`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page1of8 Page ID #:278
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`EXHIBIT 1
`EXHIBIT 1
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`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page 2 of 8 Page ID #:279
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`(12) United States Patent
`Katzenberg et al.
`
`US006218930B1
`US 6,218,930 B1
`Apr. 17, 2001
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
`REMOTELY POWERING ACCESS
`EQUIPMENT OVER A 10/100 SWITCHED
`ETHERNET NETWORK
`
`(75) Inventors: Boris Katzenberg, Trumbull; J osePh
`A- Deptula, WatertOWn, both of CT
`(Us)
`
`(73) Assignee: Merlot Communications, Bethel, CT
`(Us)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`9/1992 Jenneve et a1. .
`
`5,144,544
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`*
`
`.
`
`363/21
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
`4
`5,461,671 * 10/1995 Sakuragi et a1. ................... .. 379/400
`5,483,574 * 1/1996 Yuyama ............................... .. 379/32
`5,608,792 * 3/1997 Laidler ............................... .. 379/386
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U S C 154(k)) by 0 days
`'
`i
`i
`i
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`_
`_
`Primary Examu/er—kff_ery A‘ Hofsass
`Assistant Examzner—Ta1 T. Nguyen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—William C. Crutcher
`
`(21) Appl. N0.: 09/520,350
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`(22) F?edi
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`M311 7, 2000
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`_
`_
`_ Related Uts- Apphcatlon Data
`_
`(60) PTOVlSlOnal apphcatlon N°~ 60/123588: ?led on Mar- 10:
`1999'
`(51) Int. Cl.7 ................................................. .. M04M 11/04
`(52) US. Cl. .............................. .. 340/310.01; 340/310.02;
`34051006; 340/31007; 379/386; 379/400;
`379/32
`-
`(58) Field of Search ....................... .. 340/310.01, 310.07,
`340/825.16, 310.02, 310.06; 379/386, 400,
`32
`
`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
`
`Apparatus for remotely powering access equipment over a
`10/100 switched Ethernet network comprises an Ethernet
`switch card with a phantom power supply for remote access
`equipment and added circuitry for automatic detection of
`remote equipment being connected to the network; deter
`mining whether the remote equipment is capable of accept
`ing remot9 power in a non-intrusive manner; delivering the
`phantom power to the remote equipment over the same wire
`pairs that deliver the data signals, and automatically detect
`ing if the remote equipment is removed from the network.
`
`9 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`16
`l
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`Power Source
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`1 8
`1
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`14
`fj
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`Network Data
`Node
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`12
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`6
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`10
`/
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`Remote Access
`Equlpment
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`20’
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`32
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`ND Converter
`and
`Microprocessor
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`1
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`24 ‘J
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`26 To Network
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`30
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`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page 3 of 8 Page ID #:280
`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page3of8 Page ID #:280
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr.17, 2001
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`Sheet 1 of 3
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`US6,218,930 B1
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 17, 2001
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`Sheet 2 013
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`US 6,218,930 B1
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`Fig. 2
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`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page 4 of 8 Page ID #:281
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`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page 5 of 8 Page ID #:282
`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page5of8 Page ID #:282
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 17, 2001
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`US 6,218,930 B1
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`US 6,218,930 B1
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`1
`APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR
`REMOTELY POWERING ACCESS
`EQUIPMENT OVER A 10/100 SWITCHED
`ETHERNET NETWORK
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application claims the bene?ts of prior ?led, appli
`cation Ser. No. 60/123,688 ?led Mar. 10, 1999.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention broadly relates to the poWering of 10/100
`Ethernet compatible equipment. The invention more par
`ticularly relates to apparatus and methods for automatically
`determining if remote equipment is capable of remote poWer
`feed and if it is determined that the remote equipment is able
`to accept poWer remotely then to provide poWer in a reliable
`non-intrusive Way.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`A variety of telecommunications equipment is remotely
`poWered today. Telephones and NetWork Repeater devices
`are examples of remotely poWered equipment. Obviously
`there are many advantages to remotely poWering equipment,
`hoWever this technique has not migrated to data communi
`cations equipment for several reasons. Data communications
`equipment has traditionally required high poWer levels to
`operate Which has made it prohibitive to implement. The
`Widely distributed nature as Well as the use of shared media
`used in data netWorks has also made remote poWer imprac
`tical.
`The desire to add remotely powered devices to a data
`netWork is being pushed by the convergence of voice and
`data technologies. The advent of IP Telephony, Voice over IP
`and Voice over Packet technologies has brought traditional
`telephony requirements into the data environment. It is not
`desirable to have a phone poWered by a local Wall trans
`former. It is desirable to have a centrally poWered system
`that can be protected during a poWer outage.
`It is therefore an object of the invention to provide
`methods and apparatus for reliably determining if a remote
`piece of equipment is capable of accepting remote poWer.
`It is another object of this invention to provide methods
`and apparatus for delivering remote poWer to remote equip
`ment over 10/100 sWitched Ethernet segments and maintain
`compliance With IEEE 802.3 standards.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`Case 2:22-cv-08050-CJC-JDE Document 25-1 Filed 04/20/23 Page 6 of 8 Page ID #:283
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`In accord With the objects of the invention an apparatus
`for remotely poWering access equipment over a 10/100
`sWitched Ethernet netWork comprises: automatic detection
`of remote equipment being connected to the netWork; deter
`mining Whether the remote equipment is capable of accept
`ing remote poWer in a non-intrusive manner; delivering the
`poWer to remote equipment over the same Wire pairs that
`deliver the data signals; automatic detection of remote
`equipment being removed from the netWork.
`The complete apparatus comprises a data node adapted
`for data sWitching, an access device adapted for data
`transmission, at least one data signaling pair connected
`betWeen the data node and the access device and arranged to
`transmit data therebetWeen, a main poWer source connected
`to supply poWer to the data node, a secondary poWer source
`arranged to supply poWer from the data node via the data
`signaling pair to the access device, sensing means for
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`2
`delivering a loW level current from said main poWer source
`to the access device over the data signaling pair and sensing
`a resulting voltage level thereon, and control means respon
`sive to said voltage level and adapted to control poWer
`supplied by the secondary poWer source to said access
`device in response to a preselected condition of the voltage
`level.
`The method includes the steps of delivering a loW level
`current from the main poWer source to the access device
`over the data signaling pair, sensing a voltage level on the
`data signaling pair in response to the loW level current, and
`controlling poWer supplied by the secondary poWer source
`to the access device in response to a preselected condition of
`the voltage level.
`
`DRAWINGS
`
`The invention Will be more clearly understood by refer
`ence to the folloWing description, taken in connection With
`the accompanying draWings, in Which:
`FIG. 1 is a simpli?ed schematic diagram of the remote
`poWer automatic detection system of the present invention,
`shoWn in conjunction With a single unit of remote access
`equipment connected as part of an Ethernet local area
`netWork,
`FIG. 2 is a simpli?ed schematic draWing of a poWer feed
`con?guration for supplying poWer to the remote access
`equipment on the local area netWork, and
`FIG. 3 is a simpli?ed physical layout of a portion of a
`sWitched Ethernet netWork segment shoWing a telephone
`device poWered through the netWork data carrying medium.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT
`
`Referring noW to FIG. 1 of the draWing, a remote access
`device 10 Which is compatible With 10/100 Ethernet require
`ments is connected through a data communications netWork
`interface adapter to a high data rate netWork cable 12.
`Remote access device 10 requires poWer to carry out its
`operation and includes an internal dc-dc sWitching supply
`Which, in the absence of the present invention, Would be
`supplied by an ac transformer adapter plugged in to the local
`110 volt supply. Cable 12 is preferably Category 5 Wiring
`such as 100BaseX suitable for 100 Mb/s data communica
`tions over a sWitched Ethernet netWork, and is connected to
`a port in a netWork data node 14, such as a sWitch or hub.
`Ethernet frames containing data are transmitted over cable
`12 betWeen node 14 and device 10, and from node 14 to and
`from the netWork in accordance With selected protocols in a
`conventional manner knoWn in the art.
`In accordance With the present invention, a poWer source
`16, Which may be the same as the conventional main poWer
`supply used to poWer the node 14, is connected to cable 12
`via lines 18 to supply a poWer level sensing potential to the
`remote access equipment 10 over one of the cable conduc
`tors. A return path from remote access equipment 10 is
`connected through a lead 20 to an automatic remote poWer
`detector, shoWn generally as 22. Detector 22 includes an
`A/D converter and microprocessor control unit 24, operating
`a detection circuit consisting of a resistor 26, With shunting
`sWitch 28, both connected in parallel to a resistor 30,
`providing a path to ground. SWitch 28 is actually an internal
`softWare controlled sWitch depicted diagrammatically as
`actuated by operator 32.
`Automatic detection of remote equipment being con
`nected to the netWork is accomplished by delivering a loW
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`US 6,218,930 B1
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`3
`level current (approx. 20 ma) to the network interface and
`measuring a voltage drop in the return path. There are three
`states Which can be determined: no voltage drop, a ?xed
`level voltage drop or a varying level voltage drop. If no
`voltage drop is detected then the remote equipment does not
`contain a dc resistive termination, and this equipment is
`identi?ed as unable to support remote poWer feed. If a ?xed
`voltage level is detected then the remote equipment contains
`a dc resistive termination (a “bob smith” is typical for
`Ethernet terminations), and this equipment is identi?ed as
`unable to support remote poWer feed.
`If a varying voltage level is detected, this identi?es the
`presence of dc-dc sWitching supply in the remote equipment.
`The varying level is created by the remote poWer supply
`beginning to start up but the loW current level is unable to
`sustain the start up. This cycle continues to be repeated
`creating a “saWtooth” voltage level in the return path. When
`this cycle is con?rmed, sWitch S1 is closed Which increases
`the poWer output to the remote equipment. When the poWer
`to the remote equipment reaches the proper level the remote
`poWer supply turns on and the remote equipment becomes
`active. At this point a second, softWare level, con?rmation
`takes place. The remote equipment must respond to a poll
`using a coded response With a unique MAC address. When
`this process is complete the remote equipment is identi?ed
`as knoWn access equipment capable of accepting remote
`poWer.
`Referring noW to FIG. 2 of the draWing, a suitable remote
`poWer supply is shoWn generally as 34, Which may be
`conveniently incorporated into an Ethernet 8 port sWitch
`card. A ?rst center tap data transformer 36 includes a
`transformer Winding 38 With opposite ends connected by
`leads 40, 42 to terminals 6, 3 respectively of an R145
`connector 43. A second center tap transformer 44 With a
`transformer Winding 46 has its opposite ends connected via
`leads 48, 50 to terminals 2, 1 respectively of the connector
`43. PoWer feed is through a center tap lead 39 and poWer
`return is through a center tap lead 45. Inactive terminals 7,
`8 of connector 43 are connected via lead 52 to a resistor 54.
`Inactive terminals 1, 2 of connector 43 are connected via
`lead 56 to a resistor 58. A junction betWeen resistors 54 and
`58 is connected to ground via a capacitor 60.
`Remote poWer is delivered to the remote equipment over
`the eXisting data signaling pairs (phantom poWer feed).
`Although it is typical that all 8 signal leads are delivered to
`remote equipment, only the 4 signaling leads are guaranteed
`in practice. See FIG. 2 for the poWer feed con?guration.
`Once the remote equipment is operating and con?rmed as
`a knoWn remote poWer enabled device, the logic circuit
`shoWn in FIG. 1 begins to look for removal of the remote
`equipment or an overload fault condition. If the measured
`voltage level drops, then this indicates that the remote
`equipment has been removed and the logic circuit returns to
`the initial hunt state. If an overload condition is detected
`then the logic circuit returns to its initial state. It can then be
`programmed to either Wait for the fault state to be cleared or
`continue to cycle through the state machine.
`FIG. 3 illustrates the physical layout of components
`corresponding to the schematic diagram of FIG. 1. The
`remote access equipment in this case is a telephone 62
`equipped to handle data communications as Well as voice
`and is connected through an access node 64 to premises
`Wiring 66, comprising a Category 5 Ethernet 100BaseX
`cable of 4 sets of unshielded tWisted pairs, Which carry both
`data and poWer to the telephone 62. Wiring 66 is connected
`to one of the ports of an 8 port Ethernet sWitch 68 Which is
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`4
`poWered from a main poWer supply 70. The Ethernet sWitch
`card incorporates the automatic remote poWer detector 22
`discussed in FIG. 1 and the remote poWer supply 34 dis
`cussed in FIG. 2. The poWer is provided over the Wiring 66
`both to the remote access node 64 and telephone 62.
`While there is disclosed What is considered to be the
`preferred embodiment of the invention, other modi?cations
`Will occur to those skilled in the art.
`What is claimed is:
`1. Apparatus for remotely poWering access equipment in
`a data netWork, comprising:
`a data node adapted for data sWitching,
`an access device adapted for data transmission,
`at least one data signaling pair connected betWeen the data
`node and the access device and arranged to transmit
`data therebetWeen,
`a main poWer source connected to supply poWer to the
`data node,
`a secondary poWer source arranged to supply poWer from
`the data node via said data signaling pair to the access
`device,
`sensing means for delivering a loW level current from said
`main poWer source to the access device over said data
`signaling pair and sensing a resulting voltage level
`thereon, and
`control means responsive to said voltage level and
`adapted to control poWer supplied by said secondary
`poWer source to said access device in response to a
`preselected condition of said voltage level.
`2. Apparatus according to claim 1, Wherein there are at
`least tWo data signaling pairs connected betWeen the data
`node and the access device to supply phantom poWer from
`the secondary poWer source to the access device, and
`Wherein said access device includes a pair of data trans
`formers having center taps connected for locally poWering
`the access device.
`3. Apparatus according to claim 1, Wherein said prese
`lected condition comprises a varying “saWtooth”voltage
`level detected by said sensing means Which causes said
`control means to increase the poWer supply from the sec
`ondary poWer source to the access device.
`4. Apparatus according to claim 1, Wherein the data node
`is an Ethernet sWitch card incorporating said secondary
`poWer supply, said sensing means and said control means.
`5. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further including
`a softWare program associated With said control means and
`arranged to poll the access device to identify itself and
`con?rm that it is capable of accepting remote poWer.
`6. Method for remotely poWering access equipment in a
`data netWork, comprising,
`providing a data node adapted for data sWitching, an
`access device adapted for data transmission, at least one
`data signaling pair connected betWeen the data node
`and the access device and arranged to transmit data
`therebetWeen, a main poWer source connected to sup
`ply poWer to the data node, and a secondary poWer
`source arranged to supply poWer from the data node via
`said data signaling pair to the access device,
`delivering a loW level current from said main poWer
`source to the access device over said data signaling
`pair,
`sensing a voltage level on the data signaling pair in
`response to the loW level current, and
`controlling poWer supplied by said secondary poWer
`source to said access device in response to a preselected
`condition of said voltage level.
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`9. Method according to claim 6, including the step of
`7. Method according to claim 6, including the step of:
`continuing to sense voltage level and to decrease power
`increasing power supplied to the access device in
`from the secondary poWer source if voltage level drops on
`response to a “saWtooth” voltage level sensed on the
`data signaling pair.
`the data signaling pair, indicating removal of the access
`8. Method according to claim 6, including the step of 5 device.
`polling the access device to identify it and con?rrn that it is
`capable of accepting rernote poWer.
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