Wire Pair Pulse Power Timing and FEC for Reliable Data Links

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional Power over Ethernet (PoE) systems are limited in power capacity, typically delivering up to 100W, which is insufficient for many modern devices, and simultaneous data transmission with pulse power can lead to data corruption due to high voltage pulse edges.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves using a controller to suspend data transmission during pulse power transitions and applying Forward Error Correction (FEC) to mitigate data corruption, allowing for the transmission of pulse power and data over a single wire pair while using pulse power transition edges to control data transmission and error marking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If pulse power is transmitted simultaneously with data over a wire pair, then power delivery capacity is increased, but data corruption occurs due to high voltage pulse edges

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower delivery capacityVSAvoiddata transmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The transmission medium is segmented into dedicated power transmission periods and dedicated data transmission periods. During power periods, pulse power is transmitted; during data periods, only data is transmitted. This temporal segmentation eliminates interference between power and data signals, resolving the contradiction between high power delivery and data reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs periodic alternation between power transmission modes and data transmission modes. The controller periodically switches the wire pair between carrying pulse power and carrying data signals, ensuring that high voltage pulse edges never coincide with data transmission, thus maintaining both high power capacity and data integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If data transmission is suspended during power transitions, then data corruption is prevented, but transmission time is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoiddata transmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The controller preliminarily identifies power transition periods and pre-schedules data transmission to avoid these periods. By anticipating when power transitions will occur, the system can proactively pause data transmission only when necessary and resume immediately after, minimizing time loss while ensuring data reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback mechanisms where the controller monitors power transmission status and dynamically adjusts data transmission timing. When power transitions are detected or anticipated, the controller receives feedback and automatically suspends or schedules data transmission accordingly, optimizing the balance between reliability and transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If Forward Error Correction is applied to data, then data corruption is mitigated, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoiderror correction processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Forward Error Correction codes are preliminarily applied to data packets before transmission during dedicated data periods. The encoding process adds redundancy bits that enable the receiver to detect and correct errors without requiring retransmission, mitigating data corruption while using well-established algorithms that balance complexity and effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4351093A1Transmission of pulse power and data over a wire pair
Publication Date: 2024.04.10 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP4351093A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4351093A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4351093A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method and associated systems for applying forward error correction to data at power sourcing equipment. Both data and power are transmitted over a wire pair to a powered device. Where it is identified that data is transmitted during a power transition, forward error correction to some or all of the data based on the identified power transmission.