Battery backed power-over-Ethernet system

A power-over-Ethernet (PoE) system comprising:

• a powered device;
• and
• an Ethernet power sourcing device configured to supply DC power to the powered device;
• the powered device having:
• a battery;
• a battery charge unit;
• a current input monitoring device operatively connected in-line between the Ethernet power sourcing device and a load that is external to, and separate from, the powered device, the current input monitoring device configured to monitor current supplied by the Ethernet power sourcing device;
• and
• a processor, the processor configured to monitor a current requirement of the load, a charge level of the battery, and the current supplied by the Ethernet power sourcing device, the processor further configured to direct current to the battery to charge the battery based on a determination that the current supplied by the Ethernet power sourcing device exceeds the current requirement of the load, to direct current from the battery to the load based on a determination that the current requirement of the load exceeds the current supplied by the Ethernet power sourcing device, and to stop directing current from the battery to the load and to direct the current supplied by the Ethernet power sourcing device to the load based on a determination that the charge level of the battery has reached a predetermined minimum level, and the processor configured to direct current from the battery to the load based on a determination that there is no current supplied by the Ethernet power sourcing device.

A method of providing current in a power-over-Ethernet system, the system including a power sourcing device connected to a powered device that includes a battery, a current input monitoring device including a current supply limiter operatively connected to the power sourcing device, and a processor, the method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a current requirement of, and a current supplied to, a load that is external to, and separate from, the powered device;
• monitoring a charge level of the battery;
• monitoring a current supplied by the power sourcing device;
• determining whether the current supplied by the power sourcing device exceeds the current requirement of the load;
• limiting, with the current supply limiter, current delivered the load;
• determining whether the current requirement of the load exceeds the current supplied by the power sourcing device;
• directing current to the battery to charge the battery based at least in part on a determination that the current supplied by the power sourcing device exceeds the current requirement of the load, directing current from the battery to the load based at least in part on a determination that the current requirement of the load exceeds the current supplied by the power sourcing device, and ceasing directing current from the battery to the load and solely directing current from the power sourcing device to the load based on a determination that the charge level of the battery has reached a predetermined minimum level;
• and
• directing current from the battery to the load based on a determination that there is no current supplied by the power sourcing device.