Ethernet interconnection apparatus and method

An Ethernet interconnection device comprising:

• an input Ethernet connector configured to interface said Ethernet switch device to an Ethernet cable, wherein said input Ethernet connector is further configured to receive a first power over Ethernet (POE) signal from said Ethernet cable, and wherein said first POE signal comprises a first voltage signal and a first Ethernet data signal;
• a signal separating circuit electrically connected to said input Ethernet connector, wherein said signal separating circuit is configured to receive said first POE signal from said input Ethernet connector and separate said first voltage signal from said first Ethernet data signal;
• an Ethernet switching circuit electrically connected to said signal separating circuit;
• a voltage regulator circuit electrically connected to said signal separating circuit and said Ethernet switching circuit, wherein said voltage regulator circuit is configured to receive said first voltage signal from said signal separating circuit and generate a second voltage signal from said first voltage signal, wherein said second voltage signal comprises a different voltage from said first voltage signal, and wherein said second voltage signal is a first power source for supplying power for said Ethernet switching circuit;
• and
• a plurality of output Ethernet connectors electrically connected to said Ethernet switching circuit, wherein said Ethernet switching circuit is configured to receive said first Ethernet data signal from said signal separating circuit and selectively transmit said first Ethernet data signal to each output Ethernet connector of said plurality of output Ethernet connectors, and wherein said plurality of output Ethernet connectors are configured to electrically conduct said first Ethernet data signal to a plurality of industrial/commercial devices.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by an Ethernet interconnection device, a first power over Ethernet (POE) signal from an Ethernet cable, said first POE signal comprising a first voltage signal and a first Ethernet data signal, said Ethernet interconnection device comprising an input Ethernet connector connected to a signal separating circuit, a voltage regulator circuit connected to said signal separating circuit, an Ethernet signal repeater circuit connected to said voltage regulator circuit and said signal separating circuit, and output Ethernet connector connected to said Ethernet signal repeater circuit, said Ethernet interconnection device interfaced to said to said Ethernet cable by said input Ethernet connector;
• receiving, by said signal separating circuit, said first POE signal from said Ethernet connector;
• separating, by said signal separating circuit, said first voltage signal from said first Ethernet data signal;
• receiving, by said Ethernet signal repeater circuit, said first Ethernet data signal from said signal separating circuit;
• generating, by said Ethernet signal repeater circuit, a regenerated Ethernet data signal from said first Ethernet data signal;
• receiving, by said voltage regulator circuit, said first voltage signal from said signal separating circuit;
• and
• generating, by said voltage regulator circuit, a second voltage signal from said first voltage signal, wherein said second voltage signal comprises a different voltage from said first voltage signal, wherein said second voltage signal is a first power source for supplying power for said Ethernet signal repeater circuit, and wherein said first output Ethernet connector is configured to electrically conduct said regenerated Ethernet data signal to an industrial/commercial device.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by an Ethernet interconnection device, a first power over Ethernet (POE) signal from an Ethernet cable, said first POE signal comprising a first voltage signal and a first Ethernet data signal, said Ethernet interconnection device comprising an input Ethernet connector connected to a signal separating circuit, a voltage regulator circuit connected to said signal separating circuit, an Ethernet switching circuit connected to said voltage regulator circuit and said signal separating circuit, and a plurality of output Ethernet connectors connected to said Ethernet switching circuit, said Ethernet interconnection device interfaced to said to said Ethernet cable by said input Ethernet connector;
• receiving, by said signal separating circuit, said first POE signal from said input Ethernet connector;
• separating, by said signal separating circuit, said first voltage signal from said first Ethernet data signal;
• receiving, by said Ethernet switching circuit, said first Ethernet data signal from said signal separating circuit;
• generating, by said voltage regulator circuit, a second voltage signal from said first voltage signal, wherein said second voltage signal comprises a different voltage from said first voltage signal, and wherein said second voltage signal is a first power source for supplying power for said Ethernet switching circuit;
• and
• selectively transmitting, by said Ethernet switching circuit, said first Ethernet data signal to each output Ethernet connector of said plurality of output Ethernet connectors, wherein said plurality of output Ethernet connectors are configured to electrically conduct said first Ethernet data signal to a plurality of industrial/commercial devices.