WO2016058808A1

WO2016058808A1 - Locating a power-over-ethernet equipment

Info

Publication number: WO2016058808A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/072191
Authority: WO
Inventors: Maurice Herman Johan Draaijer; Ralf Gertruda Hubertus VONCKEN; Paul Anthony Shrubsole; Luca TIBERI
Original assignee: Philips Lighting Holding B.V.
Priority date: 2014-10-15
Filing date: 2015-09-28
Publication date: 2016-04-21

Abstract

The invention relates to a Power-over-Ethernet equipment (100) comprising at least one integrated PoE connector (110), PoE power wires (122, 124, 126, 128), which terminate at PoE power pins (112, 114, 116, 118) of the integrated PoE connector (110); a beacon device (150), which is connected to the PoE power wires (124, 126) in an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins (114, 116) of the integrated PoE connector (110) and which receives DC power through the PoE power wires (124, 126). The beacon device (150) is configured to perform, via a first air interface (170), a ranging signal exchange (418) in communication with at least one external ranging equipment (406), the ranging signal exchange (418) being suitable for determining location information indicative of a location of the beacon device (150) with respect to the external ranging equipment (406).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a Power-over-Ethernet equipment, to a method for operating a Power-over-Ethernet equipment, to a Power-over-Ethernet arrangement, and to a method for operating a Power-over-Ethernet arrangement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

PoE is a technology that allows providing a data connection and electrical power to devices using substantially one electrical cable and thus achieves an advantageous simplification in comparison with separated power and data supply infrastructures.

WO 2012/028981 Al discloses a management unit forming a Power-over- Ethernet (PoE) switch and a method for operating such a PoE power switch in a PoE arrangement that beside the PoE power switch further includes other PoE equipment devices. The PoE power switch comprises a first PoE port, to which an external PoE equipment can be connected, and controls the power delivered at the first PoE port in dependence on predetermined switching rules. A corresponding arrangement is known from GB 2 505 247 A.

US 2013/0030747 Al discloses a method for manually calibrating a light based positioning system in a location. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a map of positions of a plurality of light sources in the location; while positioned under one of the plurality of light sources on the map, receiving an identification code from the light source, wherein the identification code identifies the light source; and updating the map with the identification code for the light source. In some embodiments, the light source can be a light emitting diode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a Power-over-Ethernet equipment is provided, hereinafter PoE equipment, comprising

at least one integrated PoE connector for providing a PoE data and power connection to an external PoE connector of a complementary PoE connector type; PoE power wires, which terminate at PoE power pins of the integrated PoE connector, and connected for providing or receiving DC power in a state of connection to an external PoE equipment via the PoE connector;

a beacon device, which is connected to the PoE power wires in an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins of the integrated PoE connector and which receives DC power through the PoE power wires at least in the state of connection, the beacon device being configured to perform, via a first air interface a ranging signal exchange in communication with at least one external ranging equipment that together with the PoE equipment forms a Power-over-Ethernet arrangement, the ranging signal exchange being suitable for determining location information indicative of a location of the beacon device with respect to the external ranging equipment.

The PoE equipment of the first aspect of the present invention provides capability for a ranging signal exchange which can be used to locate the PoE equipment, for instance in a maintenance situation, for instance for rewiring or repairing of the PoE equipment. In many application scenarios, PoE equipment is provided at locations hidden from view and may therefore be difficult to find. The PoE equipment of the present invention thus allows finding its location easily.

Furthermore, the PoE equipment of the first aspect of the present invention achieves a particularly economical scheme for providing the ranging signal exchange, since the beacon device is connected to the PoE power wires in an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins of the integrated PoE connector and thus receives DC power through the PoE power wires at least in the state of connection without having to be connected to the PoE connector comprised by the PoE equipment. Since beacon devices can be provided in a very small structural shape, the structural shape of the PoE equipment can be virtually unchanged by the addition of the beacon device. As will be described later in the context of embodiments, the PoE equipment of the present invention can be kept to a size substantially equal to that of its integrated PoE connector.

The beacon device is configured to perform the ranging signal exchange in communication with the at least one external ranging equipment via the first air interface. In other words, the beacon device provides its own air interface dedicated to the ranging signal exchange, irrespective of any other communication capability that the PoE equipment may provide, depending on the application case. Any other communication capability that the PoE equipment may provide is not affected by the beacon device. However, the beacon device may provide the only communication capability of the PoE equipment in other application cases.

In the above definition of the PoE equipment, the phrase "PoE data and power connection" is used to describe as one embodiment a PoE cable with a standard PoE wiring using PoE power wires as well as PoE data wires within one cable sheathing terminating in PoE power pins and PoE data pins respectively, which is connected over a PoE connector inserted into a PoE port.

The first air interface serves for emitting and receiving the ranging signals in communication with at least one external ranging equipment and may use any wireless communication technology, as will be explained further below by way of different embodiments.

The term "PoE equipment" is used herein to refer to a PoE equipment device. Where reference is made to more than one PoE equipment, the term "PoE equipment devices" is used herein.

In the following, embodiments of the PoE equipment will be described.

The PoE equipment can take the form of any equipment device for use in a PoE arrangement. In particular, any device which is configured to receive or provide electrical power via a PoE connection is considered a PoE equipment in the present context. Non-limiting examples of application cases implementing the PoE equipment of the present inventing are for instance any PoE network component such as a PoE power switch, a PoE connector, a PoE adapter, a PoE splitter, a PoE injector, a PoE wireless transceiver, and a PoE lighting device. A basic embodiment is formed by a PoE powered beacon transmitter, that is, a beacon device that is powered via its integrated PoE connector.

Generally, the beacon device of the PoE equipment can be fabricated with a simple and robust structure. The beacon device thus advantageously forms a low-cost feature of the PoE equipment in many embodiments. The complexity of the inner electrical structure of the beacon device may of course differ. In some embodiments, the beacon device is configured to provide the ranging signal as a radio frequency signal, for instance in accordance with a wireless local area network (WLAN) technology, in particular based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards, and also known as WiFi in some regions. In other embodiments, the ranging signal is provided in accordance with a Bluetooth standard. In yet another group of embodiments, the radio- frequency (RF) signal beacon device is configured to operate in a license-free industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band, which, depending on respective legislation, in some regions for instance is a 433MHz or 868MHz band. However, the first air interface is not restricted to embodiments using RF signals. In another embodiment, acoustical, in particular ultrasound signals are used as the ranging signals.

In some embodiments of the PoE equipment the beacon device comprises a timer unit, which receives the DC power through the PoE power wires at least in the state of connection, and which is configured to activate a transmitter unit of the beacon device at predetermined points in time for performing the ranging signal exchange via the first air interface, and to deactivate the transmitter unit after performing the ranging signal exchange. This allows enabling an operation of the transmitter unit of the beacon device only at predetermined points in time, for instance at regular time intervals, or under otherwise defined conditions such as in a detected state of malfunction of the PoE equipment, or upon reception of an external trigger signal.

Further embodiments of the PoE equipment comprise a beacon control unit, which is configured to receive beacon control information from an external PoE equipment and which is configured to provide activation or deactivation signals to the beacon device in dependence on the received beacon control information. This for instance allows controlling, in particular adjusting, starting or stopping of a time interval between subsequent ranging signal exchanges, or a duration or any other control information concerning a ranging signal exchange of the PoE equipment with an external second PoE equipment, such as a PoE power switch. The beacon control information may be provided via the wired Ethernet connection or via another data communication channel, for example by means of a wireless connection to the PoE equipment.

In a further embodiment, the beacon device is detachably connected to the PoE power wires through a power port of the PoE equipment. In particular, for enabling a simple connection, the power port is in one variant of this embodiment accessible from an outside of the PoE equipment. Therefore, the beacon device can be replaced, added or removed if necessary. For instance, the beacon device can be removed after a ranging signal exchange in order to use it in another PoE equipment. In some of such variants, the location information is stored centrally after the ranging signal exchange has been performed, while in other variants it is stored in a memory of the PoE equipment.

In other variants of this embodiment, the beacon device has an internal power supply in addition to the connection to the PoE power wires, as for instance a chargeable battery, for being able to receive or emit signals even in a situation, in which no power is available via the PoE power wires. An antenna which is integrated into the PoE equipment is provided in other embodiments. In particular, the first air interface of such embodiments comprises an antenna which is structurally integrated into the PoE equipment and which is configured to emit and receive radio frequency signals. In one variant of this embodiment, the antenna is integrated into an encasement of the PoE equipment. In further variants of this embodiment, the antenna is connectable to the beacon device detachably, using for instance an additional connection pin or the like at the power port of the PoE equipment described above. That is advantageous for reducing the size of the beacon device.

In one embodiment, the PoE equipment comprises a malfunction detection unit, which is configured to detect at least one malfunctional operational state and which can ascertain and provide malfunction information and activate the beacon device upon detecting the malfunctional operational state, so that a malfunction report can be transmitted and used for triggering maintenance of the PoE equipment. Malfunction detection for instance involves detection a loss of connection to the PoE power source. In this embodiment, the provision of an internal power supply, e.g., a battery, of the beacon device as mentioned above is advantageous in order to allow emitting signals in case the malfunction involves a loss of connection to the PoE power source.

The ranging signal exchange can be performed in many different ways, according to different embodiments. Such ranging signal exchange procedures are well known per se. Not all variants of a ranging signal exchange provide an unambiguous location. For instance, in a ranging signal exchange between two devices, ambiguity remains as to the exact location of a particular device. However, in many application cases, such ambiguity can be reduced or resolved by the presence of additional information. For instance, in one variant the at least one external ranging equipment information about its exact location and can therefore provide other external ranging equipment devices or the PoE equipment with exact position information in the course of the signal ranging exchange.

For example, in one embodiment of the PoE equipment, the location

information is provided in the form of distance information, which is measured in a variant of this embodiment according to the ranging signal exchange in a communication between the beacon device and at least one external ranging equipment by measuring the signal strength or time of flight differences between two exchanged signals. More exact location information can be obtained in an embodiment of the PoE equipment, in which the beacon device is configured to perform the ranging signal exchange in communication with at least two external ranging equipment devices. To this end, the PoE equipment is in particular configured to either determine or receive the location information based on the respective signal exchanges, and to determine from the location information in its entirety or to receive the location information regarding the location of the beacon device and therefore also of the PoE equipment with respect to the at least two external ranging equipment devices. In a variant of this embodiment, the number of possible locations is reduced to two by using two external ranging equipment devices and determining with both distance information the final location with respect to the two spatially fixed external ranging equipment devices. Thus, the position of the PoE equipment relative to both external ranging equipment devices can be determined. In a further variant of this embodiment, more than two external ranging equipment devices are used for determining distance information between each other and between an external ranging equipment and the beacon device and therefore the position information of the PoE equipment and of at least one external ranging equipment can be provided.

As explained above, the PoE equipment can take many different forms and provide different functionalities. In one embodiment, the PoE equipment is additionally configured to operate as the external ranging equipment in the PoE arrangement comprising at least two PoE equipment devices. Thus, the PoE equipment can assume different roles, depending on a given installation of a PoE arrangement.

Further embodiments of the PoE equipment comprise a second air interface in addition to the first air interface. The PoE equipment of such embodiments is preferably configured to transmit the location information via the second air interface. In a particularly advantageous application case of this embodiment, the second air interface is formed by a light source of a PoE lighting device, which emits the location information in form of coded- light signals. Such coded- light signals can be provided in the form of a superposition to the light for the actual lighting application. In a particular variant of this embodiment, therefore, the second air interface is a part of a PoE lighting device in a PoE lighting system of a room or a building. In some variants, the coded light is emitted by at least one light emitting diode, which is capable of sending high frequency signals in addition to low-frequent illuminating light. Thus, the coded-light signals can be transmitted in a form that is imperceptible for human eyes and without affecting the illumination requirements of the lighting system. The use of light emitting diodes leads to long lifetimes of the PoE lighting system and to a low power consumption compared to other illuminants.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a PoE arrangement comprises, at a first location, a PoE equipment according to the first aspect of the invention or one of its embodiments disclosed herein, and, at one or more respective second locations different from the first location, at least one external ranging equipment, which is configured to perform the ranging signal exchange in communication with the beacon device of the PoE equipment.

The PoE arrangement shares the advantages described in the context of the embodiments of the PoE equipment of the first aspect.

In different embodiments, the PoE arrangement is an arrangement of a plurality of PoE equipment devices of the first aspect of the invention. However, the PoE arrangement may only include one PoE equipment according to the first aspect, and "non- PoE" ranging equipment that is suitable for a ranging signal exchange with the PoE equipment. Such non-PoE ranging equipment may in particular take the form of a beacon device that is not powered by the PoE system, or not connected with the PoE arrangement for data exchange via a PoE connection.

In an embodiment of the PoE arrangement, the PoE equipment according to the first aspect, which is included in the arrangement, is a PoE power switch, which is configured to provide PoE data and power to the at least one external ranging equipment. In this embodiment, the at least one external ranging equipment is for instance a PoE lighting device, which is configured to receive the PoE data and power from the PoE power switch.

In such embodiments of the PoE arrangement, a user interface equipment is additionally provided. The user interface equipment is configured to receive the location information provided via the second air interface and to provide the location information as an output via a user interface. The user interface equipment is typically not a PoE equipment. It serves to provide location information determined within the PoE arrangement according to one of the procedures described above to a user. This is for instance useful for helping maintenance staff in locating PoE equipment to be maintained. In some variants of this embodiment, the user interface equipment is a stationary server. Other variants of the PoE arrangement comprise a user interface equipment that has a display for providing a graphical representation of the received location information, which may take the form of a coded-light signal. In other variants of this embodiment, the user interface equipment is a mobile phone, a notebook, or a convertible or tablet computer. Any combination of these devices can be used to form a user interface equipment as well. In a further variant of this embodiment, the user interface equipment has a display showing an overlay image and a part of the environment based on the received location information. In another variant of this embodiment, the user interface equipment includes an optical head-mounted display. In one application case, the PoE arrangement is a PoE lighting system of a room, a floor or a building. In such PoE arrangements, at least some of the PoE equipments forming the PoE lighting system are advantageously mounted to be hidden by a ceiling construction and therefore not visible to maintenance staff. For instance, one or more PoE power switches controlling the operation of PoE lighting devices are suitably mounted hidden by the ceiling construction. PoE lighting devices are typically embedded in the ceiling construction. This keeps the necessary cable connections short and achieves a reduction of power losses otherwise occurring due to long Ethernet cables.

In this type of PoE arrangement, the PoE equipment of the first aspect supports maintenance staff in locating PoE equipment (such as a PoE power switch) subject to necessary maintenance operation among a possibly large number of PoE equipment devices in the PoE lighting system. Experience shows that PoE hardware components have different lifetimes, for instance PoE power switches (5 to 7 years) and PoE lighting modules using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (about 10 years). Therefore, this maintenance of hidden PoE hardware will often be necessary in regular operation of large PoE lighting systems, and the present embodiment provides an additional advantage in that it facilitates the maintenance work by allowing a quick finding of hidden PoE equipment to be maintained by means of the user interface equipment.

In such an embodiment of the PoE arrangement, at least one of the PoE equipment devices comprised suitably has the second air interface in the form of a coded- light emitter configured to emit the location information in the form of a coded-light signal for reception by the user interface equipment. Variants of this user interface equipment for instance have a second air interface comprising a receiving unit for the reception of the coded-light signal, a processing unit for determining the location information based on the received coded-light signal and an additional unit that provides a user with the determined location information concerning the PoE equipment. The coded-light is suitably received by at least one photo-diode comprised by the user interface equipment

A general advantage of the communication via light sources is an easy detectability of the coded-light signals and a high level of data security, since the location information is provided only locally, and an especially configured user interface equipment is required to learn about the location of the PoE equipment to be found.

In PoE arrangements, in which the location information is provided by two or more external ranging equipment devices in the form of a coded-light signal, the position information concerning the PoE equipment can be determined by using both coded-light signals. Furthermore, a user interface equipment may be enabled to determine, on one hand, the spatial position of the PoE equipment to be located relative to the ranging equipment devices, and, on the other hand, also the orientation of the user interface equipment with respect to a fixed position of the ranging equipment devices. In particular, the user interface equipment is configured in one embodiment to determine its orientation with respect to the ranging equipment devices by detecting the ranging equipment devices via a camera connected to the user interface equipment, and based on the known fixed positions of the ranging equipment devices.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for operating a PoE equipment comprises

establishing a PoE data and power connection with an external PoE equipment via an integrated PoE connector, wherein the PoE power connection is established via PoE power wires, which terminate at PoE power pins of the integrated PoE connector, for providing or receiving DC power in a state of connection to the external PoE equipment; - providing the PoE equipment with a beacon device, which is connected to the

PoE power wires in an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins of the integrated PoE connector and which receives DC power through the PoE power wires at least in the state of connection; and

the beacon device performing, via a first air interface, a ranging signal exchange in communication with at least one external ranging equipment that together with the PoE equipment forms a Power-over-Ethernet arrangement, the ranging signal exchange being suitable for determining location information indicative of a location of the beacon device with respect to the external ranging equipment.

The method of the third aspect of the invention shares the advantages described in the context of the PoE equipment of the first aspect.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a method for operating a Power- over-Ethernet arrangement comprises

performing a method for operating a PoE equipment in accordance with the third aspect of the invention or one of its embodiments;

- providing the external ranging equipment;

the external ranging equipment receiving or determining the location information; and

the external ranging equipment providing the location information via a second air interface. In some embodiments of the method for operating a PoE arrangement, the method further comprises the providing of the external ranging equipment in form of at least one PoE lighting device, which is receiving or determining the location information. The PoE lighting device is emitting a coded- light signal indicative of the location information.

In addition, a user interface equipment is provided in one embodiment and has a receiver for the coded-light signal and a user interface. Furthermore, according to this embodiment of the method, the user interface equipment is receiving the coded-light signal and provides the location information as an output via the user interface. As explained above in detail, this method provides a user, such as maintenance staff, with the location

information of a PoE equipment to be found, including of course any other object or device which is located at the position of the PoE equipment.

It shall be understood that the PoE equipment of the first aspect of the invention, as also defined in claim 1 , the PoE arrangement of the second aspect of the invention or claim 9, the method for operating a PoE equipment of the third aspect, also defined in claim 14, and the method for operating a PoE arrangement, as defined in claim 15, have similar and/or identical embodiments.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a PoE equipment;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of details of a possible implementation of a beacon device for use in embodiments of a PoE equipment;

Fig. 3 shows an illustration of an embodiment of a PoE equipment in the form of a PoE connector;

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of an indoor environment as an embodiment of a PoE arrangement;

Fig. 5 is an illustration of an embodiment of a PoE arrangement for communication with a user interface equipment in the form of an optical head-mounted display;

Fig. 6 is a flow diagram that illustrates an embodiment of a method for operating a PoE equipment; and Fig. 7 is a flow diagram that illustrates an embodiment of a method for operating a PoE arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of a PoE equipment 100. The PoE equipment 100 comprises an integrated PoE connector 110 with PoE power pins 112, 114, 116, 118. For reasons of simplicity in explaining the present embodiment, only one integrated PoE connector 110 is shown. However, it is understood that the PoE equipment may comprise any number of integrated PoE connectors which is suitable for a given application purpose of the PoE equipment. The PoE equipment may further include additional data or power ports, for instance a "simple" Ethernet port, or a connector for receiving DC power from an external power source.

The PoE connector 110 has a configuration in accordance with a known industry standard, such as IEEE 802.3 af or IEEE 802.3 at, or with any PoE standard corresponding to or standing in the line of succession to these well known IEEE standards.

For reasons of graphical simplicity, PoE data wires are not shown in Fig. 1. PoE power wires terminating at the PoE power pins 112, 114, 116, 118 of the integrated PoE connector 110 are shown under reference labels 122, 124, 126, 128. A beacon device 150 is connected to the PoE power wires 124 and 126 via wires 152 and 154 which form an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins 114 and 116.

In the present embodiment, the beacon device 150 has a signal-processing unit 160 and a first air interface 170, for instance in the form of a RF transceiver, connected to the processing unit 160. However, this structure of the beacon device is only an example. Any beacon device, which can be connected to the PoE power wires as described above and which is configured to perform a ranging signal exchange in communication with at least one external ranging equipment that together with the PoE equipment forms a Power-over- Ethernet arrangement, is suitable for use in the PoE equipment 100.

The integrated PoE connector 110 provides a data and power connectivity to an external PoE connector that is not shown in Fig. 1. The PoE power wires 122, 124, 126, 128 are to be connected via the PoE power pins 112, 114, 116, 118 for providing or receiving DC power to or from an external PoE equipment via the integrated PoE connector 110.

In the present example, the beacon device 150 receives DC power through the PoE power wires 124 and 126 via the wires 152 and 154, at least in state of connection. Typically, one of the PoE power wires 124 and 126 will provide a voltage between 7 and 30 V, and the other of PoE power wires will be connected to ground potential. The DC power is received by the signal-processing unit 160 of the beacon device 150. The signal-processing unit is configured to activate a ranging signal exchange of the beacon device with an external ranging equipment (not shown) via the first air interface 170. The ranging signal exchange is performed in communication with one or more external ranging equipment devices, and the ranging signal exchange- which as such known per se - is suitable for determining location information indicative of a location of the beacon device 150 with respect to the external ranging equipment.

In a variant of this embodiment, which is not shown here, the beacon device 150 is detachably connected to the PoE power wires 124 and 126 through a power port of the PoE equipment 100, and the power port is accessible from an outside of the PoE equipment 100. A detachable connection can be reasonable for a temporarily use of the beacon device 150. After the ranging signal exchange, the beacon 150 might be used elsewhere.

Thus, the PoE equipment 100 with its beacon device 150 provides capability for a ranging signal exchange which can be used to locate the PoE equipment 100, for instance in a maintenance situation. The PoE equipment 100 includes a particularly simple implementation of an air interface 170 for performing a ranging signal exchange, which at the same time does not make use of any integrated PoE connector of the PoE equipment, due to the parallel electrical connection of the beacon device 150 via the wires 152 and 154. This provides a ranging capability for PoE equipment devices, which saves PoE capacity of the PoE equipment and therefore helps maintaining a small structural shape of the PoE equipment.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of details of a possible implementation of a beacon device for use in embodiments of a PoE equipment. In the present case, the same reference numerals are used as in Fig. 1 for corresponding structural elements, to improve readability, without, however, implying that the beacon device can only be used in the PoE equipment 100.

The beacon device 150 shown in Fig. 2 is connected to the PoE power wires 124 and 126 via the wires 152 and 154. The processing unit 160 of the beacon device 150 of Fig. 2 comprises a timer unit 262 and a transmitter unit 264 which are connected with each other in a series electrical connection. The transmitter unit 264 is connected to an RF antenna 275 forming the first air interface 170.

The timer unit 262 receives DC power through the connection with the PoE power wires 124 and 126 via the wires 152 and 154, and is configured to activate the transmitter unit 264 of the beacon device 150 to perform the ranging signal exchange via the antenna 275 of the first air interface 170. The timer unit 262 may for instance enable the transmitter unit 264 at regular time intervals, in order to induce a current into the antenna 275 and thus transmit a predetermined ranging signal in exchange with an external ranging device. The time spacing of the regular time intervals determines the signaling rate of the depicted radio frequency beacon device 150.

The antenna 275 is in one variant structurally integrated into the PoE equipment 100. That is advantageous for keeping the size of the beacon device 150 small. For example, the antenna 275 may form an integral part of the encasement of the PoE equipment 100.

In view of the simple structure, the beacon device 150 advantageously forms a low-cost feature of the PoE equipment 100 and can be fabricated with a simple and robust structure. Again, the shown embodiment of the beacon device 150 can be provided in a very small structural shape, so that the structural shape of the PoE equipment 100 is virtually unchanged by the addition of the beacon device 150.

In some embodiments, the PoE equipment 100 comprises an additional beacon control unit (not shown), which is configured to receive beacon control information from an external PoE equipment and which is configured to provide activation or deactivation signals to the beacon device 150 for activating the timer unit 262 in dependence on the received beacon control information.

Fig. 3 is an illustration of an embodiment of a PoE equipment in the form of a PoE beacon transceiver 300. This embodiment is an example of a PoE equipment for extending the functionality of external "legacy" PoE equipment devices by a ranging capability.

As already depicted schematically for the PoE equipment 100 of Fig. 1, also the PoE beacon transceiver 300 has PoE data and power pins 312, 314, 316, and 318 which are connected to PoE data and power wires 322, 324, 326, 328 which are embedded in the PoE beacon transceiver 300 between a female PoE connector piece 310 and a male PoE connector piece 320, both forming integrated PoE connectors.

The PoE equipment 300 has an encasement 330 and the beacon device 350 is integrated into the encasement 330.

The PoE equipment 300 may comprises in an embodiment of the present invention a malfunction detection unit which is in a variant of this embodiment also integrated into the encasement 310 and which ascertain and provide malfunction information and activate the beacon device 150 upon detecting the malfunctional operational state. This requires PoE data connectivity.

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of an indoor environment as an embodiment of a PoE arrangement 400. The PoE arrangement 400 is a PoE lighting system. A PoE power switch 402 is arranged at a first location above a ceiling construction 404. The PoE power switch 402 serves for controlling operation of a plurality of PoE equipment devices forming PoE lighting devices, only one of which is shown under the reference label 406. The PoE power switch 402 has a number of integrated PoE connectors 408 for providing a PoE power and data connection to the PoE lighting devices 406 via a PoE cable 410. Correspondingly the PoE lighting devices have respective integrated PoE connectors 412 for receiving PoE power and data.

Both the PoE power switch 402 and at least one of the PoE lighting devices 406 have a respective beacon device 414, 416 for performing a mutual ranging signal exchange. Ranging signals exchanged are schematically indicated by a dashed double arrow 418. The PoE lighting device 406 assumes the role of the external ranging equipment in the ranging signal exchange. The PoE lighting device 406 may trigger the ranging signal exchange with the PoE power switch 402 for obtaining and providing the location information of the PoE power switch 402. The PoE lighting device 406 has a LED module 420 for lighting a room. Furthermore, as is well known in the art, the PoE lighting device has a driver (not shown) for controlling the operation of the LED module 420. The driver includes, in the present embodiment, a coding unit (not shown) for encoding information in the form of a high frequency coded-light signal 422 to be modulated onto the light emitted by the LED module 420 for lighting the room. Such a coded-light signal is imperceptible for human eyes and does not affect the illumination function of the lighting system.

Thus, the LED module 420 forms a second air interface and provides location information in the form of the coded-light signal 422 for reception by a user interface equipment 424.

The user interface equipment 424 receives the coded light signal 422 with a receiving unit 430, determines the location information from the received coded light signal 422 and provides the location information as an output 428 via a user interface 426. The user interface 426 is in the present embodiment a display for providing a graphical representation 428 of the location information based on the received coded-light signal 422. Any type of output can be used for providing the location information to the user. The output may be graphical as described. It may also be in text form. In other embodiments, it is an acoustical output. The location information may be provided in form of a grid point of a coordinate system describing locations in the ceiling construction.

The user interface equipment 424 shown in Fig. 4 does not necessarily require a receiving unit 430 that is embedded. In some variants of the PoE arrangement 400, the user interface 426 and the receiving unit 430 are comprised in different encasements.

Communication between the user interface 426 and the receiving unit 430 is in such variants performed using a wired or wireless communication channel, which is known per se.

There are also variants of the PoE arrangement 400, where the ranging signal exchange is performed with more than one external ranging device. In other embodiments the external ranging device is not a PoE lighting device, but for instance a PoE beacon transceiver 300 as shown in Fig. 3. In yet another embodiment, the external ranging device is not a PoE equipment.

Fig. 5 is an illustration of an embodiment of a PoE arrangement 500 with an embodiment of a PoE equipment in the form of a PoE power switch 502 mounted on a ceiling construction 510. The PoE arrangement 500 further includes a plurality of PoE lighting devices, two of which are shown under reference labels 530 and 540. The PoE lighting devices 530 and 540 form external ranging equipment devices with respect to the PoE power switch 502 in the present embodiment. The ranging signal exchange includes measuring a signal strength, or a time of flight, or a time-of- flight difference between two exchanged signals 418, as is per se known in the art.

A user interface equipment in the form of an optical head-mounted display 560 having a transparent matrix display is provided for communication with at least one of the PoE lighting devices 530 and 540.

Thus, in this embodiment, the beacon devices within the PoE power switch 502 and in the PoE lighting devices 530 and 540 perform respective ranging signal exchanges 520 with each other. After performing the respective ranging signal exchange, each PoE lighting device 530, 540 emits a respective coded-light signal 550 indicative of a different relative location information, for instance respective distance information indicative of the distance between the respective PoE lighting device and the PoE power switch 502. From this relative location information, unambiguous location information concerning the position of the PoE power switch 502 in the ceiling construction is determined by a processing unit (now shown) in the optical head-mounted display 560. The optical head-mounted display 560 displays the determined location information in the form of an overlay image superimposed to the visible environment in the transparent matrix display. Fig. 6 is a flow diagram that illustrates an embodiment of a method for operating a PoE equipment.

In the method a PoE data and power connection between the subject PoE equipment and an external PoE equipment is established via an integrated PoE connector of the PoE equipment, a PoE cable, and an external PoE connector of a complementary PoE connector type of the external PoE equipment, wherein the PoE power connection is established via PoE power wires which terminate at PoE power pins of the integrated PoE connector, and connected for providing or receiving DC power in a state of connection to the external PoE equipment via the PoE connector (step 610).

The PoE equipment is provided with a beacon device, which is connected to the PoE power wires in an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins of the integrated PoE connector and which receives DC power through the PoE power wires at least in the state of connection (step 620). The beacon device is in one embodiment of the method provided as a fixed integral part of the PoE equipment. In another embodiment, the beacon device is a detachable device and connected to the PoE equipment in a separate step.

A step 630 involves the beacon device performing, via a first air interface, a ranging signal exchange in communication with at least one external ranging equipment that together with the PoE equipment forms a PoE arrangement. The ranging signal exchange is suitable for determining location information indicative of a location of the beacon device with respect to the external ranging equipment.

Fig. 7 is a flow diagram that illustrates an embodiment of a method for operating a PoE arrangement.

The method comprises performing (step 640) a method for operating a PoE equipment as described with reference to Fig. 6. Furthermore, the external ranging equipment is provided (step 650). In a subsequent step 660, the external ranging equipment receives or determines the location information relating to the PoE equipment. Furthermore, the external ranging equipment provides (step 670) the location information via a second air interface.

In this embodiment, the external ranging equipment may for instance be provided in the form of at least one PoE lighting device providing a coded- light signal indicative of the location information.

In addition, the method includes in one embodiment providing a user interface equipment having a receiver for the coded-light signal and a user interface for receiving of the coded-light signal. The location information is then provided as an output via the user interface.

As will be clear from the description to this point, the PoE equipment, PoE arrangement and the operating method can be used for any PoE system. Thus, there is a large variety of possible applications, all characterized by the providing of a user-friendly finding or locating of objects that may or may not be hidden, be it in a patch room, a ceiling, a wall, under the ground or elsewhere within a PoE arrangement. There are also variants, where the PoE arrangement is installed within mobile environments like cars, ships or planes.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

In particular the invention is not restricted to using PoE lighting devices, or coded-light signals or PoE power switches.

In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality.

A single step or other units may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.

Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A Power-over-Ethernet equipment (100), hereinafter PoE equipment (100), comprising

at least one integrated PoE connector (110) for providing a PoE data and power connection to an external PoE connector of a complementary PoE connector type; - PoE power wires (122, 124, 126, 128), which terminate at PoE power pins

(112, 114, 116, 118) of the integrated PoE connector (110), and connected for providing or receiving DC power in a state of connection to an external PoE equipment via the PoE connector; and

a beacon device (150), which is connected to the PoE power wires (124, 126) in an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins (114, 116) of the integrated PoE connector (110) and which receives DC power through the PoE power wires (124, 126) at least in the state of connection, the beacon device (150) being configured to perform, via a first air interface (170), a ranging signal exchange (418) in communication with at least one external ranging equipment (406) that together with the PoE equipment (100) forms a Power-over-Ethernet arrangement (400), the ranging signal exchange (418) being suitable for determining location information indicative of a location of the beacon device (150) with respect to the external ranging equipment (406).

2. The PoE equipment (100) of claim 1, wherein the beacon device (100) comprises a timer unit (262), which receives the DC power through the PoE power wires

(124, 126) at least in the state of connection, and which is configured to activate a transmitter unit (264) of the beacon device (150) at predetermined points in time for performing the ranging signal exchange (418) via the first air interface (170), and to deactivate the

transmitter unit (264) after performing the ranging signal exchange (418).

3. The PoE equipment (100) of claim 1, wherein the PoE equipment (100) comprises a beacon control unit, which is configured to receive beacon control information from an external PoE equipment and which is configured to provide activation or deactivation signals to the beacon device (150) in dependence on the received beacon control information.

4. The PoE equipment (100) of claim 1, wherein the beacon device (150) is detachably connected to the PoE power wires (124, 126) through a power port of the PoE equipment (100) and wherein the power port is accessible from an outside of the PoE equipment.

5. The PoE equipment (100) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first air interface (170) comprises an antenna (275) which is structurally integrated into the PoE equipment (100) and which is configured to emit and receive radio frequency signals.

6. The PoE equipment (100) of claim 1, further comprising a malfunction detection unit, which is configured to detect at least one malfunctional operational state of the PoE equipment (100), and which is configured to ascertain and provide malfunction information and activate the beacon device (150) upon detecting the malfunctional operational state.

7. The PoE equipment (100) of claim 1, wherein

- the beacon device (150) is additionally configured to perform the ranging signal exchange (418) in communication with at least two external ranging equipment devices (530, 540); and wherein

the PoE equipment (100) is configured to

either determine or receive the location information based on the respective ranging signal exchanges (418); and

to determine from the location information in its entirety or to receive the location information regarding the location of the beacon device (150) with respect to the at least two external ranging equipment devices (530, 540).

8. The PoE equipment (100) of claim 1,

which is additionally configured to operate as the external ranging equipment (406) in the Power-over-Ethernet arrangement (400) comprising at least two PoE equipment devices (100) according to claim 1;

which has a second air interface (420) in addition to the first air interface (170); and

which is configured to transmit the location information via the second air interface (420).

9. A Power-over-Ethernet arrangement (400), hereinafter PoE arrangement (400), comprising

at a first location, a PoE equipment (100) according to claim 1; at one or more respective second locations different from the first location, at least one external ranging equipment (406), which is configured to perform the ranging signal exchange (418) in communication with the beacon device (150) of the PoE equipment (100).

10. A PoE arrangement (400) of claim 9,

wherein the PoE equipment (100) is a PoE power switch, which is configured to provide PoE data and power to the at least one external ranging equipment (406); and wherein

the at least one external ranging equipment (406) is a PoE lighting device, which is configured to receive the PoE data and power from the PoE power switch.

11. The PoE arrangement (400) of claim 10, wherein the PoE lighting device is in accordance with claim 8, and further comprising a user interface equipment (424) configured to receive the location information provided via the second air interface (420) and to provide the location information as an output (428) via a user interface (426).

12. The PoE arrangement (400) of claim 11, wherein the second air interface (420) is a coded-light emitter configured to emit the location information in the form of a coded- light signal (422) for reception by the user interface equipment (424).

13. The PoE arrangement (400) of claim 12, wherein the user interface equipment (424) has a display (426) for providing a graphical representation (428) of the location information based on the received coded-light signal (422).

14. A method for operating a Power-over-Ethernet equipment (100), hereinafter PoE equipment (100), comprising

establishing a PoE data and power connection with an external PoE equipment via an integrated PoE connector, wherein the PoE power connection is established via PoE power wires (122, 124, 126, 128), which terminate at PoE power pins (112, 114, 116, 118) of the integrated PoE connector (110), for providing or receiving DC power in a state of connection to the external PoE equipment;

- providing the PoE equipment (100) with a beacon device (150), which is connected to the PoE power wires (124, 126) in an electrical arrangement that is parallel with respect to the PoE power pins (114, 116) of the integrated PoE connector (110) and which receives DC power through the PoE power wires (124, 126) at least in the state of connection; and

- the beacon device (150) performing, via a first air interface (170), a ranging signal exchange (418) in communication with at least one external ranging equipment (406) that together with the PoE equipment (100) forms a Power-over-Ethernet arrangement (400), the ranging signal exchange (418) being suitable for determining location information indicative of a location of the beacon device (150) with respect to the external ranging equipment (406).

15. A method for operating a Power-over-Ethernet arrangement, comprising

performing (640) a method for operating a PoE equipment (100) in accordance with claim 14;

- providing (650) the external ranging equipment (406);

the external ranging equipment receiving or determining (660) the location information;

the external ranging equipment providing (670) the location information via a second air interface.