Abstract: An automated method of controlling a power managed system, such as a power over Ethernet system. The method is constituted of: establishing a power consumption budget for a plurality of loads; defining an overbudget limit and an associated time window; monitoring power consumption of the plurality of loads; determining, at a plurality of time intervals over the associated time window, an indication of excess power consumption for each of the plurality of time intervals, the indication of excess power consumption being a function of the monitored power consumption and the defined power consumption budget; and in the event that an integral over the associated time window of a function of the determined indications of excess power consumption exceeds the overbudget limit, disabling at least one load from consuming power.

Abstract: A color manager for use with a luminaire constituted of a plurality of different colored light emitting diode based sub-luminaires arranged to produce a combined light. The color manager is constituted of a sampler arranged to output an electrical representation of the optical output of the luminaire, a converter coupled to the output of said sampler and operatively associated with a current selector arranged to select the driving current level of the luminaire from a plurality of current levels. The converter is arranged to convert said electrical representation to a pre-determined calorimetric system in cooperation with a calibration matrix whose values are selected responsive to the selected driving current level. The color manager further comprises a driver operatively associated with the luminaire, the converter and current selector and arranged to drive the luminaire in accordance with the driving current level as selected by the selector.

Abstract: A method of controlling the luminance of a luminaire on an individual frame basis, without affecting a slow acting color loop controlling the color temperature of the luminaire, the method comprising: receiving a reference value representative of a target color; receiving a luminance signal defining the luminance of the luminaire per frame; adjusting a modulated signal driving the luminaire directly responsive to the received luminance signal, thereby controlling the luminance of the luminaire per frame; sampling the optical output of the luminaire per frame; comparing a value responsive to the sampled optical output with a value responsive to the received reference value to output a difference signal; and further adjusting the modulated signal driving the luminaire responsive to the compared value so as to reduce the difference signal.

Abstract: A method of asynchronous data reception, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of calibration bits having a bit rate; sampling the received calibration bits at a sampling rate, the sampling rate being in excess of the bit rate; determining, responsive to the sampling, respective indexes for valuing each of the sampled calibration bits; receiving a plurality of data bits having the bit rate; sampling the received plurality of data bits at the sampling rate; and valuing each of the sampled received plurality of data bits responsive to the respective determined indexes.

Abstract: A system for providing power over Ethernet comprising: a plurality of means for receiving a current limited power signal, each of the means receiving a unique current limited power signal; a plurality of means for connecting one end of a cable, the cable comprising a plurality of twisted wire pairs, each of the cables providing a data communication and power path to a particular node connecting jack; a plurality of connectors each for connecting one end of a patch cable, the plurality of connectors being each operatively connected by pairs of conductors to a unique one of the plurality of means for connecting one end of a cable to allow for data communication between the patch cables and the cables; and a plurality of means for injecting the received current limited power signal onto at least one of the pairs of conductors.

Abstract: An LED backlighting system including: a control circuit; a power source; at least one LED string associated with the power source, the at least one LED string being arranged to be switchably connected to alternatively draw an illumination current from the power source and not draw an illumination current from the power source; and a controlled bleeder arranged to draw a bleed current from the power source responsive to the control circuit; the control circuit being operative to draw the bleed current from the power source via the controlled bleeder for a predetermined time period associated with the alternatively drawing and not drawing the illumination current of the at least one LED string.

Abstract: A PSE configured to determine the end of the start up phase at the PD responsive to a condition of the voltage at the PSE output. In one particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to a PSE output voltage within a predetermined range of the PSE input voltage. In another particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to the voltage drop associated with the PSE current limiter being lower than a predetermined maximum. In yet another particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to the absolute value of the rate of change of the PSE output voltage being lower than a predetermined value. In yet another particular embodiment, the startup phase end is determined responsive to the absolute value of the rate of change of the voltage drop associated with the PSE current limiter being lower than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A powering source unit comprising: a first powering source; a second powering source; the first powering source being operable to: apply a plurality of voltages towards a powered device via a first path so as to detect a signature impedance, and in the event the signature impedance is detected, to at least partially classify the power requirements of the powered device by supplying a classification voltage towards the powered device via the first path and measuring the resultant current flow, the classification voltage level being higher than each of the plurality of detection voltage levels; the second powering source being operable to apply at least one voltage towards the powered device via a second path so as to attempt to detect a signature impedance at least partially contemporaneously with the supplied classification voltage of the first powering source.

Abstract: A color controller for a luminaire constituted of: a thru-converter operative to convert an input signal to at least one luminaire drive signal; an illumination sampler arranged to sample an output from the luminaire and generate a representation thereof; and a feedback controller arranged to receive the output representation and generate the updatable conversion factor in cooperation with calibration luminance and color values, wherein the thru-converter operation is responsive to a trigger signal for defining a first and a second mode, the first mode for generating the luminaire drive signal for the luminaire responsive to the input signal being a frame luminance signal and target color signals and wherein the conversion to the at least one luminaire drive signal is responsive to an updatable conversion factor, and the second mode for generating the luminaire drive signal for the luminaire responsive to the feedback controller.

Abstract: Power sourcing equipment comprising: a power input; an output port; a control circuit comprising a means for sensing that a voltage component of power received at the power input is above a pre-determined threshold; a non-uniform signal source; an impedance associated with the non-uniform signal source; and an electronically controlled switch responsive to the control circuit, the electronically controlled switch being arranged to switchably operatively connect the impedance to at least momentarily be seen across the output port; the control circuit being operative responsive to an output of the means for sensing to operatively connect the impedance via the operation of the electronically controlled switch; the electronically controlled switch being operative to disconnect the impedance from being seen across the output port in the absence of the indicative output.

Abstract: A power over Ethernet controller comprising: a control circuitry; at least one powering port, each of the at least one powering port comprising a unique means for controlling a switch associated therewith; and at least one current limiter, each of the at least one current limiter being associated with a unique one of the at least one powering port, each of the at least one current limiter being operable to limit the current through the controlled switch to a particular one of a plurality of values, each of the values being in excess of 100 mA, the particular value being selected responsive to the control circuitry.

Abstract: A method of controlling the output of a luminaire by receiving a first target signal associated with a first frame; generating a first light output control signal for an on time portion of the first frame, the light output control signal responsive to the received first target signal; sampling a light output during the on time portion of the first frame, the light output being responsive to the first light output control signal; receiving a second target signal associated with a second frame, the second frame following the first frame; comparing the received second target signal with the sampled light output of the on time portion of the first frame; and generating an error signal responsive to the comparing.

Abstract: A battery charger for an electronic device receives current limited power from an external power source, such as a Universal Serial Bus power interface. The battery charger can linearly regulate a charging current to an internal battery and limit the charging current so as not to demand current in excess of what the external power source can provide. A bi-directional pass element coupled between a system power terminal and the internal battery controls the charging current and effectively isolates the internal battery from a system load during charging of the battery while providing a low impedance path from the internal battery to the system load during discharging of the battery.

Abstract: An electronically controlled method of controlled enabling and disabling of ports, the method constituted of: receiving a message responsive to an access event, the message comprising an identifier of the accessing party and an indication of the access event; determining at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party; and enabling, in the event the indication of the access event is of entry, the determined at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party; and disabling, in the event the indication of the access event is of exit, the determined at least one power over Ethernet supplying port associated with the identifier of the accessing party.

Abstract: A power over Ethernet controller comprising: management functionality; data send and receive functionality associated with the management functionality; priority determination functionality associated with the management functionality, the priority determination functionality being operative to determine a highest priority port requesting power; and power enabling functionality associated with the management functionality, the management functionality having a first mode of operation in which: responsive to receipt of a command via the data send and receive functionality to enable a port, the management functionality enables the determined highest priority port requesting power via the power enabling functionality; and a second mode of operation in which: responsive to receipt of a command via the data send and receive functionality to enable a specific port, the management functionality enables the specific port via the power enabling functionality.

Abstract: A redundant powering system for a powered device receiving power over communication cabling, the redundant powering system comprising: a redundant power supply comprising a first power sourcing equipment and a second power sourcing equipment; a powered device; communication cabling connecting the redundant power supply to the powered device, the communication cabling comprising a first path connecting the first power sourcing equipment to the powered device and a second path connecting the second power sourcing equipment to the powered device, the first and second paths at least partially being constituted of a single structured cable, the at least one powered device comprising at least one signature impedance, the redundant power supply being operable so that power is operably supplied to the powered device from only one of the first and second power sourcing equipment.

Abstract: A system for remote identification comprising: a power sourcing device; a power ready patch panel comprising a first resistive element and at least one of a second resistive element, a multi-bit storage device and an open connection; a first electrical path between the power sourcing device and the first resistive element; and a second electrical path between the power sourcing device and the at least one of a second resistive element, a multi-bit storage device and an open connection; the power sourcing device being operable to obtain a value associated with the first resistive element via the first electrical path, and in the event the obtained value is indicative that a multi-bit storage device is connected to the second electrical path, obtain configuration information from the multi-bit storage device via the second electrical path.

Abstract: A combiner for use with a powered device having high power needs, the combiner comprising: a first power input adapted to receive a first power signal over a first set of wire pairs utilized to carry communication data; a second power input adapted to receive a second power signal over a second set of wire pairs, wherein the first power signal is combined with the second power signal to produce a combined high power signal; and a control circuit operable to sense the combined high power signal and to supply the combined high power signal to a powered device in response to the sensed combined high power signal. Also disclosed is a local area network adapted to supply power to powered devices over a plurality of paths utilizing the combiner, the local area network thus supplying high power to a powered device.

Abstract: A system for placing and maintaining a computer in a standby mode during power failure, utilizing one of: a powered device controller exhibiting a maintain power signature functionality and arranged to receive power over communication cabling; and a MEMS flywheel energy system to provide a standby power. The standby power is less than the power required for full operation. In one embodiment the system additionally exhibits: a mains power failure sensor; a volatile memory arranged to be powered from the source of standby power in the event of a failure of mains power; and a processor operative responsive to the mains power failure sensor to store status information on the volatile memory and reduce power demand of the processor and associated devices to no more than that available from the source of standby power.

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.