Patent · US Active

Power over ethernet system having hazard detection circuitry to detect potentially hazardous cable conditions

US7973538B2 · kind B2 · utility

73Cited by
6References
47Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 21, 2008
Grant dateJul 5, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 10, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/52
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus includes power circuitry and hazard detection circuitry connectable to a multi-conductor cable. The power circuitry transfers electrical power from a power-sourcing equipment (PSE) to a powered device (PD) over the multi-conductor cable. The hazard detection circuitry senses an electrical characteristic of the multi-conductor cable and generates a detection signal indicating whether a potentially hazardous abnormal operating condition exists in the multi-conductor cable based on the sensed electrical characteristic. Examples include short-circuit detection circuitry which detects a hazard-producing short-circuit connection between sets of conductors that can cause a “stacking” or additive combining of PSE output voltages, and hot-cable detection circuitry detecting the presence of full operating voltage on the cable under abnormal conditions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.