Redundant Data Power Coupling Device for PoE Uptime
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Power over Ethernet (PoE) systems face availability issues due to cable unplugging, port misconfiguration, power loss, or maintenance, leading to unrecoverable loss of real-time and historical data in networks requiring 100% uptime.
Innovation Solution
A high availability combined data/power provisioning system with a combined data/power coupling device that configures multiple powering device connectors to receive power and data, ensuring uninterrupted data and power delivery to a powered device by switching to an alternate connector if the primary connection fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single powering device connector is used to provide data and power to a powered device, then the system structure is simple, but the system availability deteriorates when the connector experiences cable unplugging, port misconfiguration, power loss, or maintenance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the powering device connectors into primary and secondary connectors, each capable of independently providing data and power to the powered device. This segmentation allows the system to divide the connection function across multiple connectors, ensuring that if one connector fails, the other can take over, thereby improving system availability while managing complexity through structured organization
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary configuration of multiple powering device connectors before operation, establishing both primary and secondary connection paths in advance. This preliminary action ensures that backup connectivity is already prepared and tested, allowing for seamless failover if the primary connector fails, thus improving reliability without requiring complex real-time decision-making during operation
2Reliability
If multiple powering device connectors are configured for redundancy, then system availability improves, but device complexity increases due to additional connectors and switching logic
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functionality of multiple powering device connectors into a unified interface for the powered device. The coupling device combines data and power from either the primary or secondary connector and presents a single stable connection to the powered device, thereby providing redundancy benefits while maintaining simplicity at the powered device side
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device acts as an intermediary between the multiple powering device connectors and the powered device. It manages the complexity of switching between primary and secondary connectors internally, while presenting a simplified interface to the powered device, thus improving reliability without exposing the full complexity to the end system
3Loss of information
If conventional PoE systems are used with a single connector, then device complexity is low, but data loss occurs when the connector becomes unavailable due to cable issues, port problems, or power loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes secondary backup connectors in advance before any failure occurs, with all necessary data and power pathways pre-configured. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the primary connector fails, the secondary connector can immediately take over without data loss or interruption, preventing information loss while managing complexity through advance planning
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements beforehand cushioning by preparing backup connectors and pathways in advance, creating a safety buffer against potential failures. This cushioning approach ensures that when the primary connector becomes unavailable due to cable issues, port problems, or power loss, the secondary connector is already ready to maintain continuous operation, thereby preventing data loss
Data Source
AI summary
A combined data/power coupling device includes a chassis having first and second powering device connectors and a powered device connector each coupled to a data/power coupling subsystem. The data/power coupling subsystem configures each of the first and second powering device connectors to receive power from at least one powering device, configures the first powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device, and provides data and power received via the first powering device connector to a powered device via the powered device connector. When the data/power coupling subsystem determines that data and power are not available via the first powering device connector, it configures the second powering device connector to receive data from the at least one powering device, and provides data and power received via the second powering device connector to the powered device via the powered device connector.