Patent ID: 7081827

Claim:
A network for providing both data transmission and electrical power to hardware devices connected over the network, comprising: a plurality of network hardware devices connected over the network, wherein the network provides both data transmission and electrical power from a main electrical power supply to the plurality of network hardware devices, the network hardware devices comprising high priority network devices that are more critical devices of the network and low priority network devices that are less critical devices of the network; an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) coupled to the network to supply electrical power over the network to the network hardware devices in the event of a failure of the main electrical power supply; at least one prioritized active splitter coupled between the network and at least one low priority network device, the at least one prioritized active splitter providing electrical power from the UPS over the network to the at least one low priority network device with a low priority level and disconnecting the at least one low priority network device from receiving electrical power from the network in the event of a failure of the main electrical power supply, to reduce the power load on the UPS, with the high priority network devices remaining connected to receive electrical power from the network.