Power and data redundancy in a single wiring closet

An apparatus for providing redundancy for communications and/or inline power between a first network node and a second network node in a wired data telecommunications network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for directing, from the first network node, redundant network communications to and from a first wired data telecommunications network device (first network device) and a second wired data telecommunications network device (second network device);
• means for coupling a first port of a Y device to the second network node, the Y device having at least three ports with at least two pairs of conductors coupled across the at least three ports;
• means for coupling a second port of the Y device to a first port of the first network device;
• means for coupling a third port of the Y device to a first port of the second network device;
• means for having the first network device initially act as master and thereby route communications between the network node and the first port of the wired data telecommunications network;
• means for having the second data telecommunications network device initially act as slave;
• means for monitoring at the second network device communications and/or inline power between the second network node and the first port of the first network device;
• means for detecting a condition in the first network device with said monitoring;
• and
• means for having the slave take on the role of master in response to said detecting.

A system for providing redundancy for communications and/or inline power between a first network node and a second network node in a wired data telecommunications network, the system comprising:

• circuitry for directing, from the first network node, redundant network communications to and from a first wired data telecommunications network device (first network device) and a second wired data telecommunications network device (second network device);
• circuitry for coupling a first port of a Y device to the second network node, the Y device having at least three ports with at least two pairs of conductors coupled across the at least three ports;
• circuitry for coupling a second port of the Y device to a first port of the first network device;
• circuitry for coupling a third port of the Y device to a first port of the second network device;
• circuitry for causing the first network device to initially act as master and thereby route communications between the first network node and the first port of the first network device;
• circuitry for causing the second data telecommunications network device to initially act as slave;
• circuitry for monitoring at the second network device communications and/or inline power communicated between the second network node and the first port of the first network device;
• circuitry for detecting a condition in the first network device with said monitoring;
• and
• circuitry responsive to said circuitry for detecting for enabling the slave to take over the role of master.

A redundant network device providing redundancy for communications and/or inline power between a first network node and a second network node in a wired data telecommunications network, the device comprising:

• a router for directing, from the first network node, redundant wired data telecommunications network communications to and from a first wired data telecommunications network device (first network device) and a second wired data telecommunications network device (second network device);
• wiring coupling a first port of a Y device to the second network node, the Y device having at least three ports with at least two pairs of conductors coupled across the at least three ports;
• wiring coupling a second port of the Y device to a first port of the first network device;
• wiring coupling a third port of the Y device to a first port of the second network device;
• a processor internal to the first network device causing the first network device to initially act as master and thereby route communications from the router to the first port of the first network device;
• a processor internal to the second network device causing the second network device to initially act as slave;
• a monitor associated with the second network device monitoring communications and/or inline power between the first port of the first network device and the second network node;
• a detector detecting a condition in the first network device with said monitoring;
• and
• circuitry responsive to said detector for at least partially disabling the first network device so that the second network device may take over the role of master.

A circuit for dynamically terminating a transmission line, comprising:

• a switch having at least a first state and a second state, wherein
• the transmission line is terminated with a first impedance when said switch is in said first state;
• and
• the transmission line is terminated with a second impedance when said switch is in said second state.

A circuit for dynamically terminating a transmission line, comprising:

• a switch having at least a first state and a second state;
• a first termination resistance coupled to terminate the transmission line;
• and
• a second termination resistance coupled through the switch so that when said switch is in the first state, the second termination resistance is coupled in parallel with the first termination resistance and when said switch is in the second state the second termination resistance is decoupled from the first termination resistance.

A system for communicating using termination modulation, comprising:

• a transmission line having at least a first end and a second end;
• the first end terminated with a first circuit having a selectable impedance;
• and
• the second end adapted to sense a change in the impedance of the termination of the first end.

A method for communicating signals between a first port and a second port of a Y device so that the communications may be monitored at a third port of the Y device, the Y device configured so that at least two pairs of twisted-pair conductors are connected at each of the first, second and third ports so that first, second and third connectors correspondingly associated with said first, second and third ports have connection contacts connected so that a first connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, a second connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, a third connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, and a fourth connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, the method comprising:

• coupling at least two pairs of conductors of a wired data telecommunications network in a Y device;
• coupling the first port of the Y device to a first network device;
• coupling the second port of the Y device to a second network device;
• communicating between the first network device and the second network device;
• and
• monitoring said communicating at the third port of the Y device with a third network device.

A method for providing redundancy from a first network device and a second network device through a Y device having a first, second and third port in a wired data telecommunications network having at least two pairs of twisted pair conductors, the Y device configured so that at least two pairs of twisted-pair conductors are connected at each of its first, second and third ports so that first, second and third connectors correspondingly associated with said first, second and third ports have connection contacts connected so that a first connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, a second connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, a third connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, and a fourth connection contact of each of said first, second and third connectors are all connected together, the method comprising:

• coupling a first network device configured as power sourcing equipment (PSE) to a first port of the Y device;
• coupling a second network device configured as PSE to a second port of the Y device;
• and
• coupling a third network device configured as a powered device (PD) to a third port of the Y device.

Network equipment for a wired data telecommunications network, the equipment comprising:

• a first network device;
• a second network device;
• a Y device having a first port coupled to the first network device, a second port coupled to the second network device and a third port for coupling to a third network device, the Y device including at least two pairs of twisted pair conductors coupled to each of its three ports;
• and
• the network equipment adapted to communicate signals between the first port and the second port of the Y device so that the signals may be monitored at the third port of the Y device.

Network equipment for providing redundancy in a wired data telecommunications network, the equipment comprising:

• a first network device configured as PSE;
• a second network device configured as PSE, the first and the second network device providing redundant signals;
• and
• a Y device having a first port coupled to the first network device, a second port coupled to the second network device and a third port for coupling to a third network device, the Y device including at least two pairs of twisted pair conductors coupled to each of its three ports;