Power To Switching Equipment Patents (Class 379/323)
  • Patent number: 10333423
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a rectifier bridge that includes an input configured to be coupled to power over Ethernet (PoE) power sourcing equipment (PSE), and an output. A transistor is configured to selectively couple the output with a load. The electronic device includes a maintain power signature (MPS) device, and a control circuit. The control circuit is to maintain the transistor on when a load current is above a threshold, source current from the rectifier bridge to the MPS device when the load current is below the threshold, and switch the transistor to a diode configuration when the load current is below the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Andrea Agnes, Christian Beia
  • Patent number: 9148850
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement (130) in a radio base station (10) for handling data traffic within a cell of the radio base station (10), which radio base station (10) is comprised in a telecommunications network. The arrangement comprises a determining unit (131) arranged to determine a maximum power, which maximum power indicates available power to radio base station (10). In addition, the arrangement comprises a comparing unit (132) arranged to compare the maximum power to a threshold power value, and a handling unit (133) arranged to handle data traffic served by the radio base station (10) according to a shaper rule when the maximum power is below the first threshold power value. The shaper rule is defined to handle data traffic in such a way that an amount of data traffic transmitted over a time period is reduced consuming less power of the radio base station (10) than if the data traffic is handled according to a basic rule when the maximum power is above the threshold power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Helene Hallberg, Jacob Ă–sterling
  • Patent number: 8498409
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing access to wireline communication equipment are disclosed. Exemplary methods include positioning the wireline communication equipment at least partly below ground level, positioning an electric-powered lifting device near the wireline communication equipment and at least partly below the ground level, connecting the electric-powered lifting device to the wireline communication equipment, and configuring the lifting device to lift the wireline communication equipment above the ground level when access to the wireline communication equipment is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Rajesh Narayan
  • Patent number: 7964993
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe a network device including a class AB common mode suppression (CMS) circuit coupled in parallel between a line voltage source and a physical layer (PHY) device that provides active EMI suppression and Phy device termination. A network connector is coupled to provide the line voltage source to the class AB CMS circuit. The class AB CMS circuit provides current to the PHY device, terminates open-drain transmit drivers of the PHY device and suppresses common mode noise thereby minimizing electromagnetic interference. In other embodiments, the class AB CMS circuit is coupled in parallel between the network connector and a physical layer (PHY) device. The class AB CMS circuit suppresses common mode noise, and terminates open-drain transmit drivers of the PHY device, thereby minimizing electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Akros Silicon Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Cai, Amit Gattani
  • Patent number: 7961864
    Abstract: A method is provided to implement a subscriber local number portability migration request. The method includes sending a trigger signal to a cross-connect device to cause the cross-connect device to switch between a first communication channel and a second communication channel. The first communication channel is between an originating switch associated with a subscriber's directory number and a distribution frame. The second communication channel is between a porting switch and the distribution frame. The method also includes validating that the cross-connect device switched between the first communication channel and the second communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Joseph Raymond Kieren
  • Patent number: 7876775
    Abstract: In a particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a method of making a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection to a remote network. The method includes detecting the presence of a powered-on network capable device that is connected to a DSL modem; establishing a network connection over a DSL line to the remote network after detecting the presence of the powered on network capable device; terminating the network connection over the DSL line after detecting an absence of network capable devices connected to the DSL modem; and releasing network resources supported by the remote network after the network connection is terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Kenneth Roger Jones, Brian A. Gonsalves, Marc Andrew Sullivan, Philip Ted Kortum, Jeffrey Multach
  • Patent number: 7830120
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a battery protection circuit for protecting a plurality of batteries connected in series. The battery protection circuit includes: a controller for monitoring the batteries and outputting control signals based on predetermined conditions associated with the batteries; a first N-channel MOSFET and a second N-channel MOSFET coupled in a common-drain configuration in a low-side path, wherein at least one of the first and second N-channel MOSFETs turns off in response to the control signal received from the controller when at least one of the predetermined conditions is detected; and a gate protection circuit for preventing gate-to-source voltages of the first and second N-channel MOSFETs from exceeding a predetermined gate-to-source voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Nexergy, Inc.
    Inventor: Randolph A. Ibrahim
  • Patent number: 7620171
    Abstract: A central office module and a remote terminal module are provided for span powering a variety of high speed DS3 and higher-bandwidth communication modules that require sufficiently little power so as to permit their powering over as many as four telephone wires of at least one mile in length. The up to four twisted pairs only provide power between the central office, remote terminal, controlled environment vault, hut or similar location including the telephone room or closet at a large remote site and remote terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Hubbell Incorporated
    Inventors: James Edward Sclater, David Owen Corp
  • Patent number: 7599485
    Abstract: A discovery technique employs a single-conductor-pair identity circuit for a remotely powered device. A communications system includes a first communications device (e.g. and IP telephony switch) capable of supplying power at an interface, and a second communications device coupled to the interface via a multiple-conductor-pair cable. The second communications device may be a terminal device such as an IP telephone or an intermediate device such as a re-wiring device or a mid-span power supply. The first communications device includes a single-pair identity signal generator that generates a single-pair identity signal on one conductor pair of the cable, and a single-pair sensor operative to sense a conduction characteristic of the conductor pair indicative of the presence of a single-pair identity circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger Karam
  • Patent number: 7564904
    Abstract: A novel mechanism for detecting the presence of powered devices over a network. A unique, infinite pseudo-random sequence of pulses are generated and transmitted over the network to the link partner attached to the other end of the cable. At each time unit, the PSE decides whether or not to transmit a pulse at that time. Thus, the pulses generated have pseudo-random inter-pulse delays between them. In addition, each pulse is pseudo-randomly selected to have either positive or negative polarity. If the link partner is a powered device it will be in loopback mode and the transmitted pulses will be looped back to the transmitter (i.e. the PSE). The PSE, at each time unit regardless of whether or not a pulse was transmitted, opens a search window in which it listens to the RX line for the appropriate expected behavior. If a pulse was transmitted, the PSE expects to see a pulse looped back. Similarly, if no pulse was transmitted, the PSE does not expect to receive a signal during the search window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ori Isachar, Pablo D. Cusnir, Nohik Semel, Daniel Sharon, Daniel Wajcer, Guy Millet
  • Patent number: 7343156
    Abstract: A method, and base station, are provided for logging on a portable part at a base station having activating capabilities for more than a single associated portable part, wherein the base station, before a log-on mode is actually switched on, performs a check for an operable connection from the base station to a telecommunication network and, if the check has a positive result, the log-on mode is kept switched off by the base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Mathaeus Alberti
  • Patent number: 7203851
    Abstract: A first network device supplies power to a second network device in communication therewith. The first network device comprises a physical layer device which includes a pulse generator to generate a test signal comprising n sub-pulses to be transmitted to the second network device, wherein in n being greater than 2. A detector is responsive to the second network device, and a controller is in communication with the detector and the pulse generator. When the detector detects j pulses which are greater than a predetermined threshold, 1?j<n, the controller, responsive to the detector, enables power to be transmitted to the second network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: William Lo, Yi Cheng, Leechung Yiu, Calvin Fang
  • Patent number: 7178045
    Abstract: A transmitting device and a receiving device are coupled together via an interconnect. An electrical idle ordered set is received at the receiving device power management unit after having been transmitted by the transmitting device and received at the input pins of the receiving device and moving through the receiver logic pipeline. At the time the electrical idle ordered set has been recognized at the end of the receiver logic pipeline, the power management unit checks for activity on the interconnect. If there is no activity on the interconnect, then the power management unit causes the receiving device to enter a low power state where the receiver circuitry (input buffers) is turned off. If there is activity on the interconnect when the electrical idle ordered set is received at the power management unit, then the power management unit does not cause the receiver circuitry to be turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Puffer, Suneel G. Mitbander, Sarath K. Kotamreddy
  • Patent number: 7058174
    Abstract: A system and method that provides lifeline service to DSL customers when a loss-of-power message is sent to the central office from an integrated access device on the customer premise. If a predetermined number of loss-of-power messages are received then power is provided to the integrated access device from the central office. To this end, a power supply at the central office provides power through an isolator circuit to a relay. The relay is connected through to the twisted pair to the integrated access device. The data connection may also be powered in this manner or, in order to save further wattage, the data connection may be disconnected for the duration of the power outage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Carl Robert Posthuma
  • Patent number: 6922470
    Abstract: A method and apparatus in a DC-feed controller for controlling a subscriber line interface circuit controlling voltage (alternately, current) on a telephone line comprising a pair of wires. A digital feedback signal is subtracted from a predetermined voltage (alternately, current) limit digital value to provide a digital error signal that represents the difference between the voltage (alternately, current) limit digital value and the digital feedback signal. The digital error signal is multiplied by a predetermined digital gain value to provide a scaled digital error value. The scaled digital error value is integrated over time to generate an integrated digital error signal having a first predetermined number n of significant bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Betty, Donald C. Richardson
  • Patent number: 6815844
    Abstract: The invention relates to a circuit for supplying power to a network termination unit (55) of a message transmission system, which is connected to a central station via a subscriber line (30). A local power supply voltage source (41), which is arranged in the network termination unit (55) and which supplies power during a normal operating state, is provided as well as a remote power supply source, which is arranged in the central station and which supplies power during an emergency operating state in the case of a failure or malfunctioning of the local power supply voltage source (41). The network termination unit (55) comprises a direct current converter with a transformer and a clocked switch (20). The primary winding (1) of the transformer is connected via the clocked switch (20) to the local power supply voltage source (41), and a connection of the primary winding (1) is connected via a first controllable switch (5) to a wire of the subscriber line (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Flextronics International GmbH & Co. Nfg. KG
    Inventor: Peter Kovarik
  • Patent number: 6804351
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus provide for determining whether a data terminal equipment (DTE) device represents a compatible device lacking an independent power supply and adapted to be powered using phantom power over a wired connection from a communications device such as a switch. A detection signal may be transmitted from the communications device to an identity network connected to the DTE. A response detection signal may be returned and checked in a receiver at the communications device. A switch may then be closed to provide phantom power if the result of the check indicates that the DTE is a compatible device adapted to receive phantom power. Compatible DTE device may include telephones, Voice over IP (VoIP, IP or Ethernet) telephones, network access devices, computers, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger A. Karam
  • Patent number: 6804347
    Abstract: Telecommunications carrier equipment in a field cabinet can be replaced so as to allow existing carrier multiplexers to be powered by newer, smaller power supply equipment. Each carrier multiplexer has a plurality of power connections for each of a plurality of power types. The existing set of power supply equipment has a supply connection corresponding to each power connection at each power types. The power inputs of each power type for each carrier multiplexer are bridged together. A replacement set of power supply equipment has a single supply connection corresponding to each power type for each carrier. Each of the bridged power inputs for each carrier multiplexer is connected with the corresponding supply connection on the replacement set of power supply equipment for each power type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Qwest Communications International Inc.
    Inventors: William S. Ridgeway, Jon F. Davison, David A. Nicholas
  • Patent number: 6690792
    Abstract: A ringing voltage power management circuit is configured to extract an isolated high-value intermediate voltage from a central office powered digital subscriber line through a current limiting circuit, and to charge a storage capacitor that serves as an energy reservoir for the ring generator of a subscriber line circuit. The storage capacitor and the current limiting circuit isolate the peak power drawn by the ringing load from the telephone line and translate the ringing signal's (20 Hz) ripple to the sub-Hz oscillations of the ringing cadence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Adtran Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Robinson, Jeffrey K. Taylor, John B. Wilkes, Jr., John S. McGary
  • Patent number: 6647024
    Abstract: A communication system and method for supporting both POTS and high speed data services between a remote CPE interface, located at a subscriber premises, and a central office. An analog to digital converter transforms an analog POTS signal to a digital POTS signal, and a combiner circuit combines the digital POTS signal with a high speed data signal into a combined digital signal which preferably has a single communication spectrum. A power detector identifies a power failure at the remote CPE interface, and a life line communication path is established from the central office to the remote CPE interface in response to the power failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Eugene Dombkowski, Steven Mark Miller, Carl Robert Posthuma
  • Patent number: 6577882
    Abstract: A method and an arrangement supplies power in a communications network (100) comprising subscriber side (110) and a provider side (120), the provider side being connected to nodes of the subscriber side through one or more Line Terminals (LT1, . . . , LTn) and at least one equipment (111-114) at the subscriber side (110) being connected to the provider side (120) through at least one Net Terminal (NT). The arrangement comprises apparatus for supplying power to the communications network (100) at least during a period of time through the at least one Net Terminal from the at least equipment (111-114).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
    Inventor: Sture Roos
  • Patent number: 6487175
    Abstract: A device for controlling power supply to subscribers in a digital subscriber-switch board includes subscriber-line circuits which supply power to the subscribers, and a carrier-detection unit which is connected to a communication path to detect a carrier signal of a modem once the communication path is established between a caller and a receiver, the caller being one of the subscribers, wherein one of the subscriber-line circuits corresponding to the one of the subscribers is controlled to suspend power supply to the one of the subscribers when the carrier-detection unit detects the carrier signal on the communication path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yasunori Ogawa
  • Patent number: 6434220
    Abstract: A long-distance transmission system includes a network terminal that accommodates terminal equipment, and a line terminal connected to the network terminal via a two-wire metallic subscriber line. The network terminal includes an amplifier, which amplifies a transmission level of a transmission signal to be transmitted to the line terminal via the two-wire metallic subscriber line on the basis of a characteristic of the two-wire transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Masakazu Oi
  • Patent number: 6144737
    Abstract: A telephone-system interface circuit connected to a central office via a tip line and a ring line includes a battery having a first terminal and a second terminal. A first current control circuit is connected between the tip line and the first terminal of the battery. A second current control circuit is connected between the ring line and the second terminal of the battery. The first current control circuit and the second current control circuit are equal in structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Maruyama, Masami Nashirozawa
  • Patent number: 6047063
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using and/or switching to an auxiliary communication pathway to increase system reliability and/or reduce maintenance costs is disclosed. One feature is directed to a smart network interface device (SNID) implemented using latching relays. The SNID has very low power requirements and can be remotely controlled in a reliable manner through the use of simple tone signal commands over common POTS line pairs. Upon detecting a fault condition on a main line pair, the SNID is remotely instructed to disconnect the faulty line pair and switch the telephone customer's line connected to the faulty line pair to an auxiliary line pair. To operate in a POTS telephone environment without the need for an additional power supply, the SNID is designed to be powered from the power available from the auxiliary line pair. The power supply circuitry of the SNID is designed to have a near infinite input impedance with regard to input signals below twenty volts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: ANTEC Corporation
    Inventor: Steven B. Perry
  • Patent number: 6005933
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for communication with no power feed in an exchange. (1) A calling subscriber unit transmits a special service code designating the disuse of a direct current loop together with the numeric information on the called subscriber unit to the exchange after formation of a direct current loop. (2) When the special service code is received, an on-hook transmission state in which the transmission and reception of an alternating current signal is possible between the subscriber line interface circuit and the calling subscriber unit even if no direct current loop is formed is established in the subscriber line interface circuit to which the calling subscriber unit which has transmitted the special service code is connected. (3) The calling subscriber unit disconnects the direct current loop, and the exchange maintains the speech path between the calling subscriber unit and the called subscriber unit even after the direct current loop is disconnected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kenji Takato
  • Patent number: 5734711
    Abstract: In a program-controlled telecommunication system (KS), at least sub-areas (SLM1..n) are controlled into an energy-saving mode with reduced energy consumption using a central controller (ZS) and additional controllers (SM) given the presence of energy-saving information (ei). The energy-saving information (ei) are formed, for example, using a timer (UM) in the telecommunication system (KS) and using an implemented energy-saving routine (ESR). A telecommunication system (KS) fashioned in this way can be controlled into an energy-saving mode, for example during the night or over weekends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Werner Kleffner
  • Patent number: 5617414
    Abstract: In a telecommunication system, especially a telephone system having at least one electronic computer controlled telephone exchange, in its turn having time-space type switches, including a number of memory devices in the form of matrices, a method and an apparatus for transferring, via inputs and outputs of the memory devices, speech and data information in binary form between subscribers connected to the exchange. To considerably reduce the power consumption of the memory matrix as a whole, devices are provided to activate only those memories, which, for the moment, are intended to emit a corresponding output signal after that data has been written into same, and to cut off those portions of the memory matrix, which are not used for emitting output signals, in that no information is written into those, thus, not activated memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
    Inventors: Jan Bergkvist, Peter Larsen
  • Patent number: 5457741
    Abstract: The arrangement is such that to a transmission apparatus of the subscriber side in a subscriber transmission system wherein the transmission apparatus of the subscriber side which serves a plurality of subscribers and a transmission apparatus connected to a switching system are connected to each other via multiplexed transmission lines, there are provided memories to store originating and terminating call signals, and a controller not only to control so that only subscriber transmitter-receivers corresponding to a specific number of subscribers in the subscriber transmitter-receivers for transmitting and receiving signals of subscribers enter an operating state, but also to cause the memories to operate, so that electric power is supplied only to circuits corresponding to a specific number of subscribers in the transmission apparatus of the subscriber side by controlling through the controller when the rate of telephone use is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Toshiaki Sonobe
  • Patent number: 5416832
    Abstract: A call detection control apparatus includes individual call detecting circuits, a common call detecting circuit, switching circuits, and a power supply circuit. The individual call detecting circuits individually detect call signals, which originate from telephone subscriber lines. The common call detecting circuit commonly detects call signals, which originate from the respective telephone subscriber lines. The switching circuits switch the respective telephone subscriber lines from the common call detecting circuit to the respective individual call detecting circuit when the common call detecting circuit detects an call signal from one of the respective telephone subscriber lines. The power supply circuit supplies operating power to each of the individual call detecting circuits upon interlocking with an operation of a corresponding one of the switching circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Nitta, Toshikatsu Kobayashi, Takeshi Sasaki, Tooru Ikeda
  • Patent number: 4700381
    Abstract: Two parallel-operated control units each communicate via a respective discrete bus with a respective assigned group of switch devices, and given an alternate circuit based on one control unit simultaneously accepting the tasks for both groups, an alternate circuit bus is provided from the accepting control unit to the other group of switch devices and has bidirectional bus amplifiers connected therein, the one bus amplifier being supplied with voltage together with the accepting control unit and its group and the other bus amplifier being supplied with voltage together with the other control unit and its group. Given a voltage outage of the non-accepting control unit and its assigned group of switch devices, a signal is transmitted to the first-mentioned bus amplifier in order to provide the required disconnection of the alternate circuit bus by way of unequivocal electrical switch states and measures in that bus having supply voltage present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Manfred Eher