Y Device for Redundant Power and Data in Wiring Closets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wired data telecommunications networks face challenges in providing redundancy for both data and power delivery, especially in scenarios where equipment failures occur, and there is a need for efficient allocation and management of Inline Power resources to ensure continuous operation of devices like IP telephones, surveillance cameras, and sensors.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Y device configuration that couples redundant signaling between network devices, allowing for dynamic impedance matching and master/slave status negotiation, ensures continuous data and power delivery by maintaining communication paths and providing redundant power sources within a single wiring closet, thus avoiding stub attenuation effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a Y device configuration is used to provide redundancy, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Y device as an intermediary component that couples three network devices together. This Y device enables redundancy by allowing any two of the three devices to communicate through it, while the third device can be isolated or fail without affecting the other two. The Y device acts as a mediator that provides failover capability and maintains connectivity in redundant configurations, directly resolving the reliability improvement need.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network into three distinct network devices (PSEs or PDs) that can independently operate. Each device can be isolated or active depending on the configuration, allowing the system to divide functionality across multiple components. This segmentation enables redundancy where if one device fails, the other two can continue to operate independently through the Y device coupling.
2Reliability
If dynamic impedance matching is implemented, then signal integrity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic impedance matching where the Y device can adjust its impedance characteristics in real-time based on the operational state of the connected network devices. The system dynamically changes impedance values to optimize signal transmission, accommodate different device states (active/isolated), and maintain signal integrity across varying network conditions, directly addressing the signal integrity improvement requirement.
3Reliability
If redundant power sources are provided, then reliability is improved, but loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by enabling selective power delivery to specific network devices based on their operational state. Through the Y device configuration, power can be locally delivered only to devices that are currently active and need it, while isolated or failed devices receive no power. This localized power management maintains redundancy capability while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption across the entire redundant system.
Data Source
AI summary
Redundancy of data and/or Inline Power in a wired data telecommunications network from a first network device and a second network device configured as power sourcing equipment (PSE) devices and coupled together and to a third network device (such as a PD) via a Y device is provided by providing redundant signaling to/from each of the pair of network devices, and coupling a port of each of the network devices to the Y device and from there to a third port where a third network device such as a PD may be coupled. Because the Y device is essentially passive, communications paths between the PSE devices and the PD are provided for negotiating master/slave status and other status and related information among the respective network devices. Dynamic impedance matching is provided to handle situations where not all devices are plugged in and as a communications technique among the devices.