Microchip introduces new Power over Ethernet products to address the interoperability challenges of Power over Ethernet (PoE) cabling

As the industry adopts the latest generation of PoE technology to manage data and power over a single Ethernet line, users need to work with pre-standard power receiving devices within their existing Ethernet infrastructure alongside new IEEE 802.3bt-2018 compliant power receiving devices. To adapt to this change, Microchip Technology has introduced PoE suppliers and mid-span devices that comply with IEEE 802.3bt-2018 standards for users, and Power supply equipment (PSE) chipsets for system developers. These products create the conditions for pre-standard devices and IEEE-compliant devices to connect 90W power supplies without changing switches or wiring.

Iris Shuker, business Unit Manager for Power over Ethernet (PoE) at Microchip, said: "As a system and chipset supplier, Microchip has been involved in the development of IEEE 802.3bt-2018 and all of its major reference standards. As a result, we are well positioned to provide a convenient migration path to meet the power needs of 30-90W devices in a plug-and-play manner. Our PSE chipset products combine broad interoperability with firmware upgradeability to provide users with a unique architecture based on Microchip's 15 years of proven technology. With this architecture, users no longer need to redesign the system motherboard and build separate product lines for manufacturing pre-standard devices and IEEE-compliant devices. The PSE chipset is also the core of PoE suppliers and mid-span devices that comply with IEEE 802.3bt-2018 standards. These PoE suppliers and mid-span devices solve interoperability problems for users."

In 2018, Microchip launched a number of homegrown solutions supporting specifications such as Universal PoE (UPOE) and power over HDBaseT (PoH). These solutions can meet the higher power requirements of self-service terminals, POS terminals, thin clients, 802.11ac/ax access points, small cells, smart buildings, industrial automation systems, networked LED lighting and other dual-pair and four-pair powered devices. During this time, Microchip also introduced a PSE chipset that implemented the widely recognized PoH four-pair power supply standard for 95W receiving devices. Now, Microchip has pioneered IEEE 8023af/at/bt chipsets that help pre-standard switches interoperate with new products that comply with IEEE 802.3bt-2018 standards. Microchip's IEEE 802.3bt compliant products include:

PoE power supply and mid-span equipment:

● After the deployment of a single - or multi-port solution between the receiving device and the existing switch, the user can supply power to both the pre-standard receiving device and the IEEE 802.3bt-2018 compliant receiving device, regardless of the ratio of the two devices.

● The family includes both single-port and multi-port models, and also supports new IEEE 802.3bt compliant switches to power pre-standard receiving devices.

PSE chipsets and auxiliary receiving devices:

● The unique design of the PSE chipset enables balanced heat dissipation throughout the system, while providing support for dual-pair and four-pair systems with single-board designs with scalability. It provides all the management and control functions necessary to build the most interoperable PSE device in the industry, providing 90-99.9W of power per port and supporting up to 48 IEEE 802.3bt Class 3 (Levels 1-6) and Class 4 (levels 7-8) application ports.

● Previous pre-standard PSE designs based on Microchip's 6th generation PSE chipset can be upgraded to IEEE 802.3bt with software updates without hardware replacement.

● The MOSFET-based IdealBridge™ dual diode full bridge rectifier for the receiving side of PoE connections avoids polarity reversals on the receiving device, reducing power consumption, space footprint and cost while providing IEEE 802.3bt Class 4 Level 8 power supply.