# US 12,009,936 B2 · Device identification and policy enforcement using power over ethernet (PoE) > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,936 B2 - Document ID: US12009936B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/459,936 - Filed: 2019-07-02 - Published: 2019-10-24 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-22 - Assignees: Forescout Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Forescout Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Gilad Walden; Tomer Reisner; Kevin Mayer; Svetlana Khanin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009936B2 ## CPC - H04L 12/10: Current supply arrangements - H04B 17/104: {of other parameters, e.g. DC offset, delay or propagation times} - H04L 12/40045: {Details regarding the feeding of energy to the node from the bus} - H04L 41/0213: Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP] - H04L 41/0894: Policy-based network configuration management - H04L 41/28: Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration - H04L 43/04: Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation - H04L 43/08: Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters - H04L 43/0876: Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level - H04L 63/1408: {by monitoring network traffic (monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00)} - Y04S 40/00: Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04B: TRANSMISSION - Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS ## Abstract Systems, methods, and related technologies for device identification and policy enforcement using Power over Ethernet (PoE) are described. In certain aspects, a communication that originates from a Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled device can be received. The communication can be processed to determine a characteristic of the device. An action can be initiated based on the characteristic. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving a communication that originates from a Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled device, wherein the PoE enabled device receives electrical power from an Ethernet port; monitoring an amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device; processing, by a processing device, the communication and the amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device to determine one or more characteristics of the PoE enabled device, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a type of the PoE enabled device; and initiating a network access policy enforcement action based on the determined one or more characteristics of the PoE enabled device and the amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring network activity associated with the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein processing the communication comprises processing the communication and the network activity associated with the PoE enabled device to determine a characteristic of the one or more characteristics of the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein processing the communication comprises processing the communication and the power consumption associated with the PoE enabled device to determine a characteristic of the one or more characteristics of the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein processing the communication comprises processing the communication and the power consumption associated with the PoE enabled device to identify a deviation from a power consumption pattern associated with the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein initiating the action comprises initiating the action based on the deviation from the power consumption pattern associated with the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) communication. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises information pertaining to an amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the action comprises initiating the action based on the amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the PoE enabled device comprises a device type of the device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein initiating the action comprises initiating the action based on the device type of the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the action comprises employing an access control policy with respect to the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the action comprises restricting access to a network resource. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the action comprises blocking network traffic directed to the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the action comprises blocking power transmission directed to the PoE enabled device via a network connection. ### Claim 16 A system comprising: a memory; and a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory, to: monitor an amount of power consumed by a Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled device, wherein the PoE enabled device receives electrical power via an Ethernet port; receive a communication that originates from the PoE enabled device; process the communication and the amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device to determine a type of the PoE enabled device and to identify a deviation from a power consumption pattern associated with the PoE enabled device; and initiate a network access policy enforcement action based on the type of the PoE enabled device and the deviation from the power consumption pattern associated with the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein to process the communication the processing device is further to process the communication and network activity associated with the PoE enabled device to determine a characteristic of the PoE enabled device and wherein to initiate an action the processing device is further to initiate the action based on the deviation from the power consumption pattern associated with the PoE enabled device and the characteristic of the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 18 A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to: receive a communication that originates from a Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled device, the communication comprising information pertaining to an amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device, wherein the PoE enabled device receives electrical power via an Ethernet port; process, by the processing device, the communication and the amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device to determine one or more characteristics of the PoE enabled device, wherein the one or more characteristics comprise a type of the PoE enabled device; and initiate a network access policy enforcement action based on the characteristic and the amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein to process the communication, the processing device is further to process the communication and network activity associated with the PoE enabled device to identify a deviation from a power consumption pattern associated with the PoE enabled device, and wherein to initiate an action the processing device is further to initiate the action based on the characteristic, the amount of power consumed by the PoE enabled device, and the deviation from the power consumption pattern associated with the PoE enabled device.