Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Network-enabled ceiling support structure
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Application No.: US14643463Application Date: 2015-03-10
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Publication No.: US10030398B2Publication Date: 2018-07-24
- Inventor: Charles Calvin Byers , John Allen Long, Jr. , Matthew A. Laherty
- Applicant: Cisco Technology, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA San Jose
- Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
- Current Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA San Jose
- Agency: Polsinelli PC
- Main IPC: E04B9/00
- IPC: E04B9/00 ; E04B9/06 ; E04G23/00 ; H01R25/14 ; E04B9/02

Abstract:
A ceiling support structure includes a plurality of network- and power-enabled rails that replace conventional structures for supporting a grid ceiling having a structure for supporting tiles and/or paneling. Each network-enabled rail comprises a plurality of connectors configured to receive a device or interface. At least some of the connectors can comprise a plurality of Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectors that provide both network connectivity and power to the devices. At least some of the connectors can comprise a plurality of fiber-optic cable connectors that provide network connectivity to the devices via the fiber-optic cable. In the fiber-optic cable connector structure, power is provided directly by the ceiling support itself which is formed of a conductive material and referred to as a power distribution bar. Each rail terminates at a hub referred to as a fog junction box that serves the power and networking for the ceiling support.
Public/Granted literature
- US20160265224A1 NETWORK-ENABLED CEILING SUPPORT STRUCTURE Public/Granted day:2016-09-15
Information query