with an Ethernet device, the listening Ethernet port including a data wire pair;
the downstream Ethernet port data wire pair coupled the listening Ethernet port data wire pair;
a meter coupled to the power wire pair, the meter determining a characteristic of a signal on the power wire pair; and
a user perceptible display, the display showing the determined signal characteristic.
2 . The PoE interface of claim 1 , further including a power coupler, the coupler coupling the upstream Ethernet port power wire pair to the downstream Ethernet port power wire pair.
3 . The PoE interface of claim 3 , further comprising a voltage threshold module, the voltage threshold module coupled between the power coupler and the downstream Ethernet port power wire pair, the voltage threshold module preventing the passage of a voltage signal on the power coupler to the downstream Ethernet port power wire pair until the voltage signal reaches a predetermined voltage level.
4 . The PoE interface of claim 1 , wherein signal characteristic includes the signal's voltage and power level.
5 . The PoE interface of claim 2 , wherein the upstream port includes two data wire pairs and two power wire pairs.
6 . The PoE interface of claim 5 , wherein the downstream port includes two data wire pairs and two power wire pairs.
7 . The PoE interface of claim 6 , wherein the listening port includes two data wire pairs and the downstream Ethernet port data wire pairs are coupled the listening Ethernet port data wire pairs.
8 . The PoE interface of claim 6 , wherein the power coupler couples the upstream Ethernet port power wire pairs to the downstream Ethernet port power wire pairs.
9 . The PoE interface of claim 8 , wherein the power coupler includes a diode bridge.
10 . The PoE interface of claim 4 , wherein the display alternatively shows the signal's voltage level and the power level.
11 . A Power on Ethernet (PoE) interface method, including:
coupling a upstream Ethernet port data wire pair to a downstream Ethernet port data wire pair, the upstream Ethernet port for receiving power from a power source and the downstream Ethernet port for communicating data with and providing power to a powered Ethernet device;
coupling the downstream Ethernet port data wire pair to a listening Ethernet port data wire pair, the listening Ethernet port for communicating data with an Ethernet device;
determining a characteristic of a signal on the power wire pair; and
displaying the determined signal characteristic on a user perceptible display.
12 . The PoE interface method of claim 11 , further including coupling the upstream Ethernet port power wire pair to the downstream Ethernet port power wire pair.
13 . The PoE interface method of claim 12 , further including coupling a voltage threshold module between the power coupler and the downstream Ethernet port power wire pair and employing the voltage threshold module to prevent the passage of a voltage signal on the power coupler to the downstream Ethernet port power wire pair until the voltage signal reaches a predetermined voltage level.
14 . The PoE interface method of claim 13 , wherein signal characteristic includes the signal's voltage and power level.
15 . The PoE interface method of claim 12 , wherein the upstream port includes two data wire pairs and two power wire pairs.
16 . The PoE interface method of claim 15 , wherein the downstream port includes two data wire pairs and two power wire pairs.
17 . The PoE interface method of claim 16 , wherein the listening port includes two data wire pairs and including coupling the downstream Ethernet port data wire pairs with the listening Ethernet port data wire pairs.
18 . The PoE interface method of claim 16 , including coupling the upstream Ethernet port power wire pairs to the downstream Ethernet port power wire pairs.
19 . The PoE interface method of claim 16 , including coupling the upstream Ethernet port power wire pairs to the downstream Ethernet port power wire pairs a diode bridge.
20 . The PoE interface method of claim 14 , including alternatively displaying the signal's voltage level and the power level.