Patent ID: 7705741
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting a broken wire in a system including a first power supply coupled to inputs of a corresponding first powered device controller via first and second twisted pairs and having a second power supply coupled to inputs of a corresponding second powered device controller via third and fourth twisted pairs, wherein the wires of each of the first and third twisted pairs are connected and configured to share forward currents from the respective power sourcing equipment to a corresponding powered device substantially equally when such wires are intact and wherein the wires of each of the second and fourth twisted pairs are connected and configured to share return currents from the respective powered device to the corresponding power supplies substantially equally when such wires are intact, the method comprising: generating a first signal indicating whether the voltages across the inputs of the first and second powered device controllers is substantially the same; and in the event the voltages across the inputs to the first and second powered device controllers are not substantially the same, generating a second signal indicating that one of said twisted pairs includes a broken wire.