Ethernet Switch Power Allocation via Preliminary Action and Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional Ethernet switches without hardware support for detecting powered devices before enabling power cannot pre-allocate power effectively, leading to inefficient power management and potential failure to meet IEEE 802.3af standards, especially in switches with a large number of ports.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines the available power capacity and assigns configuration power and priority to each port, enabling power in a single step and reallocating if necessary, with hardware detecting powered devices and adjusting power allocation based on priority and availability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If power is pre-allocated to all ports before enabling them, then power capacity is reserved and available for future use, but ports without powered devices cannot release their allocated power back to the pool

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower capacity managementVSAvoidunused power allocation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary power allocation to all enabled ports before actual powered device detection occurs. This ensures power capacity is reserved in advance, allowing ports to be enabled without waiting for device detection. The preliminary allocation is then adjusted based on actual device presence, releasing unused power back to the pool.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where power allocation is initially made to all enabled ports, then adjusted based on feedback from powered device detection. Ports without powered devices return their allocated power to the pool, while ports with powered devices retain their allocation. This feedback loop ensures optimal power distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of energy

If power is allocated only after detecting powered devices, then unused power is released back to the pool, but ports cannot be enabled in a single step with detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower efficiencyVSAvoidport enabling operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Speed

If power is pre-allocated assuming all enabled ports have powered devices, then powered devices can immediately receive power, but the power pool is quickly reduced to zero preventing other ports from being enabled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower allocation speedVSAvoidport enablement capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts power allocation based on actual powered device detection results. Initially, all enabled ports receive power allocation, but this allocation is dynamic and subject to adjustment. When ports without powered devices are identified, their power is released back to the pool, dynamically increasing capacity for other ports.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Ease of operation

If hardware provides a single enable control that simultaneously enables and powers ports, then the operation is simplified, but power cannot be pre-allocated before enabling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol operationVSAvoidhardware control structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary software layer that manages power allocation between the hardware enable control and the powered devices. The software performs preliminary power allocation, enables ports through the hardware control, then adjusts allocation based on device detection. This intermediary layer allows sophisticated power management while using simple hardware controls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces complex hardware power control mechanisms with software-based power management. Instead of requiring separate hardware controls for power allocation and port enabling, the invention uses software to manage power distribution while the hardware provides simple enable controls. This substitution allows advanced power management capabilities without increasing hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS7631201B2System software for managing power allocation to Ethernet ports in the absence of mutually exclusive detection and powering cycles in hardware

Publication Date: 2009.12.08 RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A method of allocating power to ports in an Ethernet switch, including: (1) determining the available capacity of a power pool used to supply the ports, (2) assigning a configuration power to each of the ports, (3) selecting a port to be enabled, (4) determining whether the available capacity of the power pool exceeds the configuration power assigned to the selected port, and, if the available capacity of the power pool exceeds the configuration power assigned to the selected port, then (4) subtracting the configuration power assigned to the selected port from the available capacity of the power pool, (5) enabling and powering the selected port and simultaneously detecting whether the selected port is connected to a powered device, and (6) adding the configuration power assigned to the selected port to the available capacity of the power pool if the port is not connected to a powered device.