Power over Ethernet Powered Device Configured for Low Duty-Cycle Operation

A method comprising:

• determining a power consumption state of a direct-current (DC) to DC converter;
• disabling generation of a maintain power signature (MPS) signal when the power consumption state corresponds to high power consumption;
• and
• selectively providing the MPS signal to a power supply node in response to a configuration state of an MPS circuit when the power consumption state corresponds to low power consumption.

A powered device comprising:

• a powered device circuit including:
• a low consumption detector circuit configured to compare a sense current to a threshold current and to detect low power consumption when the current is less than the threshold;
• a maintain power signature (MPS) control circuit coupled to the low consumption detector and configured to selectively generate an MPS signal in response to detecting the low power consumption;
• and
• a bypass transistor configured to shunt the low consumption detector circuit when the powered device is in a high power consumption mode.