Patent ID: 7518847

Claim:
A network equipment protection module configured for being removably mounted on a network equipment protector block, the network equipment protection module comprising: a pair of power leads; surge protection circuitry configured for providing surge protection functionality, wherein said surge protection circuitiy is coupled to the pair of power leads; AC coupling-DC blocking circuitry coupled to the pair of power leads, wherein said AC coupling-DC blocking circuitry is configured for providing AC coupling-DC blocking functionality; and DC blocking bypass circuitry configured for providing DC blocking bypass functionality, wherein said DC blocking bypass circuitry is electrically connected directly across said power leads whereby said DC blocking bypass circuitry is automatically energized in response to DC voltage being provided between the pair of power leads wherein said DC blocking bypass circuitry causes at least one shunt to be selectively connected and disconnected across said AC coupling-DC blocking circuitry thereby allowing said DC blocking bypass functionality to be selectively activated and deactivated, wherein said at least one shunt is connected across said AC coupling-DC blocking circuitry until said DC voltage is provided between the pair of power leads and wherein said at least one shunt is disconnected from across said AC coupling-DC blocking circuitry when said DC voltage provided between the pair of power leads activates a control portion of said DC blocking bypass circuitry.