JP2002204464A - Catv system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure a substitute transmission line on the occurrence of a fault in a CATV transmission line and specifies the transmission line having a fault and early completes the restoration of the fault. SOLUTION: All transmission amplifiers 1-9 dotted on a wired transmission line 13 incorporated wireless communication means having respective ID numbers. The transmission line amplifiers 1-9 monitor a fault occurred on the transmission line 13 at all times and have a function of using the wireless communication means including an antenna 15 and informing a transmission line management computer 12 of a CATV broadcast facility 10 about the result of monitor. When the transmission line amplifiers 1-9 detect the occurrence of a fault, the CATV system automatically switches the wired communication into a wireless communication and the wireless communication means relays the transmission line in two-way in place of the faulty part of the transmission line 13 due to the occurrence of disaster or trouble.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CATV system, and more particularly to a CATV system capable of securing communication when a failure occurs in a part of a CATV transmission line due to a disaster or a trouble.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for avoiding disasters and troubles in a CATV transmission line composed of an optical fiber and a coaxial metallic line, in a very small part of CATV broadcasting equipment, a part of the transmission line is duplicated and laid on different routes. In this way, even if a failure occurs in one of the transmission routes, a method is adopted in which a transmission route without a failure is automatically selected immediately and operated as an alternative line for the transmission line in which the failure occurred. I have. According to this, even if a failure occurs in the transmission path, bidirectional communication can be secured during recovery.

[0003] However, most of the remaining CATV broadcasting facilities do not take measures such as duplication of the transmission path. The reason for this is that a large-scale construction is required in order to additionally allow the electric pole, duct or cable to be laid as the original transmission line to flow additionally to another route.

[0004]

As described above, CA
When a disaster or trouble occurs on the TV transmission line, there is a demand for an emergency simple method capable of realizing communication without disabling communication until recovery from the failure.

[0005] In addition, when a failure such as a disaster or a trouble occurs, a method for identifying the failed transmission line has not been established, so that early restoration of the transmission line cannot be realized.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art and eliminate the need for large-scale construction such as duplication of CATV transmission lines.
An object of the present invention is to provide a CATV system capable of securing a TV transmission path and realizing early recovery.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a CA.
A TV broadcast facility, a terminal system facility, a transmission path for bidirectionally transmitting signals between the CATV broadcast facility and a plurality of nodes,
A plurality of transmission path amplifiers are provided along the transmission path, and the transmission path amplifiers for amplifying the signal, and the transmission paths directly provided to the transmission path amplifiers are respectively provided in the plurality of transmission path amplifiers and monitored. And a transmission line monitoring means for detecting a failure of each transmission line.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the CA according to the first aspect.
In the TV system, a wireless communication unit that attaches each ID number to each of the transmission line amplifiers and transmits information to each of the transmission line amplifiers together with the ID number assigned to each of the transmission line amplifiers. A transmission line management computer provided in the CATV broadcasting facility for managing the transmission line, wherein the transmission line monitoring means provided in the transmission line amplifier detects a failure in the transmission line by monitoring the transmission line monitoring means. In the transmission path amplifier that has detected the transmission path failure, information on which ID number of the transmission path connected to the transmission path amplifier has an abnormality is transmitted to a transmission path management computer that manages the transmission path. Wherein the notification is made through the wireless communication means.
V system.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the CA according to the second aspect.
In the TV system, each transmission line amplifier provided on the transmission line is provided with the ID of a transmission line amplifier provided at the same node as the transmission line amplifier in advance and provided in the vicinity thereof.
And the ID number of a transmission line amplifier provided in the vicinity of another node, and the transmission line amplifier is registered with the ID of the same node or another nearby node registered in advance. It is automatically determined whether or not wireless communication is possible with the transmission line amplifier of the number, and when a determination result that the wireless communication is possible is obtained, the wireless communication between the transmission line amplifier and the wireless communication possible amplifier Characterized in that two-way communication is performed by wireless communication means as a substitute for a failed transmission path.
An ATV system.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the system according to the third aspect, the operating states of all the transmission line amplifiers of all the nodes are grasped under the control of a computer that manages the transmission lines, and automatically Alternatively, a CATV system characterized in that transmission line switching control can be performed manually.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the CATV system comprises:
Signals such as video, audio, and control are sent out from the CATV broadcasting equipment 10, and each transmission path 13 of each of the nodes A to C,
-9, a bidirectional transmission system capable of sending signals to terminal equipment (not shown) of many subscribers via transmission equipment such as a branching / distributing device (not shown) and also sending back signals. This transmission system is not limited to analog but also includes digital.

The CATV broadcasting equipment 10 includes a head-end 11 for amplifying and adjusting a signal and sending the signal to a line, in addition to a production equipment for independent broadcasting such as a camera and a studio, and a transmission line 13.
Is provided with a transmission management computer 12 that manages the data. Transmission path management information is sent to the transmission path management computer 12 via the antenna 15. The transmission line 13 is mainly configured by a wire such as an optical fiber or a coaxial metallic line, and forms a CATV transmission line. Multiple transmission paths 13
Are managed in units of nodes A, B, C... Amplifier 15
Are inserted at key points in the transmission line 13 connected to each node, and are inserted in trunk lines or relay amplifiers (hereinafter simply referred to as transmission line amplifiers 15) for relaying while preventing a decrease in the level of data to be transmitted. ).

A bidirectional wireless communication means having an antenna 15 such as a parabolic antenna is built in all the transmission line amplifiers 15 scattered on the transmission line 13. As a communication method of the wireless communication means, a wireless communication method of a wide band and a high transmission speed is used in order to wirelessly transmit the transmission path of the CATV band as it is. The reason for incorporating the wireless communication means is to secure a wireless communication line in place of the transmission line 13 in which a disaster or trouble has occurred.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transmission line amplifier 20
Is mainly composed of a bidirectional signal amplifying device 21, a self-diagnosis device 22, a device individual ID 23, a transmission line monitoring device 24, a bidirectional frequency conversion device 25, a broadband bidirectional wireless transmission device 26, and an antenna 15. The wireless communication means described above,
It comprises a bidirectional frequency conversion device 25, a broadband bidirectional wireless transmission device 26, the antenna 15, and the like.

The bidirectional signal amplifier 21 amplifies a downstream signal and an upstream signal input from the transmission line 13 to a predetermined level. The self-diagnosis device diagnoses a failure of the own device including a power supply failure.
The device individual ID 23 is an amplifier identifier that specifies each transmission path amplifier 20, and is attached to each transmission path amplifier 20. This is because by specifying the amplifiers scattered on the transmission line 13, the transmission line in which a disaster or a trouble has occurred is specified.

The transmission line monitoring device 24 always operates the transmission line 13
And a function to monitor a transmission management computer 12 that manages the transmission line 13 by monitoring a failure occurring on the transmission line 13. The failure monitored by the transmission line monitoring device 24 is a failure that has occurred on the transmission line 13 and is distinguished from the diagnosis result of the self-diagnosis device described above. The broadband two-way wireless transmission device 26 is connected to the transmission path 13 via the antenna 15.
Is wirelessly transmitted to the broadband two-way wireless transmission device 26 of the other transmission line amplifier 20. The bidirectional frequency converter 25 converts a signal transmitted on the transmission line 13 into a frequency that can be transmitted and received wirelessly.

The transmission monitoring device 24 of each transmission line amplifier 24 has the ID number of the transmission line amplifier provided at the same node as the transmission line amplifier in the vicinity in advance and the identification number of the nearby transmission line amplifier. The ID number of the transmission line amplifier provided in the vicinity of the node is registered in advance.
FIG. 7 illustrates the contents of the registration information file of the transmission path amplifier corresponding to FIG. Amplifiers 1 to 3 are connected to the transmission path of node A, and amplifiers 4 to 4 are connected to the transmission path of node B.
It is registered that No. 6 is provided in the transmission path of the node C, respectively. In addition, the I
As the D amplifiers, for the amplifier IDs 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9, the amplifiers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7,
And 8 are registered as corresponding. Then, as the ID amplifier of another nearby node, amplifiers 2, 3, 5,
For 6, 8, and 9, amplifiers (4),
(5), (1,7), (2,8), (4), and (5)
Is registered as compatible.

When a failure occurs in the transmission line 13 due to a disaster or a trouble and the downstream signal from the CATV broadcasting equipment 10 is cut off or the level of the downstream signal is significantly reduced, the transmission of the transmission line amplifiers 1 to 9 is performed. The road monitoring device 24
Detect the failure. When the transmission path amplifier detects a failure that has occurred on the transmission path 13, the transmission path amplifier automatically switches from the wired transmission path 13 to wireless communication using the broadband two-way wireless transmission device 26. As a result, the transmission path 13 of the failed part
Is relayed by the wireless transmission device 26. The transmission line amplifier transmission line 13 notifies the transmission line management computer 12 that manages the transmission line.

Hereinafter, a method for securing communication when a failure occurs in a transmission line will be described with reference to two specific examples.

First, the example shown in FIG. 3 is a case where a fire has occurred in the middle of the transmission line 13 of the node A and a part of the transmission line 13 has been cut off. This will be described with reference to FIG. (1) Node 1 transmission line amplifier 1 and transmission line amplifier 2
A failure occurs in a part of the transmission path 13 between. (2) The downstream signal from the CATV broadcasting equipment 10 is interrupted on the downstream side of the transmission path amplifier 2. (3) The transmission path amplifier 3 provided downstream of the transmission path amplifier 2 wirelessly issues a transmission path state investigation start request to the upstream transmission path amplifier 2. (4) The transmission path monitoring device 24 determines that the transmission path 13 between the transmission path amplifiers 2 and 3 is normal and that the transmission path monitoring apparatus 24 determines that the transmission path 13 between the transmission path amplifiers 1 and 2 is normal. Recognize that the part is abnormal. (5) Since the transmission path 13 between the transmission path amplifier 2-3 is normal, the transmission path amplifier 2 instructs the transmission path amplifier 3 to wait by wire instead of by wireless relay. I do. (6) Since the transmission path amplifier 2 has an abnormality in a part of the transmission path 13 between the transmission path amplifiers 1 and 2, the transmission path amplifier 1 can perform wireless communication with the transmission path amplifier 1 using the broadband two-way wireless transmission device 26. Request to start wireless relay communication. (7) The transmission line amplifier 1 starts the wireless relay communication between the broadband two-way wireless transmission device 26 with the transmission line amplifier 2 and transmits the signal to the transmission line management computer 12 of the CATV broadcasting equipment 10. It notifies that a failure has occurred in a part of the transmission path 13 between the road amplifiers 1-2. Upon receiving the notification, the transmission path management computer 12
By D, the transmission line amplifier adjacent to the transmission line 13 where the failure has occurred is specified. (8) Since the transmission line 13 in which the fault has occurred can be quickly identified, the countermeasure for the cause of the fault in the node A and the recovery from the fault can be completed early. Until the recovery, the wireless transmission device 26 can be continued without disconnecting the wireless two-way communication in place of the transmission path 13. (9) The transmission line management computer 12 uses the wired transmission line 13 or the wireless transmission device 26 to grasp the status of all the transmission line amplifiers 1 to 9 of all the nodes. Receive notification of the operating status and display it on the screen.
As an example of the screen display, for example, the same contents as in FIG. 3 can be used.

As described above, a certain node transmits 1
When a failure occurs in a location, process it in the same node,
Can be covered by wireless communication.

Next, the example shown in FIG. 5 is a case where a fire has occurred in the middle of the transmission path 13 of the node A and a plurality of transmission paths 13 have been disconnected. This will be described with reference to FIG. (1) A plurality of faults occur in a part of the transmission path 13 of the node A. (2) Downstream signals from the CATV broadcasting equipment 10 are interrupted on the downstream side of the transmission path amplifier 2. (3) The transmission path amplifier 3 wirelessly issues a transmission path state investigation start request to the transmission path amplifier 2. (4) The transmission path amplifier 2 has an abnormality in a part of the transmission path 13 between the transmission path amplifiers 2-3 and an abnormality in a part of the transmission path 13 between the transmission path amplifiers 1-2. Recognize that there is. (5) The transmission path amplifier 2 instructs the transmission path amplifier 3 to perform wireless relay from the transmission path amplifier 5 that is located at the shortest distance from another Node B instead of being wired. (6) The transmission path amplifier 3 is another node B which is the closest.
, A wireless relay start request is issued to the transmission path amplifier 5 of FIG. (7) The transmission path amplifier 5 of another node B starts wireless relaying in parallel with the normal wired transmission, and simultaneously requests the transmission path management computer 12 from the transmission path amplifier 3 of the node A. Notifies that relaying has started. (8) The transmission path amplifier 2 issues a wireless relay communication start request to the transmission path amplifier 1 wirelessly. (9) The transmission path amplifier 1 starts the wireless relay communication with the transmission path amplifier 2 and, at the same time, sends the transmission path management computer 12 a transmission path 1 between the transmission path amplifiers 1-2.
3 is notified that a failure has occurred. (10) As a result, the node A takes measures against the cause of the failure, and continues to operate including the wireless transmission device until recovery. (11) The transmission line management computer 12 receives a notification of the operation status of all the transmission line amplifiers using a wired or wireless transmission device in order to grasp the status of all the transmission line amplifiers 1 to 9 of all the nodes. , To display on the screen. The screen display has the contents of FIG. 5 as an example.

As described above, when a failure occurs in a plurality of transmission paths in the same node, processing is performed not only in the same node but also by covering other nearby nodes. Effectively overcome obstacles.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
All the transmission line amplifiers scattered on the wired transmission line are provided with built-in wireless communication means having individual ID numbers. The transmission line amplifier also has a function of constantly monitoring the transmission line amplifier for a fault that has occurred on the transmission line and notifying the transmission line management computer of the CATV broadcasting equipment using wireless communication means. When the transmission line amplifier detects a failure, it automatically switches from wired to wireless, and instead of the transmission line where the failure has occurred due to a disaster or trouble, the wireless communication means replaces the transmission line where the failure occurred with a bidirectional transmission line. Is used to relay the transmission path.

Therefore, when a failure occurs in a part of the transmission line of the CATV broadcasting equipment due to a failure such as a disaster or a trouble, the transmission line amplifier automatically detects the abnormality of the transmission line, and Or, function as an early information infrastructure of CATV broadcasting equipment by specifying a faulty transmission line while securing the relay of the CATV transmission line by wireless communication with a normally operating transmission line amplifier of another node. Can be recovered. It is also possible to remotely control all operations under the control of a computer managing the transmission path. At the same time, it is possible to realize an inexpensive duplex transmission line compared to the cost required for the cable duplication of the CATV transmission line currently performed.

[0027]

According to the present invention, when a failure occurs in a part of the transmission line due to a disaster or a trouble on the CATV transmission line, the failure is achieved by using the wireless communication means built in the transmission line amplifier. Since the CATV transmission line is secured by wireless communication instead of a part of the transmission line where the error occurs, a new transmission line can be used instead of the failed transmission line without duplicating the CATV transmission line. Can be secured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a CATV system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a transmission line amplifier according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a CATV system at the time of occurrence of a failure according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a transmission sequence at the time of occurrence of a failure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a CATV system at the time of occurrence of a failure according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a transmission sequence at the time of occurrence of a failure shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing contents of a registration information file of an amplifier according to the embodiment;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-9 Transmission Line Amplifier 10 CATV Broadcasting Equipment 11 Headend 12 Transmission Management Computer 13 Transmission Line 15 Antenna

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Saito 7-9-6 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo Angelheim Kamata No. 6-201 (72) Inventor Masayuki Nonaka 3-3-Mizuho Hanamigawa-ku, Chiba Chiba Prefecture 23 (72) Inventor Atsushi Fujimoto 5-23-2 Kyodo, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo F-term (reference) 5C056 FA02 FA03 FA06 HA12 5C061 BB13 BB18 CC03 5C064 BA01 BB05 BC12 BC16

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A CATV broadcasting facility, a terminal system facility, a transmission path for transmitting a signal bidirectionally between the CATV broadcasting facility and a plurality of nodes, a plurality of transmission paths provided along the transmission path, A transmission line amplifier for amplifying, and a transmission line monitoring means provided in each of the plurality of transmission line amplifiers, for monitoring each of the transmission lines directly connected to each of the transmission line amplifiers, and detecting a failure in each of the transmission lines. A CATV system comprising: 2. The CATV system according to claim 1, wherein each of the transmission line amplifiers is assigned an ID number, and each of the transmission line amplifiers is assigned to each of the transmission line amplifiers. Wireless communication means for transmitting information together with an ID number; and a transmission path management computer provided in the CATV broadcasting equipment for managing the transmission path, wherein the transmission path monitoring means provided in the transmission path amplifier comprises: When the failure of the transmission path is detected by monitoring, the transmission path amplifier that has detected the transmission path failure has information on which ID number the transmission path connected to the transmission path amplifier has an abnormality with, A CATV system characterized in that a transmission path management computer for managing a transmission path is notified through the wireless communication means. 3. The CATV system according to claim 2, wherein each of the transmission line amplifiers provided on the transmission line has the same node as the transmission line amplifier in advance and is provided in the vicinity thereof. The ID number of the transmission line amplifier and the ID number of the transmission line amplifier which is another nearby node and is provided in the vicinity thereof are registered, and the transmission line amplifier is registered in the same node or in the vicinity in advance. Automatically determines whether or not wireless communication is possible with the transmission line amplifier of the ID number of another node, and when the result of the determination that the wireless communication is possible is obtained, A CATV system characterized in that two-way communication is performed by a wireless communication means as a substitute for a failed transmission line with an amplifier. 4. The system according to claim 3, wherein under control of a computer that manages the transmission path, the operating states of all transmission path amplifiers of all nodes are grasped, and transmission is performed automatically or manually. A CATV system characterized in that road switching control can be performed.