Patent ID: 8694806

Claim:
A method comprising: drawing power from first and second inline power sources at first and second powered device subsystems, respectively, in a switch device, wherein a portion of the power is to be consumed by the first and second powered device subsystems; collectively transferring, by the first and second powered device subsystems, a portion of the power that is not consumed to one or more powered devices; determining first and second limits for the current drawn by the first and second powered device subsystems, respectively, during transfer of power by the first and second powered device subsystems to the one or more powered devices that results in the transfer of a selected amount of power to the one or more powered devices; adjusting the limit for the current drawn by the first and second powered device subsystems to the determined first and second limits; and wherein the selected amount of power transferred by each of the first and second powered device subsystems is such that each powered device subsystem transfers an amount of power that is pro-rated based on its relative power delivery capability.