Resistor mapping for device profiles

An apparatus for providing power to a device through an Ethernet connector, the apparatus comprising:

• an Ethernet connector having two pairs of “A” contacts and two pairs of “B” contacts;
• resistance measurement circuitry coupled to the Ethernet connector;
• power circuitry, coupled to the Ethernet connector, to generate a power signal at the Ethernet connector;
• a memory storing a set of power requests and a set of load type identifiers, the set of power requests including a first power request that corresponds to a first resistance value of R and designates a first requested current of X Amperes, and a second power request that corresponds to a second resistance value of R/M and designates a second requested current of X×M Amperes, and load type identifiers in the set of load type identifiers respectively correspond to resistance ranges in a second set of resistance ranges, wherein M is an integer value greater than 1 and both R and R/M are outside of a range of 19-26.5 kΩ;
• a processor, coupled to the memory, the resistance measurement circuitry, and the power circuitry, the processor programmed to:
• obtain a first measured resistance value by measuring of a resistance between the two pairs of “A” contacts of the Ethernet connector using the resistance measurement circuitry;
• retrieve a device power request for the device from the set of power requests stored in the memory based on the first measured resistance value;
• obtain a second measured resistance value by measuring of a resistance between the two pairs of “B” contacts of the Ethernet connector using the resistance measurement circuitry;
• retrieve a device load type identifier for the device from the set of load type identifiers stored in the memory based on the second measured resistance value;
• and
• provide the power signal from the power circuitry to the Ethernet connector consistent with both the device load type identifier and the device power request.

An apparatus for providing power to a device through an Ethernet connector, the apparatus comprising:

• an Ethernet connector having two pairs of “A” contacts and two pairs of “B” contacts;
• resistance measurement circuitry coupled to the Ethernet connector;
• power circuitry, coupled to the Ethernet connector, to generate a power signal at the Ethernet connector;
• a memory storing a set of power requests and a set of load type identifiers, the set of power requests including a first power request that corresponds to a first resistance value of R and designates a first requested voltage of X Volts, and a second power request that corresponds to a second resistance value of R×M and designates a second requested voltage of X×M Volts, and load type identifiers in the set of load type identifiers respectively correspond to resistance ranges in a second set of resistance ranges, wherein M is an integer value greater than 1 and both R and R×M are outside of a range of 19-26.5 kΩ;
• and
• a processor, coupled to the memory, the resistance measurement circuitry, and the power circuitry, the processor programmed to:
• obtain a first measured resistance value by measuring of a resistance between the two pairs of “A” contacts of the Ethernet connector using the resistance measurement circuitry;
• retrieve a device power request for the device from the set of power requests stored in the memory based on the first measured resistance value;
• obtain a second measured resistance value by measuring of a resistance between the two pairs of “B” contacts of the Ethernet connector using the resistance measurement circuitry;
• retrieve a device load type identifier for the device from the set of load type identifiers stored in the memory based on the second measured resistance value;
• and
• provide the power signal from the power circuitry to the Ethernet connector consistent with both the device load type identifier and the device power request.