Abstract: An automated method of sampling an electrical condition of each of a plurality channels, the method comprising: driving each of the plurality of channels with a modulated signal; providing a settable flag associated with each of the plurality of channels; selecting one of the plurality of channels; identifying if the settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels is set; and in the event that the settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels is not set, and a function of the modulated signal of the selected one of the plurality of channels is active and stable: sampling an electrical condition of the selected one of the plurality of channels; and setting the provided settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels.

Abstract: A secondary side post regulator arrangement for a plurality of LED strings. For each secondary winding, a first electronically controlled switch is provided arranged to control the power output, and a LED string is connected thereto. A second electronically controlled switch is further connected in series with the LED string, arranged to receive a PWM signal, thereby pulsing current through the LED string. A current sensing element is further provided outputting a voltage representation of the current through the LED string, and a synchronized sampling circuit is provided arranged to sample the voltage representation during the on period of the second electronically controlled switch. The sampled and held voltage representation is compared with a reference signal and fed back to control the first electronically controlled switch. The voltage output associated with each secondary winding is controlled, responsive to the reference voltage.

Abstract: A method for communicating settable priority data from a powered device being powered over communication cabling to power sourcing equipment, the method comprising: prior to connecting power to operational circuitry of the powered device, transmitting first multi-bit data from the powered device to the power sourcing equipment; subsequent to the transmitted first multi-bit data, connecting power received over the communication cabling to the powered device operational circuitry; receiving information from the powered device operational circuitry; disconnecting the received power from the powered device operational circuitry; and subsequent to the disconnecting, and prior to reconnecting power to the operational circuitry, transmitting second multi-bit data from the powered device to the power sourcing equipment, the second multi-bit data being a function of the received information, at least one of the first multi-bit data and the second multi-bit data being a function of a settable priority.

Abstract: A method of controlling a power over Ethernet system, the method comprising: sequentially powering a plurality of powered devices over communication cabling; determining a first total power consumption responsive to the powering of the plurality of powered devices; in the event that the determined first total power consumption exceeds a predetermined maximum power level, disabling power from at least one of the powered plurality of powered devices thereby reducing power consumption to less than the predetermined maximum power level; responsive to the disabling power, defining a connection power limit lower than the maximum power level by a guard band; monitoring a second total power consumption subsequent to the disabling power; and enabling power to a powered device only in the event the monitored second total power consumption is less than the connection power limit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing harmful transients resulting from a probing routine for a valid powered device detection signature in a network, the method comprising: operating power sourcing equipment to provide via its output port a pre-detection output voltage; obtaining an indication of the pre-detection output voltage; comparing the indication of the pre-detection output voltage with a pre-determined value; and in the event that the indication of the pre-detection output voltage is less than the pre-determined value; initiating a probing routine for a valid powered device detection signature. The higher voltage of the probing routine is thus not present at the output port in the absence of pre-detection of a potentially valid powered device detection signature.

Abstract: An optical sampling and control element for use with a luminaire exhibiting a cycle and a frame, the optical sampling and control element being constituted of a color sensor in optical communication with the luminaire; and a sampler connected to the outputs of the color sensor, the sampler comprising an integrator arranged to integrate the outputs of the color sensor over a predetermined period less than the frame.

Abstract: A power control subsystem for controlling the supply of power transmitted to at least one node over communication cabling, the power control subsystem comprising circuitry to control current of a power transmitted over communication cabling, the circuitry being operative to provide current limiting for the power at a first threshold, and delayed over current cut-off of the power at a second threshold, the second threshold being lower than the first threshold.

Abstract: A system and method for power over Ethernet comprising: a plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports; and a management station in communication with each of the plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports, the management station being operative to: disable at least one first power over Ethernet supplying port of the plurality of power over Ethernet supplying ports on a predetermined scheduled basis. Preferably the management station is further operative to: receive an entry indication; and enable the disabled at least one first power over Ethernet supplying port responsive to the received entry indication.

Abstract: A fault detection mechanism for a LED string comprising a plurality of serially connected LEDs, the fault detection mechanism comprising: a control circuitry; and a voltage measuring means, in communication with the control circuitry, arranged to measure the voltage drop across at least one LED of the LED string, the control circuitry being operable to: measure the voltage drop, via the voltage measuring means, at a plurality of times, compare at least two of the measured voltage drops, and in the event the comparison of the at least two voltage drops is indicative of one of a short circuit LED and an open circuit LED, output a fault indicator.

Abstract: A system for powering and controlling an LED backlight, the system comprising: a control circuitry; a plurality of LED strings; a pulse width modulation functionality associated with the control circuitry and arranged to pulse width modulate a current flow through each of the plurality of LED strings; and a plurality of current limiters responsive to the control circuitry, each of the plurality of current limiters being associated with a particular one of the plurality of LED strings and operative to limit current flow of the pulse width modulated current there-through, the control circuitry being operative in the event of a thermal condition of one of the plurality of current limiters to reduce a duty cycle of the pulse width modulation functionality of the current flow through the one of the plurality of current limiters.

Abstract: A method of color control for a backlight utilizing colored light emitting diodes (LEDs), the method constituted of: providing a plurality of colored LED strings constituted of at least three different colors; lighting each of the plurality of colored LED strings to provide a backlight; providing a period wherein none of the colored LED strings are lit; obtaining during the provided period when none of the colored LED strings are lit, an indication of an ambient light; obtaining during the provided period when the colored LED strings are lit, an indication of the optical output of the colored LED strings; and controlling the lighting of the provided plurality of colored LED strings responsive to the received indication of ambient light and the received indication of the output of the colored LED strings. Preferably, the method is performed in cooperation with an on-board color sensor.

Abstract: A backlighting system comprising: a color manager; a plurality of luminaires, each of the luminaires comprising a LED string and arranged to illuminate a particular portion of a display associated therewith; a color sensor arrange to receive light from one of the luminaires; and a plurality of thermal sensors each associated with a particular luminaire and in communication with the color manager, the plurality of thermal sensors being less than the plurality of luminaires, the color manager, responsive to the plurality of thermal sensors and the color sensor, being operable to calculate color coordinates for each of the plurality of luminaires.

Abstract: An addressable SPI bus and an associated communication protocol. The addressable SPI bus comprises a plurality of slaves each exhibiting a particular address and a shift register whose output is connected to a common MISO bus by a buffer exhibiting a three state output, also known as a tri-state output. The master asserts a single SS line, which is connected in parallel to each of the plurality of slaves, indicating the beginning of a frame, and transmits via the MOSI bus the address of a particular slave of the plurality of slaves, denoted interchangeably the target or destination slave. Responsive to the received address, the target slave enables the three state output associated therewith thus transmitting the output of the target slave shift register to the master via the MISO bus.

Abstract: A method of classification of power requirements in a power over Ethernet system, the method comprising: providing a first classification voltage for a first classification cycle time, the provided first classification voltage being within a classification voltage range defined by a lower classification voltage limit and upper classification voltage limit; measuring a first current flow responsive to the provided first classification voltage; subsequent to the first classification cycle time, providing a voltage outside of the classification voltage range for a classification indexing time; subsequent to the classification indexing time, providing a second classification voltage for a second classification cycle time, the provided second classification voltage being within the classification voltage range; measuring a second current flow responsive to the provided second classification voltage; determining a classification responsive to the measured first current flow and the measured second current flow; and

Abstract: A driving arrangement for a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the driving arrangement constituted of: a plurality of serially connected first LEDs coupled to a source voltage; a plurality of first electronically controlled switches, each associated with a particular one of the plurality of serially connected first LEDs and arranged to provide, when closed, a bypass current path for the associated first LED; and a control circuitry coupled to a control terminal of each of the plurality of first electronically controlled switches, the control circuitry operative to close a number of the plurality of first electronic switches, the number responsive to a voltage level of the source voltage.

Abstract: A midspan unit arranged to supply power to a powered device over data communication cabling constituted of a signal conditioner exhibiting a transfer function with a gain of not less than ?0.4 dB as compared with: (K1*(s+R/L1+a)?m)/((s+R/L2+b)?n) over a predetermined frequency range associated with the data transmitted from the powered device. s represents 2*?*(??1)*f, wherein f represents the predetermined frequency range associated with the data terminal equipment to be powered. R represents the signal source impedance in parallel with the load termination impedance. L1 represents the effective inductance of a data transformer winding of the data transmitter of the powered device, the effective inductance determined responsive to power received by the powered device from the power sourcing equipment; and L2 represents the effective inductance of the data transformer winding of the data transmitter of the powered device expected by a receiver of the switch or hub equipment.

Abstract: A control element for a luminaire constituted of a first and a second manually variable non-momentary impedance and a first and a second time dependent gating circuit, each responsive to a respective manually variable non-momentary impedance and operative to provide a time dependent gating of a respective polarity of an alternating current power signal, the amount of time of the gating reflecting the present value of the respective manually variable non-momentary impedance, wherein the first time dependent gating circuit and the second time dependent gating circuit are restrained to maintain a minimum predetermined power towards the solid state lighting unit.

Abstract: A method of classification of power requirements in a power over Ethernet system, the method comprising: providing a first classification voltage for a first classification cycle time, the provided first classification voltage being within a classification voltage range defined by a lower classification voltage limit and upper classification voltage limit; measuring a first current flow responsive to the provided first classification voltage; subsequent to the first classification cycle time, providing a voltage outside of the classification voltage range for a classification indexing time; subsequent to the classification indexing time, providing a second classification voltage for a second classification cycle time, the provided second classification voltage being within the classification voltage range; measuring a second current flow responsive to the provided second classification voltage; determining a classification responsive to the measured first current flow and the measured second current flow; and

Abstract: A chipset for powering and controlling a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) strings. The chipset includes a controller having a pulse width modulating (PWM) functionality and a data transfer interface circuitry; and at least one dissipative active element array comprising a plurality of dissipative active elements. The dissipative active element array(s) are packaged to be thermally separate from the controller. The PWM functionality is arranged to individually pulse width modulate a current flow through each of the LED strings. Each of the plurality of dissipative active elements is associated with a particular one of the plurality of LED strings and is arranged to limit the current flow of the pulse width modulated current that flows through the particular LED string to a value, the value being responsive to a value output by the controller via the data transfer interface circuitry.

Abstract: A telecommunications outlet providing location identification in a local area network, the telecommunications outlet constituted of: a network side connection adapted to be connected to a networking device via horizontal cabling; a data terminal side connection adapted to be connected to a data terminal equipment; a control circuitry; a memory adapted for storage of multi-bit data; a transmitter in communication with the memory; and a first switch responsive to the control circuitry, the first switch arranged in a first mode to connect data from the network side connection to the data terminal side connection and in a second mode to connect data from the transmitter to the network side connection and disconnect data from the network side connection to the data terminal side connection.