Agere Systems Inc.

Matthew Blaha

Albert Molina

Gary D Polhemus

Patrick J Quirk

Fadi Saibi

Luis De La Torre

Alan Leon Ellis

Gary D Polhemhus

In one embodiment, a powered device (PD) () has a PHY module () and a media access controller () (MAC), the PD () adapted to connect to power sourcing equipment (PSE) via a cable, () where the PD () is adapted to communicate with and receive power from the PSE via the cable, in accordance with the Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) standard. The PD () extracts () from the cable () a DC signal used to power the PD without using a transformer. Capacitors () located in the signal paths between the MAC () and the cable () support electrical isolation of the MAC ().

Transformerless power over ethernet system

One embodiment monitors a line-side electrical current provided by a power sourcing equipment (PSE) port to a powered device (PD), the PSE port having a power-isolation transformer with a primary coil on an isolated side and a secondary coil on a line side. A switching signal having a switching period and a duty cycle is applied to the primary coil of the power-isolation transformer. A value is determined for an electrical current on the isolated side of the power-isolation transformer, conversion is performed between a line-side electrical current value Iand a corresponding isolated-side peak-current value I, and the line-side electrical current is indirectly monitored based on the determined isolated-side current value.

Isolated switched maintain power signature (MPS) and fault monitoring for power over Ethernet

In one embodiment, the invention is an apparatus (e.g., an Ethernet switch) having an isolated side and a line side. A line-side connector is connectable to a cable. An isolated-side physical-layer module (1) is electrically coupled to the connector via a signal-isolation transformer and (2) processes signals transmitted over the cable. A line-side power conditioning module (1) is electrically coupled to an isolated-side power switcher via a power-isolation transformer that converts an AC power signal received from the power switcher into a transformed AC power signal and (2) converts the transformed AC power signal into a cable power signal to be supplied via the connector to the cable in order to power a cable-powered device connected to the cable. An isolated-side control module performs a detection function in which the control module determines whether or not a cable-powered device is connected to the cable.

Switch with fully isolated power sourcing equipment control

Disclosed is a method and apparatus that includes a power supply having a primary coil and a secondary coil. The secondary coil generates an output voltage and a feedback voltage related to the output voltage. The feedback voltage is sampled at a time instant that is digitally controllable. The output voltage is determined from the feedback voltage.

Programmable feedback voltage pulse sampling for switched power supplies

A series pass transistor voltage regulator is described having a main power source and an auxiliary power source. When the main power source voltage falls to a level the regulator can no longer use, the regulator seamlessly draws power from the auxiliary source. A voltage dropping circuit of two series-coupled diodes allows for a single feedback control amplifier to control the regulator's pass transistors in series with the main and auxiliary power sources.

Auxiliary power switching arrangement for PCI Express, PC's and similar applications

A line driver coupled to a transmission path having line characteristics associated therewith and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the line driver includes a driver stage configured to send a signal along the transmission path. The line driver also includes a switching network, coupled to the driver stage, configured to adaptively select a power level to send the signal as a function of the line characteristics of the transmission path.

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Holmdel, NJ, United States of America

Matthew Blaha