Device supporting Ethernet power supply function and method for controlling its power supply

Abstract

To provide a device that supports Ethernet power supply functionality and a method for controlling its power supply. [Solution] The apparatus of the present invention includes a signal processing module, a PoE control module, and a main controller. The PoE control module is used to determine whether to enable the PoE function according to a PoE control signal. When the PoE control module receives a PoE control signal to enable, it enables the PoE function, generates a DC power supply, and applies it to the second electrical signal. The main controller controls the operation of the PoE control module by issuing corresponding PoE control signals according to a first status signal indicating the connection status of the optical signal and a second status signal indicating the signal strength of the optical signal. If the first status signal and the second status signal received by the main controller are both enabled, it generates a PoE control signal to enable the PoE function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a signal switching device and its control method, particularly to a device supporting the Ethernet power supply function and its power supply control method.

Background Art

[0002] In the conventional network infrastructure, the Ethernet Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology has been widely used to simultaneously transmit data and power via an Ethernet cable in order to support terminal devices such as IP cameras, wireless base stations, and network telephones, and it can provide more suitable location selection flexibility in the deployment of terminal devices.

[0003] However, there are multiple potential problems in the conventional PoE system. For example, in a system generally having the PoE function, the core network device that provides power via the Ethernet cable continues to provide power to the Ethernet port connected to the terminal device in the startup state (i.e., the PoE function is activated by default). In such a case, even when the core network device cannot normally transmit data to the backend terminal device, it does not stop providing power to the terminal device via the Ethernet port. At this time, the user of the terminal device observes the device failure state, but may not be able to confirm what the cause of the failure is.

[0004] Regarding the inspection and repair of faults, the failure state of the terminal device may be due to problems with different nodes in the system. For example, it may be due to the failure of the terminal device or the core network device itself, whether the front-end optical fiber cable of the core network device is correctly connected or disconnected, or whether the specification settings of the optical-electric conversion module of the core network device match. The system supplier needs to investigate and confirm one by one, which is laborious and time-consuming.

[0005] Furthermore, in conventional PoE control mechanisms, when a terminal device fails, the core network device continues to supply power to the terminal device, which negatively impacts energy saving considerations for the entire system. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] This application proposes a device that supports Ethernet power supply functionality and a power supply control method thereof that can solve the problems described in the background art above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Embodiments of this application provide a device that supports PoE functionality, suitable for converting a first electrical signal associated with an optical signal into a second electrical signal that supports Ethernet data transmission and providing it to a corresponding terminal device via at least one Ethernet port. The device includes a signal processing module, a PoE control module, and a main controller. The signal processing module is used to receive the first electrical signal and convert the first electrical signal into a second electrical signal. The PoE control module is used to determine whether to enable the PoE function according to a PoE control signal, where, upon receiving a PoE control signal to enable, the PoE function is enabled, a DC power supply is generated and applied to the second electrical signal, and a second electrical signal with DC power is provided to the corresponding Ethernet port; and upon receiving a PoE control signal to disable, the PoE function is disabled and the generation of DC power is stopped. The main controller electrically connects the signal processing module and the PoE control module and is used to control the operation of the PoE control module by issuing corresponding PoE control signals according to a first status signal indicating the connection status of the optical signal and a second status signal indicating the signal strength of the optical signal. If the main controller receives both the first and second status signals, both of which are enabled simultaneously, it generates a PoE control signal to enable the PoE function.

[0008] Embodiments of this application provide a device that supports PoE functionality, comprising a photoelectric conversion module, a signal processing module, a PoE control module, and a main controller. The photoelectric conversion module is used to receive an optical signal and convert the optical signal into a first electrical signal, which generates a first status signal depending on whether the optical signal has been lost. The signal processing module is used to electrically connect to the photoelectric conversion module, receive the first electrical signal, and convert the first electrical signal into a second electrical signal that supports Ethernet data transmission, which determines whether online establishment with the photoelectric conversion module has been successful and generates a second status signal accordingly. The PoE control module is used to determine whether to enable the PoE function according to a PoE control signal, which enables the PoE function when it receives a PoE control signal to enable it, generates a DC power supply and applies it to the second electrical signal so that a second electrical signal with a DC power supply is provided to the corresponding Ethernet port, and disables the PoE function and stops generating the DC power supply when it receives a PoE control signal to disable it. The main controller electrically connects the photoelectric conversion module, signal processing module, and PoE control module, and is used to control the operation of the PoE control module by issuing corresponding PoE control signals according to the first and second status signals. If either of the first and second status signals received by the main controller is disabled, it generates a PoE control signal to disable this PoE function.

[0009] The power supply control method of the present invention is a power supply control method for a device that supports PoE functionality, and includes the steps of: a photoelectric conversion module receiving an optical signal and converting the optical signal into a first electrical signal; a signal processing module receiving a first electrical signal and converting the first electrical signal into a second electrical signal that supports Ethernet data transmission; determining whether the optical signal has been lost and generating a first status signal accordingly; determining whether online establishment between the signal processing module and the photoelectric conversion module has been successful and generating a second status signal accordingly; determining whether the difference between the signal intensity of the optical signal and the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module is 1 dBm or more and generating a third status signal accordingly; and determining whether to enable the PoE function according to the first to third status signals, wherein if the PoE function is enabled, a DC power supply is generated and applied to this second electrical signal.

[0010] To more clearly describe the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the following briefly introduces the figures that may be used in the embodiments or prior art descriptions. It is obvious that the figures in the following description represent only a few embodiments of this application, and a person with general knowledge of the art could obtain other figures based on these without expending any creative effort. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a device that supports Ethernet power supply functionality according to several embodiments of this application, and a system that applies the same. [Figure 2A] This is a step flowchart of a power supply control method for a device supporting Ethernet power supply functionality in a different embodiment of the present application. [Figure 2B] This is a step flowchart of a power supply control method for a device supporting Ethernet power supply functionality in a different embodiment of the present application. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows a specific step flowchart of a power supply control method according to several embodiments. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] To make the features and advantages of this application clearer and easier to understand, specific embodiments of the invention will be described in detail below, accompanied by drawings. The following description contains certain information relating to exemplary embodiments in this application. The drawings and accompanying detailed descriptions in this application are merely exemplary embodiments. However, this application is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. Those skilled in the art will conceive of other modifications and embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise specified, the same or corresponding assemblies in the drawings may be indicated by the same or corresponding drawing number. Note that the drawings and examples in this application are not generally drawn to scale and are not intended to correspond to actual relative sizes.

[0013] For the sake of consistency and ease of understanding, the same features are indicated by numbers in the illustrative drawings (although some examples are not shown in this way). However, features in different embodiments may differ in other embodiments, and therefore should not be narrowly limited to the features shown in the drawings.

[0014] The terms "first," "second," and "third," etc., used in the specification and drawings of this application, are used to distinguish different subjects, areas, hierarchies, or steps, and are not intended to describe a specific order (unless explicitly required in the claims). Similarly, between different embodiments, the same nouns, such as "first," "second," and "third," may have different correspondences and meanings, and the parts they actually refer to depend on the context. The term "contains" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive "contains." The term "...consisting of" is interpreted as exclusive inclusion, meaning that any additional structural arrangement and / or material additions do not fall within the scope of this term; however, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, any material may be unexpectedly contaminated or doped with trace impurities during the actual detection process, and these detected trace impurities do not substantially affect the material, properties, and / or structure as defined in this term, and are therefore not included in the aforementioned additional structural and / or material additions, as explicitly stated here.

[0015] The terms “connection” or “joining” as used in this application are not limited to the absence of any intervening objects between the objects. That is, mutual connection or joining between two objects can mean that the two objects are directly connected / joined to each other, or connected / joined to each other through other objects.

[0016] In all descriptions relating to specific numerical values ​​in this application, although not explicitly stated, the meaning of “approximately” or “substantially” is implied, that is, these specific numerical values ​​cover a possible range of numerical error to express the unexpected possible influences and deviations in process or material selection. The said range of numerical error may include numerical changes that do not significantly alter the structure, properties, or effects of the material, for example, a range of 0% to 10% deviation, and this range of error is clear to a person with general knowledge of the art.

[0017] The spatial relationships referred to in this application, such as "above...", "below...", "upper," "downward," "to the left of...", and "to the right of...", are all illustrative descriptions based on the relative positions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the actual arrangement of material structures.

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a device supporting the Power over Ethernet (PoE) function and its application in several embodiments of this application. The device 100 supporting the PoE function in these embodiments may be, for example, a PoE switch, a PoE router, or a PoE media converter. Figure 1 shows an example using an optical fiber-to-Ethernet PoE media converter (hereinafter referred to as "media converter 100"), but this application is not limited thereto.

[0019] Referring to Figure 1, in a network system architecture utilizing the media converter 100, the media converter 100 has optical fiber ports Fp_1 to Fp_m and Ethernet ports Rp_1 to Rp_n. The media converter 100 can be electrically connected to optical fiber network equipment 10 via the optical fiber ports Fp_1 to Fp_m, and can also be electrically connected to terminal equipment 20_1 to 20_n via the Ethernet ports Rp_1 to Rp_n, where m and n are ≥ 1 and are natural numbers. That is, the media converter 100 may have one or more optical fiber ports Fp_1 to Fp_m and Ethernet ports Rp_1 to Rp_n, and the number of m and n may be the same or different.

[0020] The optical fiber network device 10 may be, for example, an optical fiber switch, an optical fiber router, an optical fiber access device (Optical Network Terminal, ONT), or an optical fiber infrastructure of a network operator. The terminal devices 20_1 to 20_n may be, for example, IP cameras, wireless base stations, network telephones, etc. The present application is not limited thereto.

[0021] The media converter 100 may be used to convert the optical signals received from the optical fiber ports Fp_1 to Fp_m into electrical signals Spd1 to Spdn that support Ethernet data transmission and transmit them to the corresponding terminal devices 20_1 to 20_n via the Ethernet ports Rp_1 to Rp_n. In addition to signal conversion and switching, when the PoE function of the media converter 100 is enabled, it generates a DC power supply (for example, a power supply of 48V to 57V) and applies it onto the electrical signals Spd1 to Spdn, and transmits the electrical signals Spd1 to Spdn with the DC power supply to the terminal devices 20_1 to 20_n via the Ethernet ports Rp_1 to Rp_n to supply power to the terminal devices 20_1 to 20_n.

[0022] In some embodiments, from the perspective of power supply, the media converter 100 is electrically connected to a local physical power supply device (not shown) and can generate the DC power supply required for the PoE function based on the power provided by the power supply device. Therefore, in the system of this embodiment, the media converter 100 may be regarded as a power sourcing equipment (PSE), and the terminal devices 20_1 to 20_n may be regarded as powered devices (PD).

[0023] The media converter 100 of this embodiment includes a photoelectric conversion module 110, a signal processing module 120, a PoE control module 130, and a main controller 140. The photoelectric conversion module 110 is electrically connected to the optical fiber network device 10 via optical fiber ports Fp_1 to Fp_m and an optical fiber cable. The signal processing module 120 is electrically connected to the terminal devices 20_1 to 20_n via Ethernet ports Rp_1 to Rp_n and an Ethernet cable, and one end thereof is electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion module 110. One end of the PoE control module 130 is electrically connected to the signal processing module 120, and the other end is electrically connected to the main controller 140. The main controller 140 is electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion module 110, the signal processing module 120, and the PoE control module 130.

[0024] Specifically, taking the case where both m and n are 1 as an example (however, this application is not limited thereto), the photoelectric conversion module 110 receives the optical signal Sopt from the optical fiber port Fp_1 and is used to convert the optical signal Sopt into an electrical signal Se. Here, the photoelectric conversion module 110 may be, for example, one or more small pluggable optical fiber modules (or referred to as SFP modules), but this application is not limited thereto.

[0025] In this embodiment, the photoelectric conversion module 110 further generates a corresponding instruction signal Slos according to whether the optical signal Sopt is lost. When the photoelectric conversion module 110 determines that the optical signal Sopt is lost, it generates an instruction signal Slos to disable (for example, a signal of high logic level / 1) to indicate the loss of the optical signal Sopt. Conversely, when the photoelectric conversion module 110 determines that the optical signal Sopt is not lost, it generates an instruction signal Slos to enable (for example, a signal of low logic level / 0) to indicate that the optical signal Sopt has been received normally.

[0026] The signal processing module 120 receives an electrical signal Se emitted from the photoelectric conversion module 110 and is used to convert the electrical signal Se into an electrical signal Spd1 that supports Ethernet data transmission. Here, the signal processing module 120 may be, for example, an Ethernet switch controller or a large-scale integrated circuit having the same / similar functions, and this application is not limited to these.

[0027] In this embodiment, the signal processing module 120 may determine whether it has successfully established an online connection with the photoelectric conversion module 110 according to the received electrical signal Se, and generate a corresponding instruction signal Slks accordingly. If the signal processing module 120 determines that it has successfully established an online connection with the photoelectric conversion module 110, it generates an enable instruction signal Slks (e.g., a signal with a high logic level of / 1). Conversely, if the signal processing module 120 determines that it has failed to establish an online connection with the photoelectric conversion module 110 or that it is still online, it generates a disable instruction signal Slks (e.g., a signal with a low logic level of / 0).

[0028] The PoE control module 130 is used to determine whether to enable the PoE function according to the PoE control signal Spc received from the main controller 140. When the PoE control module 130 receives a PoE control signal to enable (for example, a signal with a high logic level of / 1), it enables the PoE function and generates a DC power supply Pdc, which is then applied to the electrical signal Spd1. Conversely, when the PoE control module 130 receives a PoE control signal to disable (for example, a signal with a low logic level of / 0), it disables the PoE function and stops generating the DC power supply Pdc.

[0029] The main controller 140 controls the operation of the signal processing module 120 and the PoE control module 130 as the control core of the media converter 100. Here, the main controller 140 controls whether to enable the PoE function by deciding whether to issue a PoE control signal Spc to enable it based on the state / signal characteristics of the optical signal Sopt received by the media controller 100. Furthermore, it ensures that power is supplied to the terminal equipment 20_1 when the system is operating normally, thereby avoiding power waste. In other words, compared to conventional PoE control mechanisms that continue to supply power regardless of whether a failure has occurred in the terminal equipment, the media converter 100 and its power supply control method in the embodiment of this application can effectively make the operation of the entire system more energy-efficient.

[0030] In some embodiments, the main controller 140 may use multiple status signals simultaneously as a basis for determining whether to issue a PoE control signal Spc to enable the function. For example, the main controller 140 may use the first status signal St1 and the second status signal St2 as the indicator signal Slos, which indicates whether the optical signal Sopt has been lost, and the indicator signal Slks, which indicates whether the online establishment between the signal conversion module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110 has been successful, respectively, where the main controller 140 may issue a PoE control signal Spc to enable the function and activate the PoE function when the first status signal St1 and the second status signal St2 are simultaneously enabled (i.e., the indicator signal Slos indicates that the optical signal Sopt has not been lost, and the indicator signal Slks indicates that the online establishment has been successful). In other words, in this exemplary embodiment, the PoE function is disabled as long as either the first status signal St1 or the second status signal St2, which indicate the connection status of the optical signal Sopt, is disabled.

[0031] Through this determination mechanism, the media converter 100 supplies power to the backend terminal devices 20_1~20_n only if the optical fiber cable is properly connected / not disconnected and the specifications of the photoelectric conversion module 110 and the signal conversion module 120 match. In this determination mechanism, even if the optical fiber cable is properly connected, if the specifications of the photoelectric conversion module 110 do not match, the media converter 100 stops supplying power to the terminal devices 20_1~20_n.

[0032] If the decision to enable the PoE function is made solely based on the instruction signal Slos, the media converter 100 will still supply power to terminal devices 20_1~20_n even if the fiber optic cable is correctly connected but the specifications of the photoelectric conversion module 110 do not match. In this way, terminal users or maintenance personnel can only observe that the terminal devices are running but not functioning properly, requiring them to check the cause of the failure one by one at each node in the system. In contrast, with the decision mechanism of the exemplary embodiment described above, the media converter 100 directly stops supplying power if the specifications of the photoelectric conversion module 110 do not match. Therefore, terminal users or maintenance personnel can directly reduce the scope of inspection and repair to components related to the PoE function first. For example, by checking the operation / power status of the media converter 100, the connection status of the fiber optic cable, and the specifications of the photoelectric conversion module 110, most problems can be eliminated, which helps improve the efficiency of troubleshooting and inspection / repair.

[0033] In some embodiments, the main controller 140 may also be used as a basis for determining whether to issue a PoE control signal Spc to enable the optical signal Sopt, which is indicated by a third state signal St3 that indicates the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt received by the photoelectric conversion module 110.

[0034] More specifically, the third state signal St3 may indicate whether the signal intensity of the optical signal Sopt is greater than the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110, where the third state signal St3 is enabled if the signal intensity of the optical signal Sopt is greater than the receiving sensitivity by a certain value, and conversely, the third state signal St3 is disabled if the signal intensity of the optical signal Sopt is not greater than the receiving sensitivity by a certain value. In some embodiments, the certain value may be, for example, 1 dBm, i.e., the third state signal St3 is enabled if the signal intensity of the optical signal Sopt is greater than the receiving sensitivity by 1 dBm or more, but this application is not limited thereto.

[0035] In this exemplary embodiment, the main controller 140 may enable the PoE function by issuing a PoE control signal Spc, which is enabled when the first status signal St1, the second status signal St2, and the third status signal St3 are all enabled (i.e., the instruction signal Slos indicates that the optical signal Sopt is not lost, and the instruction signal Slks indicates that online establishment has been successful). In other words, in this exemplary embodiment, the PoE function is disabled as long as any one of the first status signal St1 and the second status signal St2, which indicate the connection status of the optical signal Sopt, and the third status signal St3, which indicates the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt, is disabled.

[0036] Through this determination mechanism, the media converter 100 supplies power to the backend terminal devices 20_1~20_n only if the optical fiber cable is properly connected / not disconnected, the specifications of the photoelectric conversion module 110 and the signal conversion module 120 match, and the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt is higher than the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110. In this determination mechanism, even if the optical fiber cable is properly connected and the specifications of the photoelectric conversion module 110 match, the media converter 100 stops supplying power to the terminal devices 20_1~20_n unless the specification parameters (e.g., optical wavelength) of the photoelectric conversion module 110 are set correctly.

[0037] Similar to the advantages of the exemplary embodiment described above, this exemplary embodiment can further improve the accuracy and reliability of the decision based on the aforementioned basis by further adding optical signal intensity as the basis for deciding whether to enable PoE. More specifically, in the decision mechanism of the exemplary embodiment described above, if the specification parameters (e.g., optical wavelength) of the photoelectric conversion module 110 are not set correctly, and the signal intensity of the optical signal Sopt approaches or falls below the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110, the instruction signal Slks may be changed instantaneously, potentially causing repeated activation / deactivation of the PoE function. On terminal devices 20_1 to 20_n, it may be observed that the device is repeatedly online and unable to operate normally. Therefore, the decision mechanism of the third state signal St3 added in this exemplary embodiment can further avoid the occurrence of this problem and further improve the accuracy of the decision.

[0038] Those with general art knowledge of the present application should, after referring to the description of the embodiments above, understand that the scope disclosed in this application further includes the main controller 140 making a decision to enable the PoE function based on at least two of the first to third state signals St1 to St3, each of which can improve the accuracy of the decision and have the effect of avoiding power waste.

[0039] In other words, the main controller 140 may also use, and is not limited to, a first status signal St1 (indicating whether the optical signal Sopt has been lost) and a third status signal St3 (indicating whether the optical signal intensity has exceeded the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110), or a second status signal St2 (indicating whether online establishment between the signal conversion module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110 has been successful) and a third status signal as a basis for determining whether to issue a PoE control signal to enable the PoE.

[0040] Although the above description of the embodiment uses a media converter as an example, this application is not limited thereto, and it should be noted that the components included in the device 100 will vary depending on the type, and the hardware may not necessarily include all of the above components. For example, if the device 100 is a PoE switch, the photoelectric conversion module 110 may be a separate SFP module. That is, in this case, the device 100 may be considered to include only the signal conversion module 120, the PoE control module 130, and the main controller 140, without including the photoelectric conversion module 110. This is explicitly stated here.

[0041] The following describes the step flow of the power supply control method for a device supporting PoE functionality, with Figures 2A and 2B illustrating the step flowcharts of the power supply control method for a device supporting Ethernet power supply functionality in different embodiments of this application.

[0042] Referring to Figures 1 and 2A together, the steps of the power supply control method in this embodiment are: a step in which the photoelectric conversion module 110 receives an optical signal Sopt and converts the optical signal Sopt into a first electrical signal Se (step S110); a step in which the signal processing module 120 receives the first electrical signal Se and converts the first electrical signal Se into second electrical signals Spd_1 to Spd_n that support Ethernet data transmission (step S120); and a step in which the connection status of the optical signal Sopt is determined and a first status signal St1 / St2 is emitted accordingly to indicate the connection status. The process includes the steps of generating (step S130), determining the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt and generating a second status signal St3 that indicates whether the signal strength is greater than a certain value than the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110 (step S140), and deciding whether to enable the PoE function according to the first status signals St1 / St2 and the second status signal St3 (step S150), where if the PoE function is enabled, a DC power supply Pdc is generated and applied to the second electrical signals Spd_1~Spd_n.

[0043] In step S130, the first status signal may refer to either the indicator signal Slos for indicating whether the optical signal Sopt has been lost, or the indicator signal Slks for indicating whether the online establishment between the signal processing module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110 has been successful, as in the above embodiment. In other words, the first status signal in this embodiment may be one of the first status signal St1 and the second status signal St2 of the above embodiment.

[0044] On the other hand, in step S140, the second state signal of this embodiment may be a third state signal St3 that can be used to indicate the signal intensity of the optical signal Sopt in the above embodiment.

[0045] In step S150, the main controller 140 enables the PoE function by issuing a PoE control signal Spc, which enables the PoE function only when the first status signals St1 / St2 and the second status signal St3 are enabled simultaneously.

[0046] Referring to Figures 1 and 2B together, the steps of the power supply control method in this embodiment are: a step in which the photoelectric conversion module 110 receives an optical signal Sopt and converts the optical signal Sopt into a first electrical signal Se (step S210); a step in which the signal processing module 120 receives the first electrical signal Se and converts the first electrical signal Se into second electrical signals Spd_1 to Spd_n that support Ethernet data transmission (step S220); a step in which the signal processing module 120 determines whether the optical signal Sopt has been lost and generates a first status signal accordingly (step S230); and an online connection between the signal processing module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110. The procedure includes the steps of: determining whether establishment has been successful and generating a second status signal St2 accordingly (step S240); determining the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt and generating a third status signal St3 indicating whether the signal strength is greater than a certain value than the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110 accordingly (step S250); and determining whether to enable the PoE function according to at least two of the first to third status signals St1 to St3 (step S260), where if the PoE function is enabled, a DC power supply Pdc is generated and applied to the second electrical signals Spd_1 to Spd_n.

[0047] In comparison with the embodiment in Figure 2A, in the step flow of this embodiment, the main controller 140 may use at least two of three states as criteria for judgment: whether the optical signal Sopt has been lost, whether online establishment between the signal processing module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110 has been successful, and whether the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt is greater than a certain value (e.g., 1 dBm) than the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110. In some embodiments, in step S260, the PoE function may be enabled by issuing a PoE control signal Spc, which is enabled only when all of the first to third state signals St1 to St3 are enabled.

[0048] The following diagram further illustrates a specific example of the flow shown in Figure 2B, where Figure 3 is a specific step flowchart of the power supply control method according to several embodiments of Figure 2B. Referring to Figures 1 and 3 together, in step S230, the photoelectric conversion module 110 determines whether the optical signal Sopt has been lost (step S231). If it is determined that the optical signal Sopt has not been lost, the photoelectric conversion module 110 generates a first status signal St1 to enable it (step S232). Conversely, if it is determined that the optical signal Sopt has been lost, the photoelectric conversion module 110 generates a first status signal St1 to disable it (step S233).

[0049] Next, in step 240, if it is determined that the optical signal Sopt is not lost, the signal processing module 120 determines whether the transmission state of the first electrical signal Se conforms to the link mode (step S241). If the signal processing module 120 determines that the transmission state of the first electrical signal Se conforms to the link mode, it indicates that online establishment between the signal processing module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110 has been successful, and the signal processing module 120 generates a second status signal St2 to enable (step S242). Conversely, if the signal processing module 120 determines that the transmission state of the first electrical signal Se does not conform to the link mode, it indicates that online establishment between the signal processing module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110 has not been successful, and the signal processing module 120 generates a second status signal St2 to disable (step S243).

[0050] Next, in step 250, after determining that online establishment between the signal processing module 120 and the photoelectric conversion module 110 has been successful, the main controller 140 first checks whether the photoelectric conversion module 110 supports providing the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt (step S251). If it is determined that the photoelectric conversion module 110 can provide signal strength information, the main controller 140 further determines whether the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt is greater than or equal to a first threshold (step S252), where the first threshold may be at least 1 dBm higher than, for example, the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module 110. If the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt is greater than or equal to the first threshold, a third state signal St3 is generated to enable it (step S253), and conversely, if the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt is less than the first threshold, a third state signal St3 is generated to disable it (step S254). On the other hand, if the main controller 140 determines that the photoelectric conversion module 110 cannot provide signal strength information, the main controller 140 skips the determination in step S252 and performs step S260 based on the first status signal St1 and the second status signal St2, which the main controller 140 directly enables.

[0051] In step S260, when the main controller 140 receives the first to third status signals St1 to St3 to enable, the main controller 140 generates an enable PoE control signal Spc so that the PoE control module 130 enables the PoE function (step S261). Conversely, if any one of the first to third status signals St1 to St3 received by the main controller 140 is disabled, the main controller 140 generates a disable PoE control signal Spc so that the PoE control module 130 disables the PoE function (step S262).

[0052] For example, if the main controller 140 determines in step S251 that the photoelectric conversion module 110 supports providing the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt, and in step S252 determines that the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt is equal to or greater than a first threshold, the main controller 140 receives the first to third status signals St1 to St3 to enable the function and performs step S261 to enable the PoE function. Conversely, if the main controller 140 determines in step S251 that the photoelectric conversion module 110 does not support providing the signal strength of the optical signal Sopt, the main controller 140 directly determines that the media controller 100 is operating normally based on the first status signal St1 and the second status signal St2, and performs step S261 to enable the PoE function.

[0053] In some embodiments, during the operation of the device 100, after steps S261 / S262, the step flow in Figure 3 may return to step S230 immediately or after a predetermined time to repeat the state determination to decide whether to enable or disable the PoE function.

[0054] Furthermore, while the step flow shown in the embodiment of Figure 3 sequentially determines and generates corresponding first to third state signals St1 to St3, it should be noted that this application is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the determinations in steps S231, S241, and S251 of the above embodiment may be performed partially or entirely simultaneously, or the order may be adjusted.

[0055] This application is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

[0056] Furthermore, any numerical values ​​mentioned in this application are not intended to limit the realization of the present invention to these specified values ​​alone. A person with general articulation will understand that each numerical value / composition ratio has an acceptable tolerance, and any values ​​close to the disclosed range will be considered to fall within the scope of the disclosure of the present invention, as long as they do not significantly affect the results / functions that each experimental example seeks to achieve. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 10: Fiber optic network equipment 20_1~20_n: Terminal equipment 100: Devices that support PoE functionality 110: Photoelectric conversion module 120: Signal Processing Module 130: PoE control module 140: Main Controller Fp_1~Fp_m: Fiber optic port Rp_1~Rp_n: Ethernet ports Pdc: Direct current power supply Se, Spd1~Spdn: Electrical signals Spc: PoE control signal Sopt: Optical signal Slos, Slks: instruction signal S110~S150, S210~S260: Steps for controlling the power supply of a device that supports PoE functionality. St1: First status signal St2: Second status signal St3: Third status signal

Claims

1. A device that supports Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality, suitable for converting a first electrical signal associated with an optical signal into a second electrical signal that supports Ethernet data transmission and providing it to a corresponding terminal device via at least one Ethernet port, A signal processing module for receiving the first electrical signal and converting the first electrical signal into the second electrical signal, A PoE control module for determining whether to enable the PoE function according to a PoE control signal, wherein upon receiving a PoE control signal to enable, the PoE control module enables the PoE function, generates a DC power supply and applies it to the second electrical signal so that the second electrical signal with the DC power supply is provided to the corresponding Ethernet port, and upon receiving a PoE control signal to disable, the PoE control module disables the PoE function and stops generating the DC power supply. The signal processing module and the PoE control module are electrically connected, and the system includes a main controller for controlling the operation of the PoE control module by issuing corresponding PoE control signals according to a first status signal indicating the connection state of the optical signal and a second status signal indicating the signal intensity of the optical signal. Herein, the device supports the Ethernet power supply function, which, when the first status signal and the second status signal received by the main controller are simultaneously enabled, generates a PoE control signal to enable the PoE function and activate the PoE function.

2. The apparatus for supporting the Ethernet power supply function according to claim 1, further comprising a photoelectric conversion module for electrically connecting the signal processing module and the main controller, receiving the optical signal, and converting the optical signal into the first electrical signal.

3. The main controller determines whether the signal intensity of the optical signal is greater than or equal to a first threshold according to the first electrical signal, and if the signal intensity is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the second status signal is enabled, and if the signal intensity is less than the first threshold, the second status signal is disabled, wherein the first threshold is at least 1 dBm higher than the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module, the device supporting the Ethernet power supply function according to claim 2.

4. The device supporting the Ethernet power supply function according to claim 3, wherein the photoelectric conversion module generates a first instruction signal according to whether the optical signal has been lost, the signal processing module determines whether it has successfully established an online connection with the photoelectric conversion module and generates a second instruction signal accordingly, and the main controller sets one of the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal as the first status signal.

5. The device supporting the Ethernet power supply function according to claim 4, wherein the main controller further determines the disable / enable state of the PoE control signal it emits according to a third status signal, and the main controller sets the other of the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal as the third status signal.

6. If any one of the first to third status signals is disabled, the main controller generates the PoE control signal to disable it, thereby disabling the PoE function, the device supporting the Ethernet power supply function according to claim 5.

7. A device that supports Ethernet Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality, A photoelectric conversion module for receiving an optical signal and converting the optical signal into a first electrical signal, the photoelectric conversion module for generating a first status signal according to whether the optical signal has been lost, A signal processing module for electrically connecting the photoelectric conversion module, receiving the first electrical signal, and converting the first electrical signal into a second electrical signal that supports Ethernet data transmission, the signal processing module for determining whether online establishment with the photoelectric conversion module has been successful and for generating a second status signal accordingly, A PoE control module for determining whether to enable the PoE function according to a PoE control signal, wherein upon receiving a PoE control signal to enable, the PoE control module enables the PoE function, generates a DC power supply and applies it to the second electrical signal so that the second electrical signal with the DC power supply is provided to the corresponding Ethernet port, and upon receiving a PoE control signal to disable, the PoE control module disables the PoE function and stops generating the DC power supply. The system includes a main controller for electrically connecting the photoelectric conversion module, the signal processing module, and the PoE control module, and for controlling the operation of the PoE control module by issuing corresponding PoE control signals according to the first status signal and the second status signal, Herein, if either the first status signal or the second status signal received by the main controller is disabled, the device generates a PoE control signal to disable it and disables the PoE function, thereby supporting the Ethernet power supply function.

8. The main controller further determines the disable / enable state of the PoE control signal it emits according to a third status signal indicating the signal strength of the optical signal, and the main controller determines whether the signal strength of the optical signal is greater than or equal to a first threshold according to the first electrical signal, and if the signal strength is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the third status signal is enabled, and if the signal strength is less than the first threshold, the third status signal is disabled, and if any one of the first to third status signals received by the main controller is disabled, the main controller generates a PoE control signal to disable it and disables the PoE function, the device supporting the Ethernet power supply function according to claim 7.

9. The device supporting the Ethernet power supply function according to claim 8, wherein the first threshold is at least 1 dBm higher than the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module.

10. A power supply control method for a device that supports Ethernet power supply functionality, The photoelectric conversion module receives an optical signal and converts the optical signal into a first electrical signal, The signal processing module receives the first electrical signal and converts the first electrical signal into a second electrical signal that supports Ethernet data transmission. To determine whether the aforementioned optical signal has been lost and to generate a first status signal accordingly, The signal processing module determines whether it has successfully established an online connection with the photoelectric conversion module and generates a second status signal accordingly. The system determines whether the difference between the signal intensity of the optical signal and the receiving sensitivity of the photoelectric conversion module is 1 dBm or more, and generates a third state signal accordingly. A power supply control method for a device supporting an Ethernet power supply function, comprising: determining whether to enable the PoE function according to the first to third status signals, wherein if the PoE function is enabled, a DC power supply is generated and applied to the second electrical signal.

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