Patent ID: 8112641

Claim:
A system comprising: a powered device comprising: a first powered device (PD) subsystem; a second powered device (PD) subsystem electrically isolated from the first PD subsystem; an interface connecting the first PD subsystem and the second PD subsystem; and power sourcing equipment (PSE) connected to the powered device by a link and operable to provide power to both the first PD subsystem and the second PD subsystem through the link; wherein the first PD subsystem is operable to receive a communication from the second PD subsystem through the interim interface and wherein the first PD subsystem and the second PD subsystem communicate in order to: determine a total power level representing power requirements of both the first PD subsystem and the second PD subsystem; and compare the total power level to a received power level, the received power level representing power received from the PSE by both the first PD subsystem and the second PD subsystem.