Power conversion device and method for PoE power supply

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a power conversion device and method for PoE power supply, the power conversion device comprising: an input module configured to receive a corresponding plurality of input powers from a plurality of power supply ports of a power supply device, the plurality of input powers being merged into a summary power; and an output module configured to receive the aggregated power from the input module and to supply power to a powered device using at least a portion of the aggregated power, where the power supply device and the powered device support different PoE power supply protocols.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to PoE power supply technology, and more particularly to a power conversion device for PoE power supply and a PoE power supply method for such device, as well as a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a technology that transmits power via network cables. Using PoE, power sourcing equipment (PSEs) can simultaneously transmit data signals to powered devices (PDs) via network cables using existing Ethernet connections, while also providing DC power to the PDs. Compared to traditional power supply methods, PoE significantly simplifies the installation and management of terminal devices, improves power deployment flexibility, and enhances power supply reliability. Thanks to these advantages, PoE can be widely applied in smart home and industrial IoT scenarios, such as in IP phones, network surveillance cameras, access point (AP) devices, and IoT devices.

[0003] With the development of PoE power supply technology, the power provided by power supply equipment is becoming increasingly higher, and it can support multi-port power supply. However, traditional multi-port power supply solutions still cannot meet the power requirements of high-power devices, and also suffer from problems such as high cost, poor compatibility, and complex topology. Therefore, it is necessary to improve existing PoE power supply solutions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a device for PoE power supply, a method for use in a device for PoE power supply, and a computer program product.

[0005] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a power conversion device for PoE power supply is provided, comprising: an input module configured to receive corresponding multiple input powers from multiple power supply ports of a power supply device, wherein the multiple input powers are combined into a total power; and an output module configured to receive the total power from the input module and supply power to a powered device using at least a portion of the total power, wherein the power supply device and the powered device support different PoE power supply protocols.

[0006] According to another embodiment of this disclosure, a power conversion method for PoE power supply is provided, the method comprising: receiving corresponding multiple input powers from multiple power supply ports of a power supply device; merging the multiple input powers into a total power; and using at least a portion of the total power to supply power to a powered device, wherein the power supply device and the powered device support different PoE power supply protocols.

[0007] According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a power conversion method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] Embodiments of this disclosure generally include power conversion devices, power conversion methods, computer program products, non-transitory computer-readable media, and / or systems for PoE power supply as shown in the accompanying drawings and description.

[0009] The technical solution disclosed herein can integrate the power of low-power power supply ports, optimize the topology of the PoE power supply system, and realize power supply solutions across power levels and even across protocols. This enables low-power power supply devices to supply power to high-power receiving devices and improves the efficiency and flexibility of the power supply system. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to offer a further understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. The drawings, together with the embodiments of this disclosure, are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, unless explicitly indicated, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components, steps, or elements, and only elements closely related to the technical solutions of this disclosure are shown in the drawings; other elements are omitted for brevity.

[0011] Figure 1 A block diagram illustrating a traditional PoE power supply scheme is shown;

[0012] Figure 2 A block diagram illustrating an example system for PoE power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0013] Figure 3 Another block diagram illustrates an example system for PoE power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 4 An example process for a power conversion method for PoE power supply according to embodiments of the present disclosure is illustrated; and

[0015] Figure 5 Another example process of a power conversion method for PoE power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0016] Those skilled in the art will understand that the elements in the accompanying drawings are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the illustrations, block diagrams, or flowcharts may be exaggerated relative to other elements to aid in accurate understanding of this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The following detailed description is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While several exemplary embodiments are described herein, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, components and steps illustrated in the drawings may be replaced, added, or modified, and the exemplary methods described herein may be modified by replacing, reordering, deleting, or adding steps to the disclosed methods. Therefore, the following detailed description is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and examples. Rather, the appropriate scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims.

[0018] In the detailed description below, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of certain aspects. However, those skilled in the art will understand that some aspects can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, units, and / or circuits have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the discussion.

[0019] As used herein, discussions of terms such as “determine,” “generate,” “allocate,” “receive,” “send,” “detect,” “control,” “calculate,” “obtain,” or similar terms may refer to the operation and / or processing of a computer, computing platform, computing system, or other electronic computing device that manipulates and / or converts data representing physical (e.g., electronic) quantities in computer registers and / or memory into physical quantities in computer registers and / or memory or other information storage media that may store instructions for performing the operation and / or processing.

[0020] The use of terms such as “on one aspect,” “an aspect,” “example aspect,” and “various aspects” indicates that an aspect described in this way may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every aspect necessarily includes the implementation of that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, the repeated use of the phrase “on one aspect” does not necessarily refer to the same aspect, although it may.

[0021] As used herein, unless otherwise stated, ordinal adjectives such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used to describe general objects only to indicate different instances of similar objects mentioned, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must have a given order in time, space, sequence, or any other way. Similarly, articles such as “a,” “an,” or “the” do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather that at least one exists. Words such as “connection” and “coupling” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but also include direct or indirect electrical or communication connections.

[0022] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this disclosure described below can be combined with each other, as long as there is no conflict between them.

[0023] The following will first describe the standard protocols related to PoE power supply technology to illustrate the basic concepts of the present invention.

[0024] Currently, the main PoE power supply technology standards include IEEE 802.3af (PoE), IEEE 802.3at (PoE+), and IEEE 802.3bt (PoE++). Different standards support different power supply capabilities. For example, Table 1 below shows some PoE power supply information corresponding to different PoE standards.

[0025]

[0026] Table 1

[0027] According to IEEE standards, after a power supply device is powered on and connected to a powered device, the two devices will undergo a power negotiation process to determine the power level that the power supply device can support. As shown in Table 1, power supply devices are divided into four types (Type 1~4) based on their power supply capabilities, each corresponding to a different power level (Class 0~8). Type 1 PoE uses the 802.3af standard and supports a maximum PSE output power of 15.4 watts (W), corresponding to Class 0~3. Type 2 PoE+ uses the 802.3at standard and supports a maximum PSE output power of 30W, corresponding to Class 4. Type 3 PoE++ uses the 802.3bt standard and supports a maximum PSE output power of 60W, corresponding to Class 5~6. Type 4 PoE++ uses the 802.3bt standard and supports a maximum PSE output power of 90W, corresponding to Class 7~8. The power supply capabilities of PoE power supplies supporting different IEEE standards are backward compatible, and each PoE type can meet the power requirements of different devices. In existing PoE power supply solutions, the power supply equipment integrates power supply chips that support the above-mentioned different protocols to provide power to the powered devices of the corresponding power levels.

[0028] It should be understood that the data shown in the table above are only approximate values ​​and are for illustrative purposes only. The data may be adjusted and changed adaptively according to updates to relevant IEEE standards and the needs of specific applications.

[0029] As mentioned above, although power supply devices with multiple power supply ports already exist, existing multi-port PoE power supply solutions still have many problems that need to be solved.

[0030] Figure 1 A block diagram of a traditional PoE power supply scheme is shown. (For example...) Figure 1 As shown, since powered devices are typically equipped with only a single type of power port, this means that such devices can only be used with power ports corresponding to a single power supply protocol (such as IEEE 802.3af, AT, or BT). For example, a power supply port supporting the AF protocol (called an "AF power supply device") provides a maximum power of approximately 15W, and therefore can only power devices with a power requirement of no more than 15W. For powered devices with higher power requirements, higher-specification power supply devices must be purchased, such as AT power supply devices (maximum power of approximately 30W) or BT power supply devices (maximum power of approximately 90W). These higher-specification power supply devices are typically more expensive, significantly increasing the cost of the power supply system.

[0031] Furthermore, when adding powered devices with higher power requirements to a PoE system, even if the existing power supply equipment has multiple power supply ports, additional compatible power supply equipment must be purchased to meet the power supply needs of the high-power powered devices. Therefore, limited by the port configuration of the powered devices, low-power power supply equipment can only be used to supply power to corresponding low-power level powered devices, and cannot meet the power requirements of higher-power level powered devices, thus limiting the flexibility and scalability of the power supply solution. In addition, for the existing "one-to-one" connection between PSE ports and powered devices, users are required to understand and distinguish between powered devices of different power levels and select power supply equipment that supports the corresponding power supply protocol to match the power requirements, thereby increasing the complexity of the power supply system topology construction.

[0032] It is evident that traditional PoE power supply solutions suffer from limitations in compatibility and flexibility due to the matching of power levels between the PSE and PD, resulting in high costs and topology loads. Therefore, an improved PoE power supply solution is urgently needed.

[0033] Figure 2 A block diagram illustrating an example system for PoE power supply according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 As shown, in the example system, multiple power supply ports of power supply device 210 provide corresponding multiple input powers to power conversion device 220, which combines the multiple input powers into a total power and converts it into output power for PoE power supply to power at least one powered device 230.

[0034] More specifically, the power supply device 210 includes three power supply ports, and the power conversion device 220 may further include an input module 221 and an output module 222. The input module 221 is configured to receive input power from the power supply device 210 provided by the three power supply ports (e.g., via the input ports), and aggregate this input power through internal circuitry for subsequent processing by the output module 222. The output module 222 is configured to receive the aggregated power obtained by combining multiple input powers from the input module 221, and use at least a portion of this aggregated power to supply power to the powered device 230 (e.g., via the output port). In this embodiment, the PoE power supply protocols supported by the power supply device 210 and the powered device 230 may be different.

[0035] In other embodiments of this disclosure, the power supply device 210 may include two or more power supply ports, and the multiple power supply ports may support different standard protocols. For example, the power supply device 210 may include two at power supply ports and two af power supply ports, and the multiple power supply ports may be integrated in the same power supply device or separately arranged in multiple different power supply devices. The power supply line pairs of the power supply ports are all connected to the input module 221 of the power conversion device 220 to provide multiple input powers.

[0036] For example, in Figure 2 In the example, all three power supply ports are AT power supply ports supporting a maximum power of approximately 30W. The corresponding power supply pairs of each power supply port can be connected to a common bus, thereby combining the input power of the three AT power supply ports into a total power of approximately 90W. For example, if the powered device 230 is a BT powered device with a power requirement of 65W, a portion of the total power can be used to power the powered device 230, thus enabling cross-protocol power supply from the AT power supply device to the BT powered device.

[0037] As can be seen, the power conversion device 220 of this disclosure can integrate multiple input power and combine them into at least one output port (not shown) for unified power supply, thereby optimizing the topology of the power supply system and realizing more intelligent power distribution, while enabling power supply devices equipped with low-power power supply ports to supply power to high-power receiving devices.

[0038] Furthermore, in embodiments of this disclosure, the output power provided by the power conversion device 220 may be higher than each of the plurality of input powers of the power supply device 210. For example, the power supply device 210 may support IEEE 802.3at or 802.3af, and the powered device 230 may support one or more of IEEE 802.3at, IEEE 802.3af, and IEEE 802.3bt. For example, in Figure 2 In the above example, the power conversion device 220 provides an output power of 65W, which is higher than the power supply power of any power supply port of the power supply device 210. Furthermore, the power supply device 210 only supports the AT standard protocol, while the powered device 230 supports the higher-specification BT standard protocol. Therefore, by introducing the power conversion device of this disclosure, a power supply scheme between different power levels, and even different power supply protocols, is achieved between the power supply device and the powered device, maximizing the utilization of the power supply. In other words, the architecture of this disclosure supports protocol conversion between input and output ports, enabling low-protocol PSE devices to drive high-protocol PD devices.

[0039] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, before powering on, it can be determined whether the total power of the power conversion device 220 can meet the power requirements of the powered device 230 based on predefined power supply conditions, and corresponding processing can be performed based on the determination result. For example, the output module 222 can also be configured to supply power to the powered device 230 using at least a portion of the total power in response to the total power meeting the power requirements of the powered device 230, and to issue a prompt message indicating insufficient input power in response to the total power not meeting the power requirements of the powered device.

[0040] Specifically, the output module 222 may include components such as one or more detection circuits for detecting phase current or voltage, comparators, and indication units (such as LEDs or audible and visual alarms), and determines whether the total power of the sum of multiple input power sources can meet the power requirements of the powered device 230 based on predefined power supply conditions. In embodiments of this disclosure, the power supply conditions can be set based on a comparison between the total power and the power requirements of the powered device. For example, if the total power is greater than the power requirements of the powered device (e.g., the power requirements can be represented by the rated power or maximum power of the powered device or other relevant physical quantities), or exceeds the power requirements by a certain threshold, then it can be determined that the current total power meets the power requirements of the powered device; otherwise, it is determined that the power requirements of the powered device are not met. Accordingly, the output module 222 may provide output power to the powered device 230 in response to the total power meeting the power requirements of the powered device 230, or may issue a prompt message indicating insufficient input power in response to the total power not meeting the power requirements of the powered device 230. For example, insufficient input power can be indicated by indicator lights or sounds, and the operation to supply power to the powered device 230 can be suspended. In this way, safe power supply is only provided when the input power is sufficient, and the device can actively prompt rather than passively cut off power when the input power is insufficient. This avoids unexpected shutdown or damage to the device due to insufficient power supply, reduces the complexity of troubleshooting for users, and realizes proactive monitoring and intelligent feedback of power supply status.

[0041] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, in order to determine whether the above-mentioned power supply conditions are met, the output module 222 is further configured to determine the available output power that the output module 222 can provide to the powered device 230, and to determine whether the total power meets the power requirements of the powered device 230 based on a comparison between the determined available output power and the requested power of the powered device 230. In embodiments of this disclosure, the above-mentioned available output power can be calculated based on the difference between the total power and the consumed power, wherein the consumed power can refer to the total power consumed by the power conversion device 220 to supply power to the powered device 230. For example, the consumed power may include loss power and operating power used for powering the power conversion device 220 itself, as expressed by the following formula:

[0042]

[0043] in, This is the available output power. It is the total power. It consumes power. It is power loss. This refers to the operating power of the power conversion device 220 itself. This power can be obtained directly or indirectly from the various detection circuits included in the output module 222.

[0044] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, in order to determine the requested power of the powered device, the output module 222 is also configured to apply a detection voltage to the powered device 230, obtain a detection current on the detection resistor of the powered device 230 (e.g., via a detection circuit), and determine the requested power of the powered device 230 based on the obtained detection current, thereby enabling judgment of power supply conditions and dynamic adjustment of output power. Compared to traditional PoE systems, the device of this disclosure, by evaluating the output power in real time, ensures that power supply is initiated or a corresponding prompt is given only when the overall system power supply conditions are met, thereby avoiding the risk of insufficient power supply or overload and maximizing power transmission efficiency. In addition, the above-described process of obtaining the requested power can be similar to the power supply negotiation procedure. Therefore, optionally, for certain types of power supply device application scenarios, the power supply negotiation procedure between the power supply chip and the powered device can be omitted, thereby further saving hardware costs.

[0045] Figure 3 Another block diagram illustrates an example system for PoE power supply according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Compared to Figure 2 The system block diagram shown is as follows. Figure 3 Further details relating to the input module 221 and output module 222 of the power conversion device 220 are shown. (See attached image.) Figure 3As shown, the input module 221 of the power conversion device 220 may further include a rectifier module composed of multiple rectifier bridge elements 2211a~c, and the output module 222 may further include a power supply module 2221, a processing module 2222, a switch module 2223, a power supply module 2224, one or more detection circuits 2225a~b, and an output port 2226.

[0046] More specifically, the corresponding power supply pairs of the three power supply ports of the power supply device 210 can be connected to the respective input ports (not shown) of the power conversion device 220 via standard Ethernet cables, and connected to the independent rectifier bridge elements 2211a~c in the rectifier module. According to embodiments of this disclosure, these rectifier bridge elements can correspond one-to-one with the multiple power supply ports of the power supply device 210 to rectify each of the multiple input power sources. After rectification, a DC voltage of uniform polarity is formed ( This corresponds to the total power, allowing the corresponding power supply pairs to be connected to the same common bus, thus merging multiple input power into a total power for subsequent processing by the output module 222. In this way, for multi-port PoE power supply scenarios, a rectifier module can achieve safe access and merging of multiple inputs regardless of the polarity of each input, and provides electrical isolation between the input ports, preventing current backflow or mutual interference between multiple power supply ports due to voltage differences.

[0047] Furthermore, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the aggregated power is provided via a common bus to a power module 2221 of the output module 222. This power module 2221 may be implemented using a DC-DC converter circuit and is connected to the processing module 2222 (e.g., the motherboard of the output module 222) to power the output module 222 itself. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the power module 2221 is also configured to convert the aggregated power into operating power for the power conversion device 220. In other words, the power from the power supply device 210 is used not only to convert the output power of the user's power receiving device 230, but also to power the power conversion device 220. Therefore, the power conversion device 220 does not need to be equipped with an additional power receiving port or a separate power supply device, which not only simplifies the complexity of the power supply system, but also realizes the effective utilization of power resources.

[0048] In addition, such as Figure 3 As shown, the taps on the common bus (e.g., in) The other tap of the common bus (e.g., at the power supply module 2224) is connected to the power supply module 2224 (e.g., the power supply chip), and the other tap of the common bus (e.g., at the power supply module 2224) is connected to the power supply module 2224 (e.g., the power supply chip). The output module 2223 is connected to the switching module 2223, which can be implemented by a circuit or chip including switching elements, such as MOSFETs, relays, IGBTs, etc. The switching module 2223 is also connected to the processing module 2222, allowing the output module 222 to control the conduction state of the switching module 2223 based on whether the total power meets the power requirements of the powered device.

[0049] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the output module 222 is further configured to control the switch module 2223 to turn on in response to the aggregated power meeting the power demand of the powered device, so as to provide the aggregated power to the power supply module 2224, and the power supply module 2224 can provide output power to power the powered device 230 according to the requested power of the powered device 230. Specifically, one or more detection circuits can be configured to collect the current / voltage of the corresponding node in real time. For example, the detection circuit 2225a is configured to sample the voltage and current of the common bus to determine the aggregated power. The processing module 2222 can monitor the power consumption of each module of the power conversion device 220 through internally integrated or other detection circuits to determine the total power consumed by the device itself. As described above, the power consumption may include power loss and operating power used to power the device 220 itself. For example, line losses are calculated by measuring the current and voltage drop at each input port using sampling resistors. Additionally, the detection circuit 2225b may be configured to determine the requested power of the powered device. As described above, the detection circuit 2225b can be configured to apply a detection voltage to the powered device 230, obtain a detection current across the detection resistor of the powered device 230, and determine the requested power of the powered device 230 based on the obtained detection current. In other embodiments of this disclosure, detection circuit 2225a and detection circuit 2225b may be implemented by the same circuit or element.

[0050] Continuing with the example above, the combined input power of the three AT power supply ports is 90W. The power loss is calculated or detected. The operating power of the power conversion device 220 is 5W. It is 15W. As mentioned above, this can be based on the difference between the total power and the power consumed. The available output power can be calculated using this method. The requested power of the power receiving device 230 is 70W, and is determined by the method described above. The output power is 65W. Based on this, the processing module 2222 can further compare the determined available output power. With requested power , among which, if In other words, in response to the fact that the total power meets the power demand of the powered equipment, the processing module 2222 controls the switch module 2223 to turn on so as to provide the total power to the power supply module 2224.

[0051] In addition, as mentioned above, the common busbar The tap can be connected to the corresponding control switch output pin of the power supply module 2224. When the switch module 2223 is turned on, the power supply module 2224 performs a power supply negotiation procedure with the powered device 230 and obtains the requested power from the powered device 230. Then, it turns on the subsequent control circuit (such as MOS) of the power supply module to conduct the power supply path, so that the powered device 230 can draw current through the common bus according to its power demand. Through the above-mentioned switch logic control, the powered device can be powered after the power supply conditions are met and after the negotiation procedure specified by the standard protocol, so as to ensure that the output power conforms to the power supply protocol supported by the powered device, thereby improving the compatibility and reliability of the PoE power supply system.

[0052] Furthermore, the power conversion device 220 according to this disclosure can also be applied to scenarios where PoE power is provided to multiple powered devices. For example, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the input power of a larger number of power supply ports can be combined, or higher input power can be combined to obtain a higher level of aggregated power. In this case, the power conversion device 220 can supply power to more powered devices to improve power utilization. Accordingly, in this scenario, the power conversion device 220 may include (e.g., in the output module 222) multiple supporting switching modules, power supply modules, and output ports, etc., to provide output power for power supply to multiple powered devices respectively. Alternatively, at least some of these components may also be integrated into a single module for unified power management and power distribution.

[0053] To coordinate the power supply of multiple powered devices, output module 222 can be configured to supply power to the multiple powered devices individually according to their respective power requests, in response to the aggregated power meeting the power demands of the multiple powered devices. For example, a power management module (not shown) can be configured to manage the priority and power allocation of the multiple powered devices, and in response to the aggregated power not meeting the power demands of the multiple powered devices, supply power to at least a portion of the multiple powered devices individually according to their priorities, wherein the aggregated power meets the power demands of at least a portion of the powered devices that are being supplied. Specifically, in scenarios where power is supplied to multiple powered devices, the determination of power supply conditions can be based on comparing the aggregated power with the total power demand of the multiple powered devices. For example, the sum or weighted sum of the requested power of the multiple powered devices can be used as the total power demand of these devices, and compared with the available output power of the power conversion device 220 (calculated based on the difference between the aggregated power and the consumed power) to determine whether the power demand of the multiple powered devices is met. If the total power demand of the multiple powered devices is met, power is supplied via the power supply path corresponding to each powered device. If the aggregated power does not meet the total power demand of the multiple powered devices, for example, if the aggregated power can only meet the power demand of some of the multiple powered devices, then power is allocated to the powered devices according to their priority, so that at least some of the multiple powered devices are supplied with power respectively. Optionally, while supplying power to some powered devices, a prompt message indicating insufficient input power is issued.

[0054] In embodiments of this disclosure, device priorities can be predefined, for example, set by the user through software settings (such as a network management interface), or automatically determined by the power management module of the power conversion device 220 (e.g., included in the output module 222) depending on the type or power level of the powered device, and dynamically adjusted in conjunction with power supply periods. This priority management module (not shown) can be connected to the processing module 2222 via a control bus and is configured to assign a corresponding priority (e.g., high, medium, low) to each powered device. This allows for selective power supply to some high-priority powered devices when total power is insufficient, while keeping low-priority powered devices in standby mode. In this way, intelligent power allocation is achieved under limited power resources, ensuring continuous power supply to critical equipment, improving system reliability under power constraints, and maximizing power supply efficiency.

[0055] Next, refer to Figure 4 This document describes a power conversion method for PoE power supply according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 4An example process 400 of a power conversion method for PoE power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. It should be understood that the steps described in this disclosure are merely examples and should not be considered limiting. Methods with additional, alternative, or fewer steps should be considered within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the various steps of the power conversion method according to embodiments of the present disclosure can be performed by means of corresponding components in a power conversion device for PoE power supply as described above; therefore, to avoid repetition, only a brief description of the method is given below, omitting detailed descriptions of the same details.

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, the power conversion method according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes the following steps:

[0058] In step 401, multiple corresponding input powers are received from multiple power supply ports of the power supply device. Specifically, input power provided by multiple power supply ports can be received from one or more power supply devices. As described above, the input module of the power conversion device according to embodiments of this disclosure can receive input power provided by multiple corresponding power supply ports via input ports. In embodiments of this disclosure, the multiple power supply ports can support different standard protocols, and the multiple input powers can come from the same power supply device or multiple different power supply devices.

[0059] In step 402, the multiple input powers are combined into a total power. Specifically, these input powers can be combined by the internal circuitry of the power conversion device according to embodiments of this disclosure for subsequent processing by the output module. For example, optionally, the corresponding power supply line pair of each of the multiple power supply ports can be connected to an independent rectifier bridge element in the rectifier module of the power conversion device. After rectification to form a DC voltage of uniform polarity, the voltage is connected to a common bus to combine the multiple input powers into the total power. In embodiments of this disclosure, the power supply module of the power conversion device can also convert the total power into operating power for powering the power conversion device itself.

[0060] Optionally, in step 403, before supplying power, it is determined whether the power supply conditions are met, and corresponding operations are performed based on the determination result. Specifically, in response to the fact that the total power meets the power demand of the powered device 230, that is, if the determination in step 403 is yes, then proceed to step 404, and supply power to the powered device using at least a portion of the total power. For example, by controlling the switching module of the power conversion device to be turned on, the total power is provided to the power supply module of the power conversion device, and the power supply module supplies power to the powered device according to the power requested by the powered device. On the other hand, optionally, in response to the fact that the total power does not meet the power demand of the powered device, that is, if the determination in step 403 is no, proceed to step 405, and issue a prompt message indicating insufficient input power. For example, the prompt of insufficient input power is given by means of an indicator light or sound.

[0061] In step 404, the output module of the power conversion device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may use at least a portion of the aggregated power to supply power to one or more powered devices via a corresponding output port. As described above, in embodiments of the present disclosure, the output power provided by the power conversion device may be higher than each of the plurality of input powers of the power supply device, and the power supply devices and powered devices may support different power supply protocols, thereby achieving cross-protocol power supply. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, the power supply device may support IEEE 802.3at or 802.3af, and the powered device may support one or more of IEEE 802.3at, IEEE 802.3af, and IEEE 802.3bt.

[0062] Figure 5 Another example process 500 of a power conversion method for PoE power supply according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the power conversion method according to an embodiment of this disclosure further includes the following steps:

[0063] In step 501, a detection voltage is applied to the powered device. In step 502, a detection current is obtained across the detection resistor of the powered device. In step 503, the requested power of the powered device is obtained based on the detection current. As described above, the detection circuit for detecting the total power and the detection circuit for obtaining the requested power can be implemented by the same module or component. Furthermore, the above process for obtaining the requested power can be similar to the power supply negotiation procedure. Therefore, for certain types of power supply applications, the power supply negotiation procedure between the power supply chip and the powered device can be omitted, thereby further saving hardware costs.

[0064] As described above, the requested power can be used to determine whether the power supply conditions are met. Specifically, the power conversion method further includes determining the available output power that can be provided to the powered device. For example, the available output power can be calculated based on the difference between the total power and the consumed power, and based on a comparison between the calculated available output power and the requested power of the powered device, it can be determined whether the total power meets the power requirement of the powered device. In embodiments of this disclosure, if the total power is greater than the power required by the powered device, or exceeds the power required by a certain threshold, it can be determined that the current total power meets the power requirement of the powered device. In this case, output power can be provided to the powered device; otherwise, it is determined that the power requirement of the powered device is not met. In this case, a prompt message indicating insufficient input power can be issued. Furthermore, as described above, in a scenario where power is supplied to multiple powered devices, in response to the aggregated power meeting the power requirements of the multiple powered devices, power is supplied to the multiple powered devices separately according to their respective requested power; and in response to the aggregated power not meeting the power requirements of the multiple powered devices, power is supplied to at least some of the multiple powered devices separately according to their priority, wherein the aggregated power meets the power requirements of the powered devices.

[0065] Furthermore, the power conversion device for PoE power supply according to embodiments of this disclosure can also be implemented by a device including a processor and a memory. The processor is communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to perform the power management methods discussed above.

[0066] Examples of processors include microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), state machines, gated logic, discrete hardware circuits, and other suitable hardware configured to perform the various functions described in this disclosure. The processor can execute software. Software should be broadly interpreted as instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subroutines, software modules, application programs, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, threads of execution, procedures, functions, etc., whether referred to as software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or otherwise. The software may reside on memory 1020.

[0067] Memory can be a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Non-transitory computer-readable media include, for example, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic stripes), optical disks (e.g., optical discs (CDs) or digital versatile optical discs (DVDs)), smart cards, flash memory devices (e.g., cards, memory cards, or key drives), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), registers, removable disks, and any other suitable medium for storing software and / or instructions that can be accessed and read by a computer. Memory may reside in the processor, be external to the processor, or be distributed across multiple entities including the processor. Memory may be embodied in a computer program product. Those skilled in the art will recognize how the functions described throughout this disclosure can be implemented based on the specific application and overall design constraints imposed on the overall system.

[0068] Furthermore, according to another embodiment of this disclosure, a computer program product for wireless communication is disclosed, including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a power conversion device for PoE power supply, cause the processor to perform a power management method according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As an example, the computer program product includes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions executable by a processor. When executed, the program instructions cause the processor to perform one or more of the above-described processes; details are omitted here for brevity.

[0069] This invention can be a system, method, and / or computer program product at any possible level of integration technical detail. The computer program product may include computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to perform various aspects of this disclosure.

[0070] Unless otherwise stated, terms such as “if,” “when,” and “under the circumstances” should be interpreted as “under the condition of,” rather than implying an immediate temporal relationship or reaction. That is, these phrases, such as “when,” do not imply an immediate action in response to an action occurring or during an action, but merely imply that an action will occur if the condition is met, but does not require a specific or immediate time constraint for the action to occur. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” include any combination of A, B, and / or C, and may include multiple A, multiple B, or multiple C. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” can be only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B, and C, where any such combination may contain one or more members of A, B, or C.

[0071] It should be noted that the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the possible structures, functions, and operations of the methods and apparatus according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, a program segment, or a portion of code containing at least one executable instruction for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions described in a block may occur in a different order than those described in the accompanying drawings. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be executed in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware system that performs the specified function or operation, or by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0072] The various embodiments described in this disclosure are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical application, or improvements to techniques found in the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0073] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word “comprising” and variations thereof, such as “comprising” and “including,” means “including, but not limited to,” and are not intended to exclude, for example, other additives, components, integers, or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of a preferred or ideal implementation and is not intended to convey its indication.” “Like” is not used in a limiting sense but for interpretative purposes.

Claims

1. A power conversion device for PoE power supply, comprising: The input module is configured to receive multiple corresponding input powers from multiple power supply ports of the power supply equipment, and the multiple input powers are combined into a total power. as well as An output module is configured to receive the aggregated power from the input module and to supply power to a powered device using at least a portion of the aggregated power. The power supply equipment and the power receiving equipment support different PoE power supply protocols.

2. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein, The output module is also configured to: In response to the aggregated power meeting the power demand of the powered device, power is supplied to the powered device using at least a portion of the aggregated power; and In response to the fact that the total power does not meet the power requirements of the powered device, a prompt message indicating insufficient input power is issued.

3. The power conversion device according to claim 2, wherein, The output module is also configured to: The available output power that the output module can provide to the powered device is determined, the available output power being calculated based on the difference between the total power and the consumed power, the consumed power including power loss and operating power used to power the power conversion device itself; and Based on the comparison between the available output power and the requested power of the powered device, it is determined whether the total power meets the power requirements of the powered device.

4. The power conversion device according to claim 3, wherein, The output module is also configured to: Apply a detection voltage to the power receiving device; Obtain the detection current on the detection resistor of the power receiving device; and Based on the detected current, the requested power of the powered device is determined.

5. The power conversion device according to claim 2, wherein, The output module is also configured to: In response to the aggregated power satisfying the power demands of multiple powered devices, power is supplied to each of the multiple powered devices according to their respective requested power; and In response to the fact that the aggregated power does not meet the power requirements of the plurality of powered devices, power is supplied to at least a portion of the plurality of powered devices according to their priority, wherein the aggregated power meets the power requirements of the at least a portion of the powered devices.

6. The power conversion device according to claim 2, wherein, The output module also includes a switch module and a power supply module, and is further configured as follows: In response to the fact that the aggregated power meets the power demand of the powered device, the switching module is controlled to turn on to provide the aggregated power to the power supply module, and the power supply module supplies power to the powered device according to the power requested by the powered device.

7. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the plurality of power supply ports has a corresponding power supply pair connected to a common bus to combine the plurality of input power into the aggregated power, and the output module receives the aggregated power from the input module via the common bus.

8. The power conversion device according to claim 1, wherein, The input module further includes a rectification module, which is configured to rectify each of the multiple input powers separately before the multiple input powers are aggregated. and / or The output module further includes a power supply module configured to convert the aggregated power into operating power for powering the power conversion device itself.

9. The power conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The output module supplies power to the powered device at a higher power than each of the plurality of input powers.

10. The power conversion device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The power supply device supports IEEE 802.3at or 802.3af, and the power receiving device supports one or more of IEEE 802.3at, IEEE 802.3af, and IEEE 802.3bt.

11. A power conversion method for PoE power supply, the method comprising: Receive multiple corresponding input powers from multiple power supply ports of the power supply equipment; The multiple input powers are combined into a total power; as well as Power is supplied to the receiving equipment using at least a portion of the total power. The power supply equipment and the power receiving equipment support different PoE power supply protocols.

12. The power conversion method according to claim 11, further comprising: In response to the aggregated power meeting the power demand of the powered device, power is supplied to the powered device using at least a portion of the aggregated power; as well as In response to the fact that the total power does not meet the power requirements of the powered device, a prompt message indicating insufficient input power is issued.

13. The power conversion method according to claim 11, further comprising: Apply a detection voltage to the power receiving device; Obtain the detection current on the detection resistor of the power receiving device; Based on the detected current, the requested power of the powered device is obtained; The available output power that can be provided to the powered device is determined, the available output power being calculated based on the difference between the total power and the power consumption, the power consumption including power losses and operating power used to power the power conversion device itself; and Based on the comparison between the available output power and the requested power of the powered device, it is determined whether the total power meets the power requirements of the powered device.

14. The power conversion method according to claim 11, further comprising: In response to the aggregated power meeting the power demands of multiple powered devices, power is supplied to each of the multiple powered devices according to their respective requested power. In response to the fact that the aggregated power does not meet the power requirements of the plurality of powered devices, power is supplied to at least a portion of the plurality of powered devices according to their priority, wherein the aggregated power meets the power requirements of the at least a portion of the powered devices.

15. The power conversion method according to claim 11, further comprising: Before the multiple input powers are aggregated, the rectifier module of the power conversion device rectifies each of the multiple input powers separately, wherein the corresponding power supply line pair of each of the multiple power supply ports is connected to a common bus to combine the multiple input powers into the aggregated power; The power module of the power conversion device converts the aggregated power into operating power for powering the power conversion device itself; and In response to the fact that the aggregated power meets the power demand of the powered device, the switching module of the power conversion device is controlled to be turned on, so as to provide the aggregated power to the power supply module of the power conversion device, and the power supply module supplies power to the powered device according to the power requested by the powered device.

16. The power conversion method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, wherein, The power supplied to the powered device is higher than each of the plurality of input powers, or the power supply device supports IEEE 802.3at or 802.3af, and the powered device supports one or more of IEEE 802.3at, IEEE 802.3af, and IEEE 802.3bt.

17. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the power conversion method according to any one of claims 11 to 16.

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