Multi-function power supply device

Abstract

The surveillance camera system includes a midspan-enabled powering device having one or more of integrated input / output (I / O) and audio port functionality, the powering device including a processing circuit, one or more data ports, one or more of the I / O ports and audio ports, and a Power over Ethernet (PoE) port. Additionally, the surveillance camera system includes a camera connected to the powering device by the PoE port and a computer connected to the powering device by one of the data ports, the computer configured to receive data from the camera and transmit data to the camera via the powering device.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and related techniques for powering equipment. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a device, system, and method for providing Power over Ethernet to a camera. [Background technology]

[0002] Monitoring systems are becoming increasingly popular for monitoring facilities, areas of particular interest, and / or processes, connected via a computer network to a monitoring or surveillance server. Network camera systems are based on the Internet Protocol (IP) and can use Ethernet-based network technology. In some applications, network camera systems are replacing analog closed circuit television (CCTV) due to a variety of factors, including accessibility, ease of use, scalability of cabling, and reduced costs of installation and operation.

[0003] Typically, existing security cameras, such as outdoor security cameras, have removed the audio and input / output (I / O) inputs to the camera for various reasons. For example, removing the audio and I / O inputs can save space and make the camera more compact. In addition, the Ingress Protection (IP) code is an IEC standard (60529) that classifies and rates the degree of protection provided by mechanical casings and electrical enclosures against intrusion, dust, accidental contact, and water, and removing the audio and I / O inputs from the camera can help meet this standard. Instead, this functionality can be added to a device located between the switch and the camera. This device can have both audio and I / O ports, which allow for the inclusion of, for example, sound sensors and additional sensors. However, again, this requires an additional device located between the camera and the switch for customers who require audio and I / O ports.

[0004] The "Background" discussion provided herein is intended to provide a general background to the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors to the extent described in this Background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise be admitted as prior art at the time of filing, are not admitted expressly or impliedly as prior art to the present invention. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to an aspect of the disclosed subject matter, a surveillance camera system includes a powering device corresponding to a midspan with integrated input / output (I / O) and / or audio port functionality, the powering device including a processing circuit, one or more data ports, one or more of the I / O ports and audio ports, and a Power over Ethernet (PoE) port. Additionally, the surveillance camera system includes a camera connected to the powering device by the PoE port and a computer connected to the powering device by one of the data ports, the computer configured to receive data from the camera and transmit data to the camera via the powering device.

[0006] According to aspects of the disclosed subject matter, the midspan includes integrated input / output (I / O) and / or audio port functionality, processing circuitry, one or more data ports, where a computer is connected to the midspan by one of the data ports and configured to receive data from and transmit data to the camera via the midspan, one or more of the I / O ports and audio ports, and a Power over Ethernet (PoE) port, where a camera is connected to the midspan by the PoE port.

[0007] According to aspects of the disclosed subject matter, the electronic device includes integrated input / output (I / O) and / or audio port functionality, processing circuitry, one or more data ports, where a computer is connected to the electronic device by one of the data ports and configured to receive data from and transmit data to the camera via the electronic device, one or more of the I / O and audio ports, and a Power over Ethernet (PoE) port, where the camera is connected to the electronic device by the PoE port, and the electronic device is connected to an AC power source, and the power supply unit converts AC power received from the AC power source (e.g., 230V AC) to DC power (e.g., 54V DC). This DC power is then split into a first predetermined amount of power and a second predetermined amount of power, and the internal functions (e.g., including I / O and audio port functions) are powered only by the first predetermined amount of power (e.g., an internal supply voltage (e.g., 3.3V)) generated from the DC signal, and the PoE is powered only by the second predetermined amount of power and is available only for powering the camera. In one aspect, the second predetermined amount can be defined, for example, by a PoE standard.

[0008] The foregoing paragraphs have been provided by way of a general introduction and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims which follow. The described embodiments will be best understood, together with further advantages, by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] The present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will become better understood as the same becomes readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 illustrates an example overview of a surveillance camera system in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 illustrates an example overview of a surveillance camera system in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. [Diagram 2] 1 is a front view of a multi-function power supply device according to one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-function power supply device according to one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. [Figure 4] 1 is a rear view of a multi-function power supply device according to one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. [Diagram 5] 1 is an algorithm flow chart of a method for determining power consumption of a camera in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a hardware block diagram of a computer in accordance with one or more exemplary aspects of the disclosed subject matter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings is intended as a description of various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter and is not necessarily intended to represent the best embodiment(s). In some cases, the description includes specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the disclosed subject matter. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In some cases, well-known structures and components may be shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the disclosed subject matter.

[0012] References throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, characteristic, operation, or function described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosed subject matter. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" herein do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, particular features, structures, characteristics, operations, or functions may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Additionally, embodiments of the disclosed subject matter can, and are intended to, cover modifications and variations of the described embodiments.

[0013] It should be noted that, as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. That is, unless otherwise expressly stated, words such as "a" and "an" as used herein have the meaning of "one or more." In addition, it should be understood that terms such as "left," "right," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "side," "height," "length," "width," "upper," "lower," "internal," "external," "inside," "outside," and the like, that may be used herein, merely describe reference points and do not necessarily limit embodiments of the disclosed subject matter to a particular orientation or configuration. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," "third," and the like, merely identify one of a plurality of parts, components, reference points, actions, and / or functions as described herein, and similarly do not necessarily limit embodiments of the disclosed subject matter to any particular configuration or orientation.

[0014] Referring now to the drawings, like reference characters indicate the same or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0015] 1A illustrates an example overview of a surveillance camera system 100 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. In one embodiment, the surveillance camera system 100 (referred to herein as system 100) may include a multifunction power sourcing equipment (PSE) 105 connected to a camera 145. The multifunction PSE 105 may include one or more audio ports 110, one or more I / O ports 115, and a power supply 165.

[0016] Generally speaking, most surveillance installations only require connectivity for a few cameras. As a result, many customers choose cameras without built-in connectivity, which saves costs and allows for smaller, more compact cameras. Furthermore, reducing the built-in connectivity of cameras, especially outdoor cameras, can help meet Ingress Protection (IP) code standards. Connectivity can then be added only where it is needed. To get this additional connectivity, customers can use intermediate devices that are placed between and connected to traditional midspan devices and cameras. Traditional midspan devices are used to power Power over Ethernet (PoE) devices (i.e., cameras in this case) over Ethernet cables. Power over Ethernet (PoE) provides a simple, fast, and cost-effective solution for powering network products. With a single network cable, the midspan device can inject power into network devices that have built-in PoE support, allowing data communication between the camera and the switch.

[0017] The intermediate device is configured to add bidirectional audio and I / O connectivity to the network camera. This additional connectivity can, for example, better support decision making, enable a user to listen to transactions or incidents or warn intruders, connect sensors that can trigger alarms if a door is opened or a window is broken, connect outputs to control devices or relays for opening and closing doors, switch lights on and off, etc. However, while obtaining the advantage of removing ports (e.g., audio ports, I / O ports, etc.) from the camera (e.g., to satisfy IP classes as described above), the need arises to enable connection and powering of the intermediate device. To avoid extra cabling, the intermediate device is preferably connected to an Ethernet connection between a conventional midspan device and the camera. The intermediate device is arranged to utilize the Ethernet connection for data transfer to a computer via the midspan device and as a power supply for the internal functions of the intermediate device. Thus, the midspan device provides power to both the camera and the intermediate device.

[0018] As described further herein, the multi-function PSE 105 improves on this setup by providing customers with PoE injection and additional port functionality in a single device.

[0019] More specifically, the multifunction PSE 105 is a midspan device that is a PoE provider that can be connected to the camera 145 in the same manner as a traditional midspan device. More specifically, the multifunction PSE 105 can also include an audio port (e.g., audio port 110) and an I / O port (e.g., I / O port 115). In other words, the multifunction PSE 105 includes not only a PoE port, but also an audio port and an I / O port. In addition, the audio port 110 and the I / O port 115 are powered by the power supply 165 and do not use the PoE power provided to the camera 145. In one aspect, the power supply 165 can be a 230 volt (V) power supply. Also, the power consumption of the connected camera can be calculated by the multifunction PSE 105. In one aspect, the power consumption can be displayed to a user as status information or for efficiency analysis.

[0020] It should be understood that references to PoE herein may refer to one or more of several PoE standards. For example, PoE standards may include the original IEEE 802.3af-2003 PoE standard, the updated IEEE 802.3at-2009 PoE standard, also known as PoE+ or PoEplus, and the IEEE 802.3bt-2018 standard, also known as PoE++ or 4PPoE. In other words, unless otherwise stated, references to PoE herein may refer to the original PoE standard, PoE+, and / or PoE++.

[0021] 1B illustrates an exemplary overview of a system 100 according to one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. In one embodiment, the system 100 can include a multifunction PSE 105. The multifunction PSE 105 can be connected to an AC power source 160 such that an AC power cable connects the AC power source 160 to a power supply 165, to a computer 135 such that an STP Ethernet cable connects the computer 135 to a data port, to a camera 145 such that an STP Ethernet cable connects the camera 145 to a PoE port, to one or more speakers and / or digital or analog audio sources (e.g., microphones) 150, and to one or more accessories 155. In one aspect, the multifunction PSE 105 can be optionally connected to a network switch 130 via an STP Ethernet cable or a fiber cable, and the computer 135 can be connected to the multifunction PSE 105 via the network switch 130. The computer 135 may be configured to receive data from and transmit data to the camera 145 via the multifunction PSE 105 .

[0022] In addition, the multifunction PSE 105 may include an audio port 110 , an I / O port 115 , a PoE port 120 , a data port 125 , and a processing circuit 140 .

[0023] Audio port 110 may represent one or more audio ports within multifunction PSE 105. For example, one or more speakers and / or one or more digital or analog audio sources (e.g., microphones) may be connected to multifunction PSE 105 via audio port 110.

[0024] I / O port 115 may represent one or more I / O ports in multifunction PSE 105. For example, one or more accessories (e.g., accessory 155) may be connected to multifunction PSE 105 via an I / O port. In one aspect, the accessories may be low voltage and / or low frequency accessories. For example, the accessories may include a connection for a sensor that can trigger an alarm if a door is opened or a window is broken, a connection of an output to a control device or relay to open and close a door, a connection of a controller to turn a light on and off, etc.

[0025] The PoE port 120 may represent one or more PoE ports in the multifunction PSE 105. For example, a camera 145 may be connected to the multifunction PSE 105 via the PoE port 120. In one aspect, the camera 145 may be connected to the PoE port 120 by a shielded twisted pair (STP) Ethernet cable.

[0026] Data port 125 may represent one or more data ports within multifunction PSE 105. For example, data port 125 may include a data input port for copper wire and a Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) port as a data input port for optical fiber.

[0027] Processing circuitry 140 may be a general-purpose processor, a special purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors associated with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit, any other type of integrated circuit (IC), a state machine, etc. Processing circuitry 140 may perform signal coding, data processing, power control, input / output processing, and / or any other functionality that enables multifunction PSE 105 to operate as further described herein.

[0028] In one embodiment, DC power from AC power source 160 may be split by power supply 165. In one embodiment, 230V AC may be received from AC power source 160, and power supply 165 may convert the 230V AC to 54V DC. Power supply 165 may then split the 54V DC signal such that 1) a portion of the DC power generates an internal supply voltage (e.g., 3.3V) used for the internal functions of multifunction PSE 105 (e.g., audio port 110 and / or I / O port 115), and 2) another portion of the 54V DC signal is used to generate a PoE signal for the camera via PoE port 120 such that power is available for PoE. For example, this other portion may be used to power camera 145 using PoE. In other words, the DC power may be split into a first predetermined amount of power and a second predetermined amount of power. A first predetermined amount of power is available to power the audio port 110 and / or the I / O port 115. A second predetermined amount of power can be made available for PoE, and PoE negotiation can determine the amount of power used (e.g., by the camera 145) up to the predetermined second amount. In one aspect, the AC power is split such that the audio port 110 and the I / O port 115 (as well as any other internal functions) are powered only by the first predetermined amount of power, and the camera 145 is powered only by the second predetermined amount of power, and the second predetermined amount of power is available for PoE. Since the DC power is split, the multifunction PSE 105 can calculate (e.g., by the processing circuit 140) the power consumption of the camera 145 based on the PoE connection. The multifunction PSE 105 can then provide, for example, the calculated power consumption of the camera 145 to the computer 135. As a result, the power consumption can be displayed to a user, for example, as status information or for efficiency analysis.

[0029] 2 illustrates a front view of a multifunction PSE 105 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter. The front view of the multifunction PSE 105 illustrates a more detailed view of various ports that may be included in the multifunction PSE 105. In addition, the multifunction PSE 105 may include one or more LEDs 220. In one aspect, the multifunction PSE 105 may include a first LED that indicates a power status of the multifunction PSE 105 and a second LED that indicates a PoE status (i.e., whether or not PoE is in use).

[0030] The audio port 110 can use various pin configurations. In one embodiment, the audio port 110 can include four pins in the following configuration: 1: GND; 2: +12.7V, max 50mA; 3: Audio input; 4: Audio output. The I / O port 115 can include various pin configurations. In one embodiment, the I / O port 115 can include six pins in the following configuration: 1: GND; 2: +12.7V, max 50mA; 3: Input / Output 1; 4: Input / Output 2; 5: Input / Output 3; 6: Input 4. In one embodiment, the PoE port 120 is a port for Power over Ethernet for data and power up to 90W, 54V (e.g., as set by the PoE standard IEEE802.3bt) and data output (copper). In one embodiment, the data port 230 can be one of one or more data ports 125. The data port 230 may be a data input port for copper wire and may be configured for unpowered data only. In one aspect, the SFP port 210 may be one of the one or more data ports 125. The SFP port 210 may be a data input port for optical fiber and may be configured for unpowered data only.

[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a multifunction PSE 105 according to one or more embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. The multifunction PSE 105 may include one or more vents 235. In one embodiment, the multifunction PSE 105 may include two vents, such that one vent 235 is disposed on each side of the multifunction PSE 105. In addition, the multifunction PSE 105 may include a fan disposed within a chassis of the multifunction PSE 105 and configured to provide active cooling (e.g., fan cooling) to the multifunction PSE 105. In one embodiment, the chassis of the multifunction PSE may be made of plastic. Alternatively, the chassis may be made of metal to improve cooling. In one embodiment, the multifunction PSE 105 is configured to be disposed within a mounting bracket used to mount the camera 145. This provides advantages including ease of installation.

[0032] 4 illustrates a rear view of a multi-function PSE 105 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. The multi-function PSE 105 can include a connector 240 for an AC power source 160.

[0033] FIG. 5 is an algorithmic flow chart of a method for determining power consumption of a camera 145 in accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed subject matter.

[0034] At S505, the processing circuitry 140 can be configured to calculate the power consumption of the camera (e.g., camera 145) based on the PoE connection. In other words, the processing circuitry 140 reads the voltage and current in the cable to the camera and uses this to calculate the power. Because the power is split between the camera and other functions, the amount of power sent to the camera (and used only by the camera) can be accurately determined. Thus, there is no need to connect other devices between the multifunction PSE 105 and the camera 145 to add audio or I / O, because this functionality is added to the multifunction PSE 105 and is powered separately from the camera 145.

[0035] At S510, the processing circuit 140 may provide the calculated power consumption of the camera 145 to a computer in the system 100 (eg, the computer 135).

[0036] At S515, the computer 135 may be configured to display the calculated power consumption (eg, as status information or for efficiency analysis).

[0037] After displaying the calculated power consumption of the camera 145, the process may end.

[0038] In the above description of FIG. 5, any process, statement, or block in the flowchart can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code that includes one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or step in the process, and alternative implementations are included within the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the present advancement that can perform functions in a different order than shown or discussed, such as substantially simultaneously or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The various elements, features, and processes described herein may be used independently of one another or may be combined in various ways. All possible combinations and subcombinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0039] 6 is a functional block diagram illustrating a networked system 800 of one or more networked computers and servers. In one embodiment, the hardware and software environment illustrated in FIG. 6 may provide an exemplary platform for implementation of software and / or methods according to the present disclosure. For example, in one aspect, computer 805 may represent computer 135.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 6, the networked system 800 may include, but is not limited to, a computer 805 , a network 810 , a remote computer 815 , a web server 820 , a cloud storage server 825 , and a computer server 830 .

[0041] Further details of computer 805 are shown in Figure 6. The functional blocks illustrated in computer 805 are provided only to establish example functionality and are not intended to be exhaustive. Also, details are not provided for remote computer 815, web server 820, cloud storage server 825, and computer server 830, although these other computers and devices may include functionality similar to that shown for computer 805.

[0042] The computer 805 may be a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a netbook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, or any other programmable electronic device capable of communicating with other devices on the network 810.

[0043] Computer 805 may include a processor 835, a bus 837, memory 840, non-volatile storage 845, a network interface 850, a peripheral interface 855, and a display interface 865. Each of these functions may in some embodiments be implemented as an individual electronic subsystem (an integrated circuit chip or combination of chips and related devices), or in other embodiments some combination of functions may be implemented on a single chip (sometimes referred to as a system on a chip, or SoC).

[0044] Processor 835 may be one or more single-chip or multi-chip microprocessors, such as those designed and / or manufactured by Intel Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Arm Holdings (Arm), Apple Computer, etc. Examples of microprocessors include Intel Corporation's Celeron, Pentium, Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7, AMD's Opteron, Phenom, Athlon, Turion, and Ryzen, and Arm's Cortex-A, Cortex-R, and Cortex-M.

[0045] Bus 837 may be a proprietary or industry standard high speed parallel or serial peripheral interconnect bus such as ISA, PCI, PCI Express (PCI-e), AGP, etc.

[0046] The memory 840 and the non-volatile storage 845 may be computer-readable storage media. The memory 840 may include any suitable volatile storage device, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM). The non-volatile storage 845 may include one or more of a floppy disk, a hard disk, a solid-state drive (SSD), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash), a compact disk (CD or CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), and a memory card or stick.

[0047] The program 848 may be a collection of machine-readable instructions and / or data that is stored in non-volatile storage 845 and used to create, manage, and control certain software functions discussed in detail elsewhere in this disclosure and illustrated in the figures. In some embodiments, the memory 840 may be significantly faster than the non-volatile storage 845. In such embodiments, the program 848 may be transferred from the non-volatile storage 845 to the memory 840 prior to execution by the processor 835.

[0048] Computer 805 can communicate and interact with other computers over network 810 via network interface 850. Network 810 may be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or a combination of the two, and may include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. In general, network 810 may be any combination of connections and protocols that support communication between two or more computers and associated devices.

[0049] The peripheral interface 855 may enable input and output of data between the computer 805 and other devices that may be locally connected. For example, the peripheral interface 855 may provide a connection to an external device 860. The external device 860 may include devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a keypad, a touch screen, and / or other suitable input devices. The external device 860 may also include portable computer-readable storage media, such as, for example, thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. In one aspect, the external device 860 may also include a multifunction PSE 105. Software and data used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure, such as the program 848, may be stored on such portable computer-readable storage media. In such an embodiment, the software may be loaded into the non-volatile storage 845 or, alternatively, may be loaded directly into the memory 840 via the peripheral interface 855. The peripheral interface 855 may use an industry standard connection, such as RS-232 or Universal Serial Bus (USB), to connect with the external device 860.

[0050] The display interface 865 may connect the computer 805 to a display 870. The display 870 may be used in some embodiments to present a command line or a graphical user interface to a user of the computer 805. The display interface 865 may connect to the display 870 using one or more proprietary or industry standard connections, such as VGA, DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI.

[0051] As mentioned above, the network interface 850 provides communication with other computing and storage systems or devices external to the computer 805. The software programs and data discussed herein may be downloaded to the non-volatile storage 845 via the network interface 850 and the network 810 from, for example, the remote computer 815, the web server 820, the cloud storage server 825, and the computer server 830. Additionally, the systems and methods described in this disclosure may be performed by one or more computers connected to the computer 805 via the network interface 850 and the network 810. For example, in some embodiments, the systems and methods described in this disclosure may be performed by the remote computer 815, the computer server 830, or a combination of computers interconnected over the network 810.

[0052] Data, datasets, and / or databases employed in embodiments of the systems and methods described in this disclosure may be stored and downloaded from remote computers 815, web servers 820, cloud storage servers 825, and computer servers 830.

[0053] Having thus described embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above is merely illustrative and not limiting, presented by way of example only. Thus, although certain configurations are discussed herein, other configurations may be employed. Numerous modifications and other embodiments (e.g., combinations, rearrangements, etc.) are enabled by the present disclosure and within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art, and are contemplated as falling within the scope of the disclosed subject matter and any equivalents thereof. Features of the disclosed embodiments may be combined, rearranged, omitted, etc., within the scope of the present invention to produce additional embodiments. Furthermore, certain features may often be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, applicants intend to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents, and variations that are within the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter.

Claims

1. 1. A midspan capable power sourcing device having one or more of integrated input / output (I / O) and audio port functionality, comprising: Processing circuitry, one or more data ports; one or more of an I / O port and an audio port; and A power supply device having a Power over Ethernet (PoE) port; a camera connected to the power supply device via the PoE port; A power source connected to the power supply device via a power supply unit; a computer connected to the power supply device by one of the data ports; A surveillance camera system, wherein the computer is configured to receive data from the camera via the power supply equipment and to transmit data to the camera.

2. The surveillance camera system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera mounting bracket.

3. The surveillance camera system according to claim 2 , wherein the power supply device is included in the camera mounting bracket.

4. The surveillance camera system of claim 1 , wherein the I / O port includes a plurality of I / O pins.

5. The surveillance camera system according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply is an AC power supply.

6. 6. The surveillance camera system of claim 5, wherein power from the power supply is split into a first predetermined amount of power and a second predetermined amount of power, and the I / O and audio ports are powered only by the first predetermined amount of power.

7. 7. The surveillance camera system of claim 6, wherein the camera is powered only by the second predetermined amount of power, the second predetermined amount of power being available for PoE.

8. The processing circuitry includes: Calculating the power consumption of the camera based on a PoE connection; The surveillance camera system of claim 7 , configured to provide the calculated power consumption of the camera to the computer.

9. 9. The surveillance camera system of claim 1, further comprising a network switch connected to the power supply equipment by one of the data ports, and the computer is connected to the power supply equipment via the network switch.

10. The surveillance camera system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more speakers and / or a digital or analogue sound source connected to the power supply equipment by the audio port.

11. The surveillance camera system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more low-voltage accessories connected to the power supply device by the I / O port.

12. A midspan, one or more of integrated input / output (I / O) and audio port functionality; A processing circuit; one or more data ports, a computer connected to the midspan by one of the data ports and configured to receive data from and transmit data to a camera via the midspan; one or more of an I / O port and an audio port; a power supply, the midspan being connected to a power source via the power supply; a Power over Ethernet (PoE) port, the camera being connected to the midspan by the PoE port; and A midspan having

13. The midspan of claim 12 , wherein the I / O port includes a plurality of I / O pins.

14. The midspan of claim 12 or 13, wherein the power source is an AC power source.

15. 15. The midspan of claim 14, wherein power from the power supply is split into a first predetermined amount of power and a second predetermined amount of power, and the I / O and audio ports are powered only by the first predetermined amount of power.

16. The midspan of claim 15 , wherein the camera is powered only by the second predetermined amount of power, and the second predetermined amount of power is available for PoE.

17. The processing circuitry comprises: Calculating the power consumption of the camera based on a PoE connection; The midspan of claim 16 , configured to provide the calculated power consumption of the camera to one or both of the camera and the computer.

18. 18. The midspan of claim 12, wherein the midspan is connected to a network switch by one of the data ports, and the computer is connected to the midspan through the network switch.

19. The midspan of claim 12 , wherein one or more low voltage accessories are connected to the midspan by the I / O ports.

20. 1. An electronic device comprising: one or more of integrated input / output (I / O) and audio port functionality; A processing circuit; one or more data ports, wherein a computer is connected to the electronic device by one of the data ports and configured to receive data from the camera and transmit data to the camera via the electronic device; one or more of an I / O port and an audio port; a Power over Ethernet (PoE) port, the camera being connected to the electronic device by the PoE port; 1. An electronic device, comprising: the electronic device connected to an AC power source via a power supply; power from the power supply being split into a first predetermined amount of power and a second predetermined amount of power; the I / O and audio ports being powered only by the first predetermined amount of power; and the PoE being powered only by the second predetermined amount of power and available only for powering the camera.

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