# US 10,142,116 B2 · Inspection device and method for powered devices in a power over Ethernet system

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- Number: US 10,142,116 B2
- Document ID: US10142116B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/988,187
- Filed: 2016-01-05
- Published: 2017-05-25
- Granted: 2018-11-27
- Earliest claimed: 2015-11-24
- Assignees: IC Plus Corp.
- Applicants: IC Plus Corp.
- Inventors: Philip Huang; Chef Hsiao; Pai-Yi Chiu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10142116B2

## CPC

- H04L 12/10: Current supply arrangements
- G06F 1/266: {Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips}
- G06F 1/28: Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision
- G06F 1/3209: Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

An inspection device to determine whether a device connected to a Power over Ethernet system is suited for being powered, is configured to apply an inspection signal to the device and to measure a response signal thereto. The inspection signal includes a first, second, third and fourth voltage, wherein the first voltage and the third voltage are substantial the same and the second voltage and the fourth voltages are substantial the same, and an application period for applying the fourth voltage is sum of the application period for the second voltage and an extension period. The inspection device determines that the device is not suitable for being powered if a response signal exceeds predetermined ranges. A method to perform these inspections is also disclosed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An inspection device of power source equipment for detecting a powered device of a power over Ethernet system, wherein the power source equipment comprises a connecting port adapted to connect to the powered device through a network wire, and wherein the inspecting device connects to the connecting port, the inspection device comprising:
an inspection computing unit that controls application of a plurality of testing voltage signals to the connecting port, whereas the plurality of testing voltage signals comprise, sequentially, a first voltage V1, a second voltage V2, a third voltage V3 and a fourth voltage V4, wherein the first voltage V1 and the third voltage V3 are substantially the same, the second voltage V2 and the fourth voltage V4 are substantially the same, and an application period for the fourth voltage V4 is a sum of an application period for the second period V2 with an extension period;
a power supply that supplies the plurality of testing voltage signals to the connecting port; and
a current measurement device that measures at the connecting port a first current I1 after a predetermined period following applying the first voltage V1, measures a second current I2 after the predetermined period following applying the second voltage V2, measures a third current I3 after the predetermined period following applying the third voltage V3, and measures a fourth current I4 after a time period, which is longer than the predetermined period, following applying the fourth voltage V4, wherein
the inspection device calculates a first resistance by Rdet1=(V1-V2)/(I1-I2) and a second resistance by Rdet2=(V3-V4)/(I3-I4); and
the inspection device determines that the connecting port is not connected to a suitable powered device if (1) any of the first current I1, the second current I2, the third current I3, and the fourth current I4 exceeds a first predetermined value, or (2) ΔRdet=Rdet1-Rdet2 is greater than a second predetermined value, and otherwise determines that the connecting port is connected to the suitable powered device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The inspection device of claim 1, wherein the extension period is about 0.2 to 1.5 times the application period for the second voltage V2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The inspection device of claim 2, wherein the extension period is about 0.5 to 1.0 times the application period for the second voltage V2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The inspection device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage V1 and the third voltage V3 are an 8 V current-limiting voltage signal with a maximum of 800 uA, the second voltage V2 and the fourth voltage V4 are an −4V current-limiting voltage signal with the maximum of 800 uA, and the first predetermined value is about 0.02 mA to 0.78 mA.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The inspection device of claim 4, wherein the first predetermined value is about 0.04 mA to 0.76 mA.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The inspection device of claim 1, wherein the first voltage V1 and the third voltage V3 are 8 V current-limiting voltage signals with a maximum of 800 uA, the second voltage V2 and the fourth voltage V4 are −4V current-limiting voltage signals with the maximum of 800 uA, and the second predetermined value is about −1000 to 1000 ohm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The inspection device of claim 6, wherein the second predetermined value is about −500 to 500 ohm.

### Claim 8

An inspection method of power source equipment for detecting a powered device of a power over Ethernet system, wherein the power source equipment comprises a connecting port adapted to connect to the powered device through a network wire, and wherein the inspecting device connects to the connecting port, the inspection method comprising:
applying a plurality of testing voltage signals to the connecting port, whereas the plurality of testing voltage signal comprises, sequentially, a first voltage V1, a second voltage V2, a third voltage V3 and a fourth voltage V4, wherein the first voltage V1 and the third voltage V3 are substantially the same, the second voltage V2 and the fourth voltage V4 are substantially the same, and an application period for the fourth voltage V4 is a sum of an application period for the second period V2 with an extension period;
measuring at the connecting port a first current I1 after a predetermined period following applying the first voltage V1, measuring a second current I2 after the predetermined period following applying the second voltage V2, measuring a third current I3 after the predetermined period following applying the third voltage V3, and measuring a fourth current I4 after the predetermined period following applying the fourth voltage V4;
calculating a first resistance by Rdet1=(V1-V2 )/(I1-I2) and a second resistance by Rdet2=(V3-V4)/(I3-I4); and
determining that the connecting port is not connected to a suitable powered device if (1) any of the first current I1, the second current I2, the third current I3, and the fourth current I4 exceeds a first predetermined value, or (2) ΔRdet=Rdet1-Rdet2 is greater than a second predetermined value, and otherwise determining that the connecting port is connected to the suitable powered device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The inspection method of claim 8, wherein the extension period is about 0.2 to 1.5 times the application period for the second voltage V2.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The inspection method of claim 9, wherein the extension period is about 0.5 to 1.0 times the application period for the second voltage V2.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The inspection method of claim 8, wherein the first voltage V1 and the third voltage V3 are an 8 V current-limiting voltage signal with a maximum of 800 uA, the second voltage V2 and the fourth voltage V4 are an −4V current-limiting voltage signal with the maximum of 800 uA, and the first predetermined value is about 0.02 mA to 0.78 mA.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The inspection method of claim 11, wherein the first predetermined value is about 0.04 mA to 0.76 mA.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The inspection method of claim 8, wherein the first voltage V1 and the third voltage V3 are 8 V current-limiting voltage signals with a maximum of 800 uA, the second voltage V2 and the fourth voltage V4 are −4V current-limiting voltage signals with the maximum of 800 uA, and the second predetermined value is about −1000 to 1000 ohm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The inspection method of claim 13, wherein the second predetermined value is about −500 to 500 ohm.