Patent ID: 8009743

Claim:
A device for receiving power from a data communications signal line, the data communications signal line being in a high impedance powerless state when idle, the device comprising: a functional unit arranged to perform a desired function for the device; a power conversion module, the power conversion module being electrically coupled to the data communications signal line and receiving a signal on the data communications signal line, the signal being comprised of power generation and non-power generation characters, the power conversion module deriving power from the power generation characters and converting the power to a form suitable for storing and supplying the power to energize components; and a controller, the controller in electrical communication with the functional unit and the power conversion module, the controller: receiving the power generation and non-power generation characters; stripping the power generation characters from the signal; transmitting the non-power generation characters to the functional unit; monitoring a power level of the device; and causing the transmission of a request on the serial line for power generation characters when the power level drops below a predetermined threshold.