JP2001045011A - Communication system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication system and its method where a monitor control means applies one-to-many connection to a plurality of communication function execution means placed at a remote place so as to attain communication among the interconnected communication function execution means and the monitor control means immediately detects a fault in a communication function execution means and a defect such as a line interruption. SOLUTION: An Ethernet bus 102 interconnects a monitor control function section 105 that manages the entire communication function and a plurality of radio amplifier sections 103, 104 via Ethernet connection sections 112 to 114 and communication drivers 109 to 111 that convert a signal into a form of a signal able to be handled by a receiver side in the case of the transmission of the signal between the Ethernet bus 102 and the monitor control function section 105 and that converts a signal into a form of a signal able to be handled by the receiver side in the case of transmitting the signal between the Ethernet bus 102 and a plurality of the radio amplifier section 103, 104 are provided among the Ethernet connection sections 112 to 114, the monitor control function section 105 and a plurality of the radio amplifier section 103, 104.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a monitoring control means for managing an entire communication device,
A plurality of communication function execution units that perform actual communication operations such as signal amplification in a communication device are connected, and when this connection is made, even if the monitoring control unit and the plurality of communication function execution units are far apart, the communication function execution is performed. The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and a method that can be implemented so that a monitoring control unit can immediately detect a failure of a unit and a failure such as a line disconnection.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a large-scale system such as a radio base station in a mobile communication system, a monitoring control means for managing the entire communication apparatus as described above, A configuration is provided that includes a plurality of communication function execution units that perform actual communication operations such as amplification.

A bus connecting the monitoring control means and each function execution means is required between the monitoring control means and each function execution means for transmitting and receiving the status of the apparatus and transmitting and receiving data. In order to transmit and receive a large amount of data between the means and the function executing means, it is necessary to use a large-capacity bus.

As a large-capacity bus, a PCI (Peripheral
Component Interconnect) bus and SCSI (Small Comp
uter System Interface) buses, and these buses are generally used. However, these buses are limited in the maximum bus distance and the number of connected buses.

[0005] In particular, such buses cannot be applied to a remote unit such as a radio amplifying unit for a radio base station, which requires a low-speed serial connection. However, in this serial connection, signal transmission is slow.

To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-281963
As shown in the publication, there is a method of connecting the monitoring control means and the communication function executing means on a one-to-one basis using a bus capable of long-distance communication. If this method is used, it is possible to connect the monitoring and control means to the communication function executing means located at a long distance to perform high-speed transmission.

Further, according to this method, a state change of the communication function executing means located at a long distance is detected and transmitted to the monitoring control means, whereby the state of the communication function executing means located at a long distance can be recognized. .

[0008]

However, in the conventional apparatus, since the monitoring control means and the communication function execution means are used in a one-to-one connection via a bus, the communication function execution means located at a long distance. When there are a plurality of communication control units, it is necessary to prepare a number of monitoring control means and buses corresponding to the number of communication function execution means. There is a problem that communication between communication function execution units located at a distance cannot be performed.

When a change occurs in the state of the function execution means, the state must be notified to the monitoring and control means. If an abnormality occurs in the function execution means at this time, the change in the state cannot be notified. Further, when the line connecting the monitoring control means and the function executing means is disconnected, not only cannot the status of the communication function executing means be notified, but also it is not possible to detect an abnormality of the communication function executing means. is there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above point, and one monitoring control means and a plurality of communication function executing means located at a long distance can be connected in one-to-many connection. It is an object of the present invention to provide a communication device and a communication method capable of performing communication between function execution units and enabling a monitoring control unit to immediately detect a failure of the function execution unit or a failure such as a line disconnection.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, monitoring and control means for managing the entire communication function and function execution means such as a plurality of wireless amplification units for performing the actual operation of the communication function are provided by an Ethernet LAN (Local Area Network). Network)｝, and at the time of this connection, between the Ethernet and the supervisory control means and the function execution means, convert the signal into a format that can be handled by the receiving side during transmission between the Ethernet and the supervisory control means, and And a conversion means for converting a signal into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission by a plurality of function execution means.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first aspect of the present invention is a monitoring control means for managing the entire communication function, a plurality of function execution means for performing the actual operation of the communication function, the monitoring control means and the plurality of function execution means. A wire for one-to-many connection of the function executing means, and a wiring connected between the wiring and the monitoring control means and the plurality of function executing means, which is handled on the receiving side during transmission between the wiring and the monitoring control means And a conversion unit for converting the signal into a format that can be handled by the receiving side during transmission between the wiring and the plurality of function execution units.

According to this configuration, one monitoring control unit and a plurality of function execution units can be connected in a one-to-many connection, and communication between the function execution units can be performed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a LAN is used for the wiring, and the conversion means converts the signal into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the LAN and the monitoring control means. In addition to the conversion, a configuration is adopted in which the signal is converted into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the LAN and the plurality of function execution units.

According to this configuration, one monitoring control unit and a plurality of function execution units can be connected one-to-many via a LAN, and communication between the function execution units can be performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the transmission means includes a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol).
ol) A configuration using a driver is adopted.

According to this configuration, since the existing TCP driver can be used, the development cost can be reduced.

A fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, adopts a configuration using a UDP (User Datagram Protocol) driver as the conversion means.

According to this configuration, since the existing UDP driver can be used, the development cost can be reduced.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the plurality of function executing means are provided with an information notifying means for transmitting the unique information of each function executing means at regular intervals. Storage means for storing the unique information transmitted at the predetermined interval in the monitoring control means, reading the stored unique information, and judging a state of each of the function executing means from the read unique information. And a determination means for determining whether to perform the determination.

According to this configuration, the state of each function executing means can be recognized by the monitoring control means.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect, the judging means receives the unique information transmitted from the information notifying means of each of the function executing means, and determines whether the received information is not a fixed interval. A configuration is adopted in which it is determined that a failure has occurred in the function execution means or the wiring of the communication destination.

According to this configuration, a failure such as an abnormality in each function execution unit or a disconnection of the wiring unit can be immediately detected by the monitoring control unit.

A seventh aspect of the present invention employs a configuration in which the base station apparatus includes the communication device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects.

According to this configuration, in the base station apparatus,
The same operation and effect as any of the first to sixth aspects can be obtained.

An eighth aspect of the present invention employs a configuration in which the mobile communication system includes the base station apparatus according to the seventh aspect.

According to this configuration, in the mobile communication system, the same operation and effect as in the seventh aspect can be obtained.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, a monitor and control means for managing the entire communication function and a plurality of function executing means for performing the actual operation of the communication function are connected by a LAN, and the LAN and the monitor and control means are connected. The signal is converted into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the LANs, and the signal is converted into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the LAN and the plurality of function executing means for communication. did.

According to this method, one monitoring control unit and a plurality of function execution units can be connected one-to-many, and communication between the function execution units can be performed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the ninth aspect, in the ninth aspect, the unique information transmitted at a constant interval is transmitted from the plurality of function executing means at a predetermined interval, and the unique information transmitted at the fixed interval is transmitted to the monitoring control means. In addition, the state of each of the function execution units is determined from the storage unique information, and if the reception of the unique information is not at a constant interval, it is determined that a failure has occurred in the function execution unit or the wiring of the communication destination. did.

According to this method, the status of each function executing means can be recognized by the monitoring control means, and an abnormality of each function executing means or a fault such as a LAN disconnection can be immediately detected by the monitoring control means. .

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a radio base station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The wireless base station 100 includes a wireless base station main body (hereinafter, referred to as a main body) 101 and a plurality of wireless amplifiers 103 and 104 connected to the main body 101 via an Ethernet bus 102. ing. However, the main body 101 is installed in a basement of a building or the like, and each wireless amplification unit 1
Reference numerals 03 and 104 are installed on the roof of a building or the like, which is remote from the basement.

The main body 101 is provided with the monitoring control function unit 10.
5 and a plurality of function execution units 107 and 108 connected to the monitoring control function unit 105 via an internal bus 106.

Main unit 10 via Ethernet bus 102
1 is connected to the wireless amplification units 103 and 104 by the monitoring control function unit 105 and the wireless amplification units 103 and 104, respectively.
Communication driver units 109, 110, 111,
This is realized by connecting the Ethernet connection units 112, 113, 114 connected to the communication driver units 109, 110, 111, respectively, with the Ethernet bus 102.

That is, one monitoring control function unit 105 and a plurality of wireless amplification units 103 and 104 are connected one-to-many by the Ethernet bus 102.

The function execution units 107 and 108 perform modulation / demodulation processing of communication signals and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Acc
In the case of the ess) method, spreading / despreading processing is performed, and the communication signals to be processed are connected to the wireless amplifiers 103 and 104 via signal lines (not shown) through which the signals are transmitted.
Here, the wireless amplification units 103 and 104 are described, but these wireless amplification units 103 and 104 are also included in the function execution unit in other expressions.

Each of the radio amplifiers 103 and 104 is provided with an antenna (not shown), and amplifies a signal from a mobile station such as a portable telephone (not shown) received by the antenna to perform each function execution unit 107. , 108, and amplifies the signal processed by each of the function executing units 107, 108 and transmits the amplified signal from the antenna.
The statuses 3 and 104 are notified to each other via the Ethernet bus 102.

The monitoring control function unit 105 includes the function execution units 1
07, 108 and each of the wireless amplification units 103, 104, to detect a failure such as an abnormality or a line disconnection, and to control a communication process performed by them.
Communication with each of the function execution units 107 and 108 of the same main unit 101 is performed via the internal bus 106, and communication with each of the wireless amplification units 103 and 104 is performed using the Ethernet bus 1
02.

Ethernet connection units 112, 113, 11
Reference numeral 4 denotes an Ethernet bus 102 connected to the monitoring control function unit 10
5 and each of the wireless amplification units 103 and 104.

Communication driver sections 109, 110, 111
Converts a control signal or a signal indicating a state such as a failure into a format that can be transmitted to the Ethernet bus 102, and processes a signal transmitted from the Ethernet bus 102 by the monitoring control function unit 105 and the wireless amplification units 103 and 104. It converts to a possible model, for example, general-purpose TCP or UD
P communication driver unit is used, and the Ethernet bus 102
It converts the protocol of the data flowing over it into TCP or UDP, and performs the reverse conversion.

In the wireless base station 100 configured as described above, the monitoring control function unit 105 communicates with the function execution units 107 and 108 via the internal bus 106, so that the function execution units 107 and 108 A state is detected, and communication processing performed by each of the function execution units 107 and 108 is controlled.

When the monitoring control function unit 105 detects the state of each of the wireless amplification units 103 and 104, for example, in the case of the wireless amplification unit 103, a signal indicating the state of the wireless amplification unit 103 first receives a communication signal. The data is converted into a format that can be transmitted to the Ethernet bus 102 by the driver unit 110.

The converted signal is transmitted to the Ethernet bus 102 via the Ethernet connection unit 113,
The transmitted signal is output to the communication driver unit 109 via the Ethernet connection unit 112, and is converted by the communication driver unit 109 into a format that can be processed by the monitoring control function unit 105. Thereby, the monitoring control function unit 105
, A state such as a failure of the wireless amplification unit 103 is detected.

On the other hand, when the monitoring control function unit 105 controls, for example, the wireless amplification unit 103, the control signal is first converted by the communication driver unit 109 into a format that can be transmitted to the Ethernet bus 102. The received signal is transmitted to the Ethernet bus 10 via the Ethernet connection unit 112.
2, and the transmitted signal is output to the communication driver unit 110 via the Ethernet connection unit 113, and is converted into a format that can be processed by the wireless amplification unit 103 by the communication driver unit 110. Thus, the monitoring control function unit 105 controls the wireless amplification unit 103.

Further, by notifying each state between the wireless amplifiers 103 and 104 via the Ethernet bus 102, when a failure occurs in a certain wireless amplifier 103, another wireless amplifier 104 replaces the failure. Do it immediately.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the internal configuration of the monitoring control function unit 105 and the wireless amplification unit 103 (or 104), and the explanation will be given.

The monitoring control function unit 105 includes an information storage unit 201 and a notification interval determination unit 202 connected to the communication driver unit 109. The wireless amplification unit 103 controls the information notification unit 203 connected to the communication driver unit 110. It is provided with.

The information notifying unit 203 transmits information unique to the wireless amplification unit 103, for example, network information such as an IP or a port number, to the monitoring control function unit 105 at regular intervals.

The information storage unit 201 acquires and stores network information from the information notification unit 203.

The notification interval determination unit 202 reads the network information stored in the information storage unit 201 when the monitoring control function unit 105 communicates with the wireless amplification unit 103, and reads the wireless amplification unit based on the read network information. In addition to performing communication by determining the state of the wireless communication unit 103 and determining whether network information is transmitted from the wireless amplifying unit 103 at regular intervals, if the network information is not received even after a certain period of time, This is to determine that the amplification unit 103 or the Ethernet bus 102 is abnormal.

In such a configuration, the wireless amplification unit 10
3 from the information notifying unit 203 at regular intervals.
3 is transmitted to the supervisory control function unit 105. This network information is stored in the information storage unit 201 of the monitoring control function unit 105.

When the monitoring control function unit 105 communicates with the wireless amplification unit 103, the notification interval determination unit 202 reads the network information stored in the information storage unit 201, and reads the network information from the read network information. Communication is performed by recognizing the state of the amplifier 103.

In the monitoring control function unit 105,
It is determined whether or not network information is transmitted from the wireless amplification unit 103 at the communication destination at regular intervals. here,
If the network information is not received after a certain period of time, the notification interval determination unit 202 determines whether the wireless amplification unit 103
Alternatively, it is determined that the Ethernet bus 102 is abnormal.

As described above, the radio base station 1 of the present embodiment
00, the monitoring control function unit 105 that manages the entire communication function, and the plurality of wireless amplification units 1 that perform the actual operation of the communication function
03 and 104 to the Ethernet connection units 112 and 11
3, 114 connected via the Ethernet bus 102,
For this connection, the Ethernet connection units 112 and 11
3 and 114, and the Ethernet bus 102 between the monitoring control function unit 105 and the plurality of wireless amplification units 103 and 104.
The signal is converted into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the network and the monitoring control function unit 105, and the signal is converted into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the Ethernet bus 102 and the plurality of wireless amplification units 103 and 104. Are provided, the communication drivers 109, 110, and 111 are provided, so that one monitoring control function unit 105 and a plurality of wireless amplification units 103, 10
4 can be connected in a one-to-many connection, and communication between the wireless amplification units 103 and 104 can be performed.

The radio amplifiers 103 and 104 are provided with an information notifying unit 203 for transmitting network information unique to each of the radio amplifiers 103 and 104 at regular intervals, and the monitoring control function unit 105 is provided with the information notifying unit 203 at regular intervals. An information storage unit 201 that stores the transmitted unique information and a notification interval determination unit 202 that reads the stored unique information and determines the state of each of the wireless amplification units 103 and 104 from the read unique information. Since the monitoring control function unit 105 is provided, the state of each of the wireless amplification units 103 and 104 can be recognized.

The notification interval determination unit 202 receives the unique information transmitted from the information notification unit 203 of each of the wireless amplification units 103 and 104, and if the reception is not performed at a constant interval, the wireless amplification unit of the communication destination. Since it is determined that a failure has occurred in 103 or 104 or the Ethernet bus 102, the monitoring control function unit 105 can immediately detect a failure such as an abnormality in each of the wireless amplification units 103 and 104 or a disconnection of the Ethernet bus 102. .

Although the above has been described with reference to the configuration example of the monitoring control function unit 105 and the radio amplification units 103 and 104 in the radio base station 100, the present invention can be similarly applied to other communication devices.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention,
One monitoring control unit and a plurality of communication function execution units located at a long distance can be connected in a one-to-many connection, and communication can be performed between the connected communication function execution units. Faults such as abnormalities and line disconnections can be immediately detected by the monitoring control means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a radio base station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a monitoring control unit and a function execution unit in the radio base station according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 wireless base station 102 Ethernet bus 103, 104 wireless amplifying unit 105 supervisory control function unit 109-111 communication driver unit 112-114 Ethernet connection unit 201 information storage unit 202 notification interval determination unit 203 information notification unit

Claims (10)

[Claims] A monitoring control unit that manages the entire communication function; a plurality of function execution units that perform the actual operation of the communication function; and the monitoring control unit and the plurality of function execution units.
Wiring for multipoint connection, connected between this wiring and the monitoring control means and the plurality of function executing means, and transmitting a signal in a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the wiring and the monitoring control means. A communication device, comprising: conversion means for converting and converting a signal into a format that can be handled on a receiving side during transmission between the wiring and the plurality of function execution means. 2. A LAN is used for wiring, and a conversion unit converts a signal into a format that can be handled on a receiving side during transmission between the LAN and the monitoring control unit. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the signal is converted into a format that can be handled on the receiving side during transmission between the devices. 3. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein a TCP driver is used as the conversion unit. 4. The communication device according to claim 2, wherein a UDP driver is used as the conversion unit. 5. A plurality of function execution units each having an information notifying unit for transmitting the unique information of each function execution unit at regular intervals, and storing the unique information transmitted at regular intervals in a monitoring control unit. 5. The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit, and a determination unit configured to read the stored unique information and determine a state of each of the function execution units based on the read unique information. The communication device according to any one of the above. 6. The determining means receives the unique information transmitted from the information notifying means of each function executing means, and if the reception is not performed at a fixed interval, a failure has occurred in the function executing means or the wiring of the communication destination. The communication device according to claim 5, wherein: 7. A base station apparatus comprising the communication apparatus according to claim 1. Description: 8. A mobile communication system comprising the base station apparatus according to claim 7. 9. A monitoring control means for managing the entire communication function, and a plurality of function execution means for performing the actual operation of the communication function are connected by a LAN, and a receiving side is used for transmission between the LAN and the monitoring control means. A communication device that converts a signal into a format that can be handled by a communication device, and converts a signal into a format that can be handled by a reception side during transmission between the LAN and the plurality of function executing means and performs communication. Communication method using. 10. A plurality of function execution means for transmitting each unique information at a constant interval, a monitoring control means storing the unique information transmitted at said constant interval, and executing each of the function execution from the stored unique information. 10. The communication using a LAN according to claim 9, wherein the state of the means is determined, and when the reception of the unique information is not at a constant interval, it is determined that a failure has occurred in the function execution means or the wiring of the communication destination. Method.