Capacitor sharing surge protection circuit
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorLouis Joseph Maggiolino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A capacitor sharing surge protection circuit for protecting multiple ports from harmful energy surges, such as electrostatic discharge (ESD) and cable discharge events (CDE), is provided. The protection circuit includes a plurality of diodes with respective cathodes and anodes. Each anode of the plurality of diodes is coupled to one of the plurality of ports. A bypass capacitor is coupled between the cathodes of the plurality of diodes and ground. In an embodiment, a bulk capacitor is further coupled between the cathodes of the plurality of diodes and ground.
Claims16
A data switch for use in a Power over Ethernet (PoE) communications system, comprising:
- a plurality of Ethernet ports that each comprise a transmit and receive port;
- and
- a protection circuit comprising:
- a positive diode array comprising a first plurality of diodes that each include a cathode and an anode, wherein the anodes of the first plurality of diodes are coupled to the plurality of Ethernet ports;
- a positive surge bus coupled between the cathodes of the first plurality of diodes and a bulk capacitor;
- a negative diode array comprising a second plurality of diodes that each include a cathode and an anode, wherein the cathodes of the second plurality of diodes are coupled to the plurality of Ethernet ports;
- and
- a negative surge bus coupled between the anodes of the second plurality of diodes and ground.
A Power over Ethernet (PoE) protection circuit, comprising:
- a positive diode array comprising a first plurality of diodes that each include a cathode and an anode, wherein the anodes of the first plurality of diodes are coupled to the plurality of Ethernet ports that each comprise a transmit and receive port;
- a positive surge bus coupled between the cathodes of the first plurality of diodes and a bulk capacitor;
- a negative diode array comprising a second plurality of diodes that each include a cathode and an anode, wherein the cathodes of the second plurality of diodes are coupled to the plurality of Ethernet ports;
- and
- a negative surge bus coupled between the anodes of the second plurality of diodes and ground.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.