Patent ID: 8234086
Filing Date: 2012-07-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting the presence of multiple powered devices connected to a power delivery channel of a power sourcing equipment, comprising: performing a first operation including (a) applying a standard first detection signal to the power delivery channel and (b) detecting and interpreting a detected value of a second detection signal provided to the power delivery channel in response to the first detection signal, the first operation being a detection operation for which one predetermined value of the second detection signal indicates the presence of a single powered device and the absence of the one predetermined value of the second detection signal indicates the absence of a powered device on the power delivery channel, the interpreting including determining whether the detected value of the second detection signal indicates that multiple powered devices are connected to the power delivery channel; and upon determining in the first operation that the detected value of the second detection signal indicates that multiple powered devices are connected to the power delivery channel, performing a second operation including (c) providing a plurality of distinct signals to the power delivery channel, each distinct signal eliciting a distinct individual response signal from a corresponding one of the powered devices connected to the power delivery channel, and (d) detecting each distinct individual response signal to identify the powered devices connected to the power delivery channel.