JP2006005389A - Communication relay apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately adjust the level of control signals in communication relay apparatuses 1 and 2 for relaying communication signals. <P>SOLUTION: Communication signal level detecting means 22, 24 and 32, 38 detect the level of the communication signals to be relayed. Control signal level varying means 28, 41, 29, 42, 27 and 40 vary the level of control signals to the other communication relay apparatus 2 or 1 on the basis of a detection result by the communication signal level detecting means. Control signal transmitting means 23 and 31 superimpose the control signal whose level has been varied by the control signal level varying means on the communication signal to be relayed, and transmit the signal to the other communication relay apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication relay device that transmits a control signal when relaying a communication signal, and more particularly to a communication relay device that appropriately adjusts the level of a control signal.

For example, in a mobile radio communication system, a signal communicated between a base station device and a mobile station device is relayed between an indoor device (IDU: In Door Unit) and an outdoor device (ODU: Out Door Unit). To be done.
FIG. 6 shows a configuration example of the indoor unit (IDU) 51 and a configuration example of the outdoor unit (ODU) 52, and shows an example of the coaxial cable 53 that connects the indoor unit 51 and the outdoor unit 52.
The indoor device 51 of this example includes a down converter 61 that processes a downlink signal from the base station device to the mobile station device, a duplexer (DUP) 62 connected to the coaxial cable 53, and the mobile station device to the base station device. An up-converter 63 for processing an upstream signal to the mobile phone, and a modem 64 and a control device 65 for processing a supervisory control signal.
The outdoor device 52 of this example includes a duplexer (DUP) 71 connected to the coaxial cable 53, an upconverter 72 and an amplifier 73 for processing a downstream signal, and a duplexer (DUP) 74 connected to an antenna (ANT: Antenna). And a low noise amplifier (LNA) 75 and a down converter 76 for processing an upstream signal, and a modem 77 and a control device 78 for processing a supervisory control signal.

Here, the control device 65 of the indoor device 51 is composed of a circuit incorporating a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and the outdoor device 52 or a radio base station device (BTS). : Base Transceiver Station) or other wireless communication monitoring and control device transmits or receives a monitoring control signal.
The control device 78 of the outdoor device 52 includes a circuit incorporating a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM, and transmits and receives a monitoring control signal from the indoor device 51, the BTS, or another wireless communication monitoring control device.

However, in the communication system as shown in FIG. 6, when performing frequency multiplexing communication using the coaxial cable 53 between the indoor device 51 and the outdoor device 52, the monitoring control signal is a communication signal (in this example, a downlink signal and an uplink signal). Signal) becomes a noise and the communication quality of the communication signal may deteriorate.
The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and when relaying a communication signal and transmitting a control signal, the level of the control signal can be appropriately adjusted, An object of the present invention is to provide a communication relay device that can prevent deterioration of communication quality.

In order to achieve the above object, the communication relay device according to the present invention performs the following processing when relaying a communication signal.
That is, the communication signal level detection means detects the level of the communication signal to be relayed. The control signal level changing means changes the level of the control signal for the other communication relay apparatus based on the detection result by the communication signal level detecting means. The control signal transmission unit superimposes the control signal whose level is changed by the control signal level changing unit on the communication signal to be relayed, and transmits the control signal to the other communication relay device.
Therefore, when a control signal for another communication relay device is transmitted by being superimposed on a communication signal to be relayed, the level of the control signal is changed based on the level of the communication signal. When relaying and transmitting a control signal, the level of the control signal can be appropriately adjusted, and deterioration of the communication quality of the communication signal can be prevented.

Here, various signals may be used as the communication signal. For example, a communication relay device (referred to as communication relay device A for convenience of description) and another communication relay device (for convenience of description, other A signal communicated by a communication system provided with a communication relay device B) is used.
Various communication systems may be used as a relay communication system. For example, a mobile radio communication system, a wired communication system, or the like can be used.
Various communication devices may be used as the communication relay device A and other communication relay devices B, respectively.
For example, as the other communication relay device B, similar to the communication relay device A, a device including a communication signal level detecting unit, a control signal level changing unit, and a control signal transmitting unit may be used. An apparatus having the following configuration may be used.
Various signal levels such as an amplitude level and a power level may be used.

Various signals may be used as the control signal for the other communication relay device B, for example, a signal for monitoring the state of the other communication relay device B may be used, or A signal for controlling the operation of another communication relay apparatus B or the like may be used, or another signal may be used.
Further, as a control signal for the other communication relay device B, for example, it may be generated in the communication relay device A, or may be input to the communication relay device A from an external device. Good.
Various modes may be used as a mode of changing the level of the control signal for the other communication relay device B based on the detection result of the level of the communication signal.
Various methods may be used as a method for superimposing the control signal on the communication signal. For example, a frequency multiplexing method is used in which the frequency of the control signal is different from the frequency of the communication signal. .
In addition, as communication such as transmission and reception, for example, wired communication or wireless communication may be used.

Also, for example, when the communication signal includes a plurality of signals, such as when the communication signal includes an uplink signal and a downlink signal, the level of the control signal is based on the level of one or more partial signals. May be controlled, or the level of the control signal may be controlled based on the level of all signals, and if control is performed based on the level of two or more signals, Control may be performed by detecting the level of the signal, or control may be performed by detecting the total level of two or more signals.
For example, when another signal is superimposed on the communication signal, the level of the communication signal may be detected and the level of the control signal may be controlled based on the detection result. The level of the control signal may be controlled based on the detection result by detecting both levels (individual level or total level) of the signal. For example, a control signal different from the control signal whose level is controlled can be used as the other signal.
In addition, for example, in a signal in which a plurality of signals having different frequencies and codes are multiplexed, each signal can be extracted using a frequency filter, a code correlator, or the like corresponding to each signal. Can be detected.

As one configuration example, the communication signal level detection means includes a communication signal level relayed from the communication relay device A to another communication relay device B, and a communication signal relayed from the other communication relay device B to the communication relay device A. One or both of the levels are detected.
As such a bidirectional communication signal, for example, a downlink signal transmitted from the base station apparatus to the mobile station apparatus and an uplink signal transmitted from the mobile station apparatus to the base station apparatus can be used. .
As an example of the configuration, the control signal level changing means sets the level of the control signal for the other communication relay device B within a range in which the control signal for the other communication relay device B reaches the other communication relay device B effectively. For example, the level of the control signal for the other communication relay device B is minimized.

As one configuration example, a communication signal level control signal level change mode correspondence storage unit that stores information on correspondence between the level of the communication signal and the mode of changing the level of the control signal for the other communication relay device B is provided.
Here, as an aspect of changing the level of the control signal, for example, an attenuation amount that attenuates the control signal can be used.
The communication signal level control signal level change mode correspondence storage means can be configured using, for example, a memory for storing information.
As one configuration example, as the communication relay device A and the other communication relay device B, an indoor device (IDU) is used as one communication relay device, and an outdoor device (ODU) is used as the other communication relay device.

  As described above, according to the communication relay device according to the present invention, the level of the communication signal to be relayed is detected, the level of the control signal for the other communication relay device is changed based on the detection result, and the level is changed. Since the received control signal is superimposed on the communication signal to be relayed and transmitted to another communication relay device, for example, when relaying the communication signal and transmitting the control signal, the level of the control signal is appropriately adjusted. It is possible to prevent deterioration of communication quality of communication signals.

An embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a communication system included in a mobile radio communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The communication system of this example includes, as a configuration on the base station device side, an indoor unit (IDU) 1, an outdoor unit (ODU) 2, a coaxial cable 3 that connects the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 2, and an outdoor unit 2 The optical transmission connecting the radio base station apparatus 6 and the indoor apparatus 1 to the antenna (aerial) 4 provided in the radio communication network 5, the radio communication network 5, the radio base station apparatus (BTS) 6 connected to the radio communication network 5 A cable 7 is provided.
In addition, the communication system of this example includes a mobile station device 11. In this example, one mobile station apparatus 11 is shown, but usually a plurality of mobile station apparatuses are provided.
Note that the communication system shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a system to which the present invention is applied, and the present invention can be applied to various systems.

In the communication system of this example, a downlink signal communicated from the base station apparatus side to the mobile station apparatus side and an uplink signal communicated from the mobile station apparatus side to the base station apparatus side are transmitted as communication signals.
The wireless communication network 5 is a group of devices that relay communication signals, and transmits and receives communication signals to and from the wireless base station device 6.
The radio base station device 6 accommodates, for example, one or more mobile station devices 11 capable of wireless communication with the antenna 4, and transmits communication signals to and from the mobile station device 11 via the optical transmission cable 7. To / from the indoor device 1.
The radio base station device 6 has a function of communicating signals for monitoring and controlling the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2, for example.
The optical transmission cable 7 transmits a communication signal and a signal for monitoring and controlling the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2.
In addition, as a cable which connects the wireless base station apparatus 6 and the indoor apparatus 1, it does not restrict to what uses optical transmission, A various thing may be used.

The indoor device 1 is installed, for example, in the vicinity of the radio base station device 6, communicates a radio frequency (RF: Radio Frequency) communication signal through a communication signal interface with the radio base station device 6, and communicates with the outdoor device 2. A communication signal of an intermediate frequency (IF) is communicated by the signal interface.
Moreover, the indoor device 1 communicates a signal for monitoring and controlling the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2, for example.
Specifically, the indoor device 1 converts the RF signal from the radio base station device 6 into an IF signal and transmits the IF signal to the outdoor device 2 via the coaxial cable 3, and converts the IF signal from the outdoor device 2 into the RF signal. The data is converted and transmitted to the radio base station apparatus 6 via the optical transmission cable 7. The indoor device 1 converts, for example, a baseband (BB) signal for monitoring and controlling the outdoor device 2 from the radio base station device 6 into an IF signal.

The coaxial cable 3 is a cable in which a copper wire and an insulator are arranged concentrically, and transmits a communication signal and a signal for monitoring and controlling the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2.
In this example, the IF signal is transmitted by the coaxial cable 3, but for example, a configuration in which a BB signal or a high-frequency RF signal is transmitted may be used.
In general, cable loss increases when transmission is performed at a high frequency. Therefore, it is efficient to reduce the transmission frequency to an intermediate frequency (IF) or baseband (BB) once.

The outdoor device 2 communicates an intermediate frequency (IF) communication signal through a communication signal interface with the indoor device 1, and communicates a radio frequency (RF) communication signal through a communication signal interface with the antenna 4.
The outdoor device 2 communicates a signal for monitoring and controlling the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2, for example.
Specifically, the outdoor device 2 converts and amplifies the IF signal from the indoor device 1 into an RF signal, transmits the RF signal to the antenna 4, and amplifies and IF signal the RF signal from the antenna 4 by a low noise amplifier (LNA). To be transmitted to the indoor device 1. In addition, the outdoor device 2 performs, for example, conversion of an IF signal for monitoring and controlling the outdoor device 2 from the radio base station device 6 side into a BB signal.
The antenna 4 transmits an RF signal from the outdoor device 2 to the mobile station device 11 by radio, and transmits a radio signal (RF signal) received from the mobile station device 11 to the outdoor device 2.
The mobile station apparatus 11 receives a communication signal wirelessly transmitted from the antenna 4 on the base station apparatus side, and wirelessly transmits a communication signal for the base station apparatus to the antenna 4 on the base station apparatus side.

In the communication system of this example, an RF signal (downlink signal) transmitted toward the mobile station device 11 reaches the indoor device 1 via the wireless communication network 5 and the wireless base station device 6. The indoor device 1 converts a transmission signal, which is a signal from the radio base station device 6 to the indoor device 1, into an IF signal and transmits the IF signal to the outdoor device 2 via the coaxial cable 3. The outdoor device 2 converts the received IF signal into RF, amplifies it, and transmits the RF signal from the antenna 4.
Further, the RF signal (uplink signal) transmitted from the mobile station apparatus 11 is transmitted to the wireless communication network 5 in the reverse procedure.
In addition to the communication signal, for example, a signal for monitoring and controlling the outdoor device 2 is communicated via the coaxial cable 3.
Such a monitoring control signal is obtained by, for example, acquiring and monitoring information on the operating state of the outdoor device 2 by the indoor device 1, the wireless base station device 6 or the monitoring device on the wireless communication network 5 side, For example, the movement is used for executing control for switching transmission on / off, control for increasing / decreasing transmission output, and the like. Such a monitoring control signal includes, for example, a signal transmitted from the indoor device 1 to the outdoor device 2 and a signal transmitted from the outdoor device 2 to the indoor device 1.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the indoor unit (IDU) 1 and a configuration example of the outdoor unit (ODU) 2, and shows an example of the coaxial cable 3 that connects the indoor unit 1 and the outdoor unit 2.
The indoor apparatus 1 of this example includes a down converter 21 and a detection circuit 22 that process a downlink signal from the base station apparatus side to the mobile station apparatus 11, a duplexer (DUP) 23 connected to the coaxial cable 3, and a mobile station apparatus. 11, a detection circuit 24 and an up converter 25 for processing an upstream signal from the base station apparatus side, a modem 26, a variable attenuator (VAT) 27, a table 28, and a control apparatus 29 for processing a supervisory control signal It has.
The outdoor device 2 of this example includes a duplexer (DUP) 31 connected to the coaxial cable 3, a detection circuit 32 that processes a downstream signal, an upconverter 33, an amplifier 34, and a duplexer (DUP) 35 connected to the antenna 4. A low noise amplifier (LNA) 36 for processing the upstream signal, a down converter 37, a detection circuit 38, a modem 39, a variable attenuator (VAT) 40, a table 41, and a control device 42 for processing the supervisory control signal. I have.

The configuration of the indoor device 1 of this example will be described.
The down converter 21 is a frequency conversion unit, converts an RF downlink signal received from the radio base station apparatus 6 via the optical transmission cable 7 into an IF signal, and outputs the IF signal to the detection circuit 22.
When the IF downstream signal input from the down converter 21 is output to the duplexer 23, the detection circuit 22 detects the level of the downstream signal as the strength of the downstream signal and detects the detection result (in this example, the detection signal). Result) is output to the control device 29.
The duplexer 23 has a function of separating the IF signal. For example, the duplexer 23 has a combination of a bandpass filter having a transmission frequency in the passband and a bandpass filter having the reception frequency in the passband. And reception can be shared. In this example, the supervisory control signal is also separated.
Specifically, the duplexer 23 superimposes the downlink signal input from the detection circuit 22 and the downlink monitoring control signal input from the modem 26 and outputs the superimposed signal to the coaxial cable 3. Further, when outputting the upstream signal from the coaxial cable 3 to the detection circuit 24, the duplexer 23 separates the upstream monitoring control signal included in the upstream signal and outputs it to the modem 26 as necessary.

Here, in this example, the frequency multiplexing method is used to superimpose and separate signals. For example, downlink communication signals, uplink communication signals, downlink supervisory control signals, and uplink supervisory control signals Each frequency is different. Furthermore, for example, when a plurality of types of monitoring control signals are used, different frequencies may be used for each monitoring control signal.
When the IF circuit input from the duplexer 23 is output to the up-converter 25, the detection circuit 24 detects the level of the upstream signal as the strength of the upstream signal and detects the detection result (in this example, the detection signal). Result) is output to the control device 29.
The up-converter 25 is a frequency conversion unit, converts an upstream signal of IF input from the detection circuit 24 into an RF signal, and outputs the RF signal to the radio base station apparatus 6 via the optical transmission cable 7.

The modem 26 inputs an upstream monitoring control signal communicated as an IF signal from the duplexer 23, converts the monitoring control signal into a BB signal, and outputs the BB signal to the control device 29.
In addition, the modem 26 converts the BB downlink supervisory control signal input from the variable attenuator 27 into an IF signal and outputs the IF signal to the duplexer 23.
The variable attenuator 27 has a function of attenuating the signal by a variable attenuation amount, and the intensity of the monitoring control signal downstream of the BB input from the control device 29 with the attenuation amount controlled by the control device 29. (Level) is attenuated and output to the modem 26.
In this example, the level of the BB signal is changed by the variable attenuator 27. However, as another configuration example, a variable attenuator is provided between the modem 26 and the duplexer 23 to provide a modulated signal (in this example, A configuration that changes the level of the (IF signal) can also be used.

The table 28 is configured by using, for example, a memory, and information on the relationship of the amount of interference (noise amount) to the downlink supervisory control signal according to the level of the downlink signal and the downlink supervisory control signal according to the level of the uplink signal. Information on the amount of interference (noise amount) is stored.
The control device 29 is configured by a circuit incorporating, for example, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and transmits and receives a monitoring control signal from the outdoor device 2, the wireless base station device 6, or another wireless communication monitoring control device.
Further, the control device 29 inputs and acquires detection results (in this example, detection results) of the respective signal levels from the detection circuit 22 for the downstream signal and the detection circuit 24 for the upstream signal, and based on these detection results. Thus, the amount of attenuation of the variable attenuator 27 is controlled.

The configuration of the outdoor device 2 of this example will be described.
The duplexer 31 has a function of separating the IF signal. For example, the duplexer 31 has a combination of a bandpass filter having a transmission frequency in the passband and a bandpass filter having the reception frequency in the passband. And reception can be shared. In this example, the supervisory control signal is also separated.
Specifically, the duplexer 31 superimposes the upstream signal input from the detection circuit 38 and the upstream monitoring control signal input from the modem 39 and outputs the superimposed signal to the coaxial cable 3. In addition, when outputting the downstream signal from the coaxial cable 3 to the detection circuit 32, the duplexer 31 separates and outputs the downstream monitoring control signal included in the downstream signal to the modem 39 as necessary.
When the IF downstream signal input from the duplexer 31 is output to the up-converter 33, the detection circuit 32 detects the level of the downstream signal as the strength of the downstream signal and detects the detection result (in this example, the detection signal). Result) is output to the control device 42.
The up-converter 33 is a frequency conversion unit, converts the IF downstream signal input from the detection circuit 32 into an RF signal, and outputs the RF signal to the amplifier 34.
The amplifier 34 amplifies the RF downstream signal input from the up-converter 33 and outputs the amplified signal to the duplexer 35.

The duplexer 35 has a function of separating an RF signal. For example, the duplexer 35 has a combination of a bandpass filter having a transmission frequency in the passband and a bandpass filter having a reception frequency in the passband. 4 can be shared between transmission and reception.
Specifically, the duplexer 35 outputs the downlink signal input from the amplifier 34 to the antenna 4. Further, the duplexer 35 outputs the upstream signal input from the antenna 4 to the low noise amplifier 36.
The low noise amplifier 36 amplifies the upstream signal input from the duplexer 35 and outputs the amplified upstream signal to the down converter 37.
The down converter 37 is a frequency conversion unit, converts the RF upstream signal input from the low noise amplifier 36 into an IF signal, and outputs the IF signal to the detection circuit 38.
The detection circuit 38 detects the level of the uplink signal as the strength of the uplink signal when outputting the IF uplink signal input from the down converter 37 to the duplexer 31, and detects the detection result (in this example, the detection signal). Result) is output to the control device 42.

The modem 39 inputs a downstream supervisory control signal communicated as an IF signal from the duplexer 31, converts the supervisory control signal into a BB signal, and outputs it to the control device 42.
Also, the modem 39 converts the BB uplink monitoring control signal input from the variable attenuator 40 into an IF signal and outputs the IF signal to the duplexer 31.
The variable attenuator 40 has a function of attenuating the signal by a variable attenuation amount, and the strength of the BB upstream monitoring control signal input from the control device 42 with the attenuation amount controlled by the control device 42. (Level) is attenuated and output to the modem 39.
In this example, the level of the BB signal is changed by the variable attenuator 40. However, as another configuration example, a variable attenuator is provided between the modem 39 and the duplexer 31, and a modulated signal (in this example, A configuration that changes the level of the (IF signal) can also be used.

The table 41 is configured using, for example, a memory, and information on the relationship of the amount of interference (noise amount) to the uplink monitoring control signal according to the level of the downlink signal and the uplink monitoring control signal according to the level of the uplink signal Information on the amount of interference (noise amount) is stored.
The control device 42 is configured by a circuit incorporating a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, for example, and transmits and receives a monitoring control signal from the indoor device 1, the wireless base station device 6, or another wireless communication monitoring control device.
Further, the control device 42 receives and acquires detection results (in this example, detection results) of the respective signal levels from the downstream signal detection circuit 32 and the upstream signal detection circuit 38, and based on these detection results. Thus, the amount of attenuation of the variable attenuator 40 is controlled.

The specific example of the operation | movement performed by the indoor apparatus 1 and the outdoor apparatus 2 of this example is shown.
In the indoor device 1, the RF downstream signal is converted into an IF signal by the down converter 21 and passed to the duplexer 23 via the detection circuit 22. The detection circuit 22 converts the strength of the downstream signal into DC (Direct Current), and the control device 29 reads it.
Further, a downstream monitoring control signal is generated as a BB signal by the control device 29, modulated by the modem 26 via the variable attenuator 27, and sent to the duplexer 23. The variable attenuator 27 can change the level of the supervisory control signal downstream of BB output from the control device 29.
These two signals (downstream signal and downstream monitoring control signal) are combined by the duplexer 23 and sent to the outdoor device 2 via the coaxial cable 3.
In the outdoor device 2, the signal from the indoor device 1 is frequency-separated by the duplexer 31, and the separated downstream monitoring control signal is sent to the control device 42 via the modem 39, and the separated downstream signal is detected by the detection circuit. 32 to the up-converter 33. The detection circuit 32 converts the strength of the downstream signal into DC, and the control device 42 reads it.

In the outdoor device 2, only the upstream signal component is separated from the signal received from the antenna 4 by the duplexer 35, sent to the low noise amplifier 36, amplified, and converted into an IF signal by the down converter 37, The signal is sent to the duplexer 31 via the detection circuit 38. The detection circuit 38 converts the strength of the upstream signal into DC, and the control device 29 reads it.
Further, an upstream monitoring control signal is generated as a BB signal by the control device 42, modulated by the modem 39 via the variable attenuator 40, and sent to the duplexer 31. The variable attenuator 40 can change the level of the BB upstream monitoring control signal output from the control device 42.
These two signals (upstream signal and upstream monitoring control signal) are combined by the duplexer 31 and sent to the indoor device 1 via the coaxial cable 3.

In the indoor device 1, the signal from the outdoor device 2 is frequency-separated by the duplexer 23, and the separated upstream monitoring control signal is sent to the control device 29 via the modem 26, and the separated upstream signal is detected by the detection circuit. 24 to the up-converter 25. The detection circuit 24 converts the strength of the upstream signal into DC, and the control device 29 reads it.
Here, the above four signals (downstream signal, upstream signal, downstream monitoring control signal, upstream monitoring control signal) are transmitted through the coaxial cable 3 at different frequencies.
In this example, signals of a plurality of frequencies are superimposed on the coaxial cable 3 between the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2 to perform frequency multiplex communication. In this case, in the frequency multiplexed signal superimposed on the communication path of the same medium, a signal having a frequency other than its own frequency (that is, a different frequency) becomes noise.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, the level control of the monitoring control signal by the variable attenuators 27 and 40 performed in the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2 of this example will be described in detail.
FIG. 3 shows an example of a frequency multiplexed signal when signals of a plurality of frequencies are superimposed. The horizontal axis of the graph represents frequency, and the vertical axis represents signal strength (level).
In this example, the frequency multiplexed signal includes an upstream signal F1, a downstream signal F2, and a supervisory control signal F3. As the monitoring control signal, for example, it is possible to use both a downlink monitoring control signal and an uplink monitoring control signal, but here, in order to simplify the description, one monitoring control signal F3 is used. Only this will be described.

In FIG. 3, the level of the C portion corresponds to the strength of interference between the downstream signal F2 and the supervisory control signal F3.
The supervisory control signal F3 becomes noise for the downstream signal F2, and the quality of the downstream signal F2 deteriorates.
Therefore, in this example, attention is focused on the strength of the supervisory control signal F3.
The uplink signal F1 and the downlink signal F2 are generally user signals used for communication with the mobile station apparatus 11, and the levels of these signals F1 and F2 are set indoors because the levels of the user signals are adjusted and transmitted as appropriate. If it is arbitrarily changed within 1 or the outdoor device 2, it becomes an obstacle in the radio communication system, and therefore the level cannot be adjusted.

On the other hand, since the monitoring control signal F3 is a signal used only for monitoring and control related to the indoor device 1, the outdoor device 2, the wireless base station device 6, and the like, a necessary and sufficient quality for signal communication is obtained. Any suitable signal level may be used. For example, if the level of the supervisory control signal F3 that provides an appropriate S / N ratio is the level B in FIG. 3, it is not necessary to communicate at the level A in FIG.
FIG. 4 shows the frequency multiplexed signal shown in FIG. 3 in which the level of the supervisory control signal F3 is reduced to the level B in FIG. The horizontal axis of the graph represents frequency, and the vertical axis represents signal strength (level).
As shown in FIG. 4, when the level of the supervisory control signal F3 is sent as B, the S / N ratio of the supervisory control signal F3 is of sufficient quality for communication and can be seen at D in FIG. As described above, the interference of the supervisory control signal F3 with the downlink signal F2 is reduced, and noise can be reduced.

In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the strength of the supervisory control signal F3 is determined by the strength of the downstream signal F2. In actual wireless communication, the level of the downstream signal F2 and the upstream signal F1 is constantly changing. For example, in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, which is a system applied to a mobile radiotelephone device, the level varies depending on the number of mobile station devices accommodated by the radio base station device (BTS).
Therefore, in this example, information on the relationship between the strength (level) of the downlink signal F2 and the amount of interference with the monitoring control signal F3 and the amount of interference between the strength (level) of the uplink signal F1 and the monitoring control signal F3. The related information is stored in advance in the table 28 of the indoor device 1 or the table 41 of the outdoor device 2. In the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2, the control devices 29 and 42 periodically and continuously acquire the strength (level) of the downstream signal F2 and the upstream signal F1 by the detection circuits 22, 24, 32, and 38. Then, the attenuation amounts of the variable attenuators 27 and 40 are controlled so that the transmission control level of the monitoring control signal F3 obtained based on the acquisition result and the above-described relationship is reached.

  In FIG. 5, as an example of information stored in the table 28 of the indoor device 1 and the table 41 of the outdoor device 2, the level [dBm] of the downlink signal F2 and the amount of interference with the monitoring control signal F3 (in this example, variable) An example of the relationship with the attenuators 27 and 40 is shown. When the level of the downlink signal F2 increases, the amount of interference from the downlink signal F2 to the supervisory control signal F3 increases, so that the attenuation amount of the supervisory control signal F3 is set small, that is, the level of the supervisory control signal F3 is set large. .

As described above, in the communication system of this example, in the communication device (in this example, the indoor device 1 or the outdoor device 2) that communicates frequency-multiplexed signals, the function of measuring the signal strength (in this example, detection) Circuits 22, 24, 32, and 38), a function (in this example, tables 28 and 41) that records the relationship between the signal strength and the magnitude of noise due to signal interference, the measurement results, and the recorded noise. Has a function (variable attenuators 27 and 40 in this example) for changing the intensity of the supervisory control signal to be transmitted according to the magnitude of the transmission signal, and a plurality of transmission signals (for example, high-frequency signals) are arranged in a single medium path. When performing signal communication with superposition, the level of the supervisory control signal is automatically adjusted.
For example, in this example, in a transmission method between communication relay apparatuses (in this example, the indoor apparatus 1 and the outdoor apparatus 2) that transmit communication signals to each other, the communication signal includes an upstream signal transmitted in each direction, A control signal including a downlink signal and including control information of each communication relay device is superimposed and transmitted. Then, the transmission level of the control signal is varied according to the transmission level of at least one of the uplink signal and the downlink signal.
Therefore, in the communication system of this example, by controlling the strength (level) of the supervisory control signal in frequency multiplex communication, it is possible to reduce noise due to inter-signal interference in the frequency multiplex communication path.

In this example, the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2 constitute a communication relay device (or other communication relay device), and downlink monitoring control communicated between the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2 A control signal is composed of a signal and an upstream monitoring control signal.
In the indoor device 1 and the outdoor device 2 of this example, the communication signal level detection means is configured by the functions of the detection circuits 22, 24, 32, and 38. The functions of the tables 28 and 41 and the control devices 29 and 42 The control signal level changing means is configured by the functions of the functions and the variable attenuators 27 and 40, the control signal transmitting means is configured by the functions of the duplexers 23 and 31, and the communication signal level control is performed by the functions of the tables 28 and 41. Signal level change mode correspondence storage means is configured.

Here, the configurations of the communication relay device and the communication system according to the present invention are not necessarily limited to those described above, and various configurations may be used. The present invention can also be provided as, for example, a method or method for executing the processing according to the present invention, a program for realizing such a method or method, or a recording medium for recording the program. It is also possible to provide various devices and systems.
The application field of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described fields, and the present invention can be applied to various fields.
In addition, as various kinds of processing performed in the communication relay device and the communication system according to the present invention, for example, the processor executes a control program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) in a hardware resource including a processor and a memory. The configuration controlled by doing so may be used, and for example, each functional means for executing the processing may be configured as an independent hardware circuit.
Further, the present invention can be grasped as a computer-readable recording medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk or a CD (Compact Disc) -ROM storing the control program, or the program (itself). The processing according to the present invention can be performed by inputting the program from the recording medium to the computer and causing the processor to execute the program.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the communication system which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of IDU and ODU which concern on one Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the relationship between the radio | wireless signal frequency and signal strength before the level control of a monitoring control signal. It is a figure which shows an example of the relationship between the radio | wireless signal frequency and signal strength after the level control of a supervisory control signal. It is a figure which shows an example of the relationship between a signal level and interference amount. It is a figure which shows the structural example of IDU and ODU.

Explanation of symbols

  1, 51 ... Indoor unit (IDU) 2, 52 ... Outdoor unit (ODU) 3, 53 ... Coaxial cable, 4. Antenna, 5. Wireless communication network, 6. Wireless base station equipment ( BTS), 7 .... optical transmission cable, 11 .... mobile station device, 21, 37, 61, 76 ... down converter, 22, 24, 32, 38 ... detection circuit, 23, 31, 35, 62, 71 , 74 · Duplexer (DUP), 25, 33, 63, 72 · · Upconverter, 26, 39, 64, 77 · Modem, 27, 40 · · Variable attenuator (VAT), 28, 41 · · · Table 29, 42, 65, 78 .. Control device, 34, 73 .. Amplifier (amplifier), 36, 75 .. Low noise amplifier (LNA),

Claims (1)

In a communication relay device that relays communication signals,
Communication signal level detection means for detecting the level of the communication signal to be relayed;
Control signal level changing means for changing the level of a control signal for another communication relay device based on a detection result by the communication signal level detecting means;
Control signal transmission means for superimposing the control signal whose level has been changed by the control signal level changing means on the communication signal to be relayed to the other communication relay device;
A communication relay device comprising:

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