JP4029877B2 - Wireless network equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a radio network apparatus configured by using at least a base station that performs radio communication transmission and a terminal that performs reception in a service space where one or a plurality of paths exist.

  Conventionally, when configuring a system in which a plurality of terminals are connected to a network in a room or a vehicle, a method of wiring conductor lines corresponding to the number of terminals is generally employed.

  While this method has the advantage of high communication reliability, it has the disadvantages that it takes time and money to lay wiring, and that much labor is required for maintenance work after laying.

  On the other hand, in recent years, a network in which wiring to terminals is wireless has been proposed and gradually being adopted. Compared with a conventional wired network, the wireless network has an advantage that the time and cost for wiring installation and maintenance can be reduced. In addition, it is very advantageous to eliminate the area required for wiring and the weight of the wiring, especially when installed on a vehicle.

  However, when a radio wave is reflected by an obstacle, the phase of the waveform is shifted, and the waveform with the shifted phase is synthesized. As a result, the received level is discarded (error) due to the fading phenomenon that the reception level decreases. Occurs, and the available bandwidth is reduced.

  Hereinafter, a conventional example of a wireless network device that suppresses band reduction due to reflected waves will be described.

  Conventionally, a wireless network device that suppresses band reduction due to a reflected wave is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-304526. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing this configuration. 401 is a desk, 402 is an access point (hereinafter referred to as AP) which is a base station, 403 is an AP antenna, 404 is a terminal, 405 is a terminal antenna, It is. In this configuration, the wide-angle directional antenna 403 of the AP 402 connected to the network is attached to the ceiling, and the narrow-angle directional antenna 405 facing the AP-side antenna 403 is attached to the plurality of terminals 404 on the desk 401 or It is installed in the vicinity. Then, wireless communication using radio waves is performed between the AP 402 and the terminal 404 via the antennas 403 and 405, so that a wireless LAN system is configured by the network and each terminal.

The ceiling 406 is provided with a layer containing a substance that absorbs radio waves in the use frequency band, so that the probability that the antenna 405 on the terminal side receives the reflected wave reflected by the ceiling 406 is lowered.
JP-A-5-304526

  However, the above method is effective only when the terminal-side antenna 405 can receive a direct wave from the AP 401, and cannot be used when a direct wave cannot be received. In this case, the terminal receives reflected waves from various places in the space, and as a result, the available band becomes small.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems. In a service space having one or a plurality of straight paths, at least the generation of reflected waves in wireless communication from an AP to a terminal is suppressed, and the use band is improved. It is intended.

In the first aspect of the present invention, a space surrounded by an outer wall that reflects radio waves is delimited by a boundary made of a material that can transmit the minimum radio waves that maintain the quality required for radio communication. A wireless network device providing a service space and providing the wireless communication to the service space, wherein the base station transmits at least the radio wave, and receives at least the radio wave transmitted from the base station The base station has an antenna having directivity in a direction parallel to the path existing in the service space, and the terminal is arranged excluding the path , station is characterized in that installed in at least one of the floor or ceiling facing the passage, strong radio is the main direction of the lower of the radio wave radiated from the base station Since the obstacle reflected does not exist, to suppress the occurrence of a reflected wave, and has the effect that the radio wave fault toward the passage direction without distance wireless radio waves becomes longer.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is a luggage compartment at a position in contact with the boundary above the place where the passage is excluded, and the base station is outside the service space and surrounded by the outer wall. The antenna is installed in a space and radiates the radio wave toward the outer wall, and there are many obstacles that strongly reflect the radio wave in the service space , or a boundary passage is provided. Even if there is a baggage compartment above the excluded location, it does not affect the radio waves that circulate through the outside, so the occurrence of reflected waves is suppressed, and the radio waves are obstructed in the direction of the passage. And has the effect of increasing the distance over which radio waves reach .

  As described above, according to the present invention, when a wireless network is configured using a base station and a terminal, an excellent effect of suppressing the generation of reflected waves and preventing the use band from being lowered can be obtained.

  In addition to preventing the generation of reflected waves, there is also an effect that there is no obstacle to radio waves in the direction of the passage, and the distance that radio waves reach can be increased.

  Furthermore, when installed outside the service space, there are no projections such as antennas in the service space, so that it is possible to obtain an effect of not causing a safety problem and not deteriorating the appearance.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIGS. 5 to 8 using an example in which the inside of an aircraft is a service space.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an aircraft fuselage, in which 101 is an AP serving as a base station, 102 is a seat, 103 is a passage, 104 is a ceiling, 104 is a luggage compartment, and 106 is a floor. The AP 101 is installed on a passage at a substantially central position in the front-rear direction of the aircraft, and a terminal that receives wireless communication from the AP 101 is installed on the back of the seat 102. In addition, the ceiling 104 and the floor 106 are often made of a material other than metal in order to reduce the weight in a general aircraft, and the radio reflection is a level that can be ignored compared to the radio reflection in the seat 102. Is.

  7 and 8 are cross-sectional views when viewed from the side of the aircraft. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the AP 101 (701 in FIG. 7) is not installed on the passage 103. FIG. This is an example where the AP 101 (801 in FIG. 8) is installed on the passage 103.

  A first embodiment of the wireless network device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 7, and 8. FIG.

  In FIG. 1, an AP 101 transmits data by wireless communication, and a terminal installed in the seat 102 receives data by wireless communication.

  At this time, the radio wave transmitted from the AP 101 has directivity along the front-rear direction of the passage 103. However, in a commercially available AP, it is sufficient to reach a distance of about the width of the aircraft due to radio wave diffusion. It is possible to reach with a strong electrolytic strength.

  Of the radio waves transmitted from the AP 101, a radio wave directed downward will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 7 shows an example in which the AP 101 is installed at a place other than the passage 103. In FIG. 7, the radio wave transmitted downward from the AP 701 is reflected in a complex manner by the seat 702 and reaches the antenna 704 of the terminal 703 installed in the seat 702. Since radio waves are out of phase each time they are reflected, the use band is reduced as described above.

  FIG. 8 shows an example where the AP 101 is installed on the passage 103. In FIG. 8, the radio wave transmitted downward from the AP 801 reaches the floor 802 as it is because there is no obstacle that reflects radio until it reaches the floor 802. The floor 802 is made of a material other than metal, and wireless radio waves pass through the floor 802 and escape outside the cabin space. The radio wave reflected by the floor 802 toward the cabin space is of a level that can be ignored when compared with the direct wave from the AP 801.

  The radio wave transmitted from the AP 101 has directivity in the front-rear direction of the passage 103 as described above. For this reason, the probability that the spread radio wave reaches the area of the passage 103 is much higher than the probability of reaching the area other than the passage 103. This probability depends on the directivity of the AP 103, but in any case, it is possible to obtain a result of reducing the probability of reaching the obstacle and generating the reflected wave.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the generation of reflected waves of radio waves transmitted from the AP 101 by installing the AP 101 on the passage, and to prevent the band from being lowered due to the reflected waves. be able to.

  In the above description, the AP 101 is given directivity in the front-rear direction of the passage. However, even when the directivity is not given, there is a radio wave transmitted from the AP 101 to the passage 103. An effect of reducing the generation can be obtained.

  In the above description, the AP 101 is installed on the ceiling 104 on the passage. However, if the AP 101 is on the passage, the same effect can be obtained by installing it on the floor.

  In the above description, the terminal is installed on the seat 102. However, the same effect can be obtained even if the terminal is separated from the seat 102.

  Further, FIG. 1 used in the above description is an example of an aircraft having two passages, but the same effect can be obtained even with an aircraft having one passage as shown in FIG.

  Furthermore, in the above description, an aircraft has been taken as an example, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other places such as railways and theaters under similar conditions.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the aircraft fuselage, in which 201 is an AP, 202 is a seat, 203 is a passage, 204 is a ceiling, 205 is a luggage compartment, and 206 is a floor. The AP 201 is installed on the opposite side of the ceiling of the passage in the center position in the front-rear direction of the aircraft from the cabin space. 202 to 206 have the same properties as 102 to 106 in the first embodiment.

  6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 when viewed from the side of the aircraft, and 201, 202, and 204 are the same as FIG. Reference numeral 603 denotes a wall, for example, a partition for dividing economy class and business class. Reference numeral 605 denotes an outer wall of the airframe.

  A second embodiment of the wireless network device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.

  2 and 6, the AP 201 transmits data to the terminal installed in the seat 202 by wireless communication. At this time, since the ceiling 204 is made of a material other than metal, the reflection of the radio wave on the ceiling 204 is negligible compared to the reflection on the seat 202, for example, and the radio wave passes through the ceiling 204. Can be treated as a thing. When the seat 202 is in the vicinity of the AP 201, a terminal installed in the seat 202 can often receive a direct wave from the AP 201, but as the distance from the AP 201 increases, the possibility of receiving a direct wave decreases. . For example, when there is a wall 603 as shown in FIG. 6, the radio wave from the AP 201 is reflected by the wall 603. However, by installing the AP 201 in the guest room space as in the present embodiment, the outside of the guest room space can be actively used. Therefore, even when there is an obstacle such as the wall 603 in the guest room space, the distance from the AP 201 is reached. Wireless radio waves can be transmitted to a remote terminal with a small number of reflections.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, by installing the AP 201 on the side opposite to the cabin space on the ceiling 204 on the passage, even if there are wireless obstacles in the cabin space, the radio wave can be transmitted with a small number of reflections. Can be transmitted, and a reduction in bandwidth due to reflected waves can be prevented.

  In general, it is prohibited to install protrusions in the cabin space of an aircraft, and installing the AP 201 on the opposite side of the cabin space is also effective against this limitation.

  Also, from the viewpoint of the aesthetics of the cabin space, it is a desirable configuration that protrusions such as AP can be installed in places other than the cabin space.

  Further, in the above description, the AP 201 is installed on the opposite side of the cabin space of the ceiling 204. However, in many aircrafts, the floor 206 is also made of a material other than metal. Even if it is installed, it is possible to obtain the same effect.

  In the above description, the terminal is installed in the seat 202, but the same effect can be obtained even if the terminal is separated from the seat 202.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the case of an aircraft has been described as an example, but it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to other places such as a railway or a theater under similar conditions.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the aircraft fuselage, in which 301 is an AP, 302 is a seat, 303 is a passage, 304 is a ceiling, and 305 is a luggage compartment.

  A third embodiment of the wireless network device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the AP 301 transmits data by wireless communication, and the terminal installed in the seat 302 receives the data by wireless communication.

  At this time, the radio wave transmitted from the AP 301 has directivity along the front-rear direction of the passage 303. However, in a commercially available AP, it is sufficient to reach a distance of about the width of the aircraft due to radio wave diffusion. It is possible to reach with a strong electrolytic strength.

  Of the radio waves transmitted from the AP 301, the radio wave directed downward passes through the ceiling 304 because the ceiling 304 is made of a material other than metal in many aircraft. After the ceiling 304 is transmitted, the same result as in the first embodiment can be obtained, so that the generation of reflected waves below the AP 301 can be suppressed.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the generation of a reflected wave below the AP 301 by installing the AP 301 outside the cabin space and on the passage. Decline can be prevented.

  In the above description, the AP 301 is given directivity in the front-rear direction of the passage. However, even when the directivity is not given, there is a radio wave transmitted from the AP 301 to the passage 303. An effect of reducing the generation can be obtained.

  In the above description, the AP 301 is installed on the passage and on the opposite side of the ceiling 304 from the guest room space. However, if it is on the passage, the same effect can be obtained by installing the AP 301 on the opposite side of the floor 306 from the guest room space. Is obtained.

  In the above description, the terminal is installed on the seat 302. However, even if the terminal is separated from the seat 302, the same effect can be obtained.

  3 used in the above description is an example of an aircraft having two passages. Similar to the first embodiment, the same effect can be obtained with an aircraft having one passage.

  In the above description, an aircraft is taken as an example, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to other places such as a railway and a theater under similar conditions.

  In addition, as described in the second embodiment, the installation of the AP outside the guest room space is effective for prohibiting the installation of protrusions in the guest room space, and the aesthetics of the guest room space. It is also effective from the viewpoint.

  In addition, an object that reflects radio waves such as metal may be stored in the luggage compartment 305. In addition to simply installing the AP 301 outside the cabin space, installing the AP 301 on the passage prevents the transmission radio waves from the AP 301 from passing through the luggage compartment 305, and thus suppressing the occurrence of reflected waves in the luggage compartment 305. There is also.

  The wireless network device according to the present invention has one or a plurality of passages as in an aircraft, and is used by reducing the generation of reflected waves when there are obstacles that reflect the radio, such as seats. It has an effect of preventing a reduction in bandwidth, and is useful as a wireless network device that performs wireless data transmission / reception between a terminal and an AP.

Configuration diagram in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Configuration diagram in Embodiment 2 of the present invention Configuration diagram in Embodiment 3 of the present invention Configuration diagram of a conventional wireless network device Configuration diagram for an aircraft with one passage In Embodiment 2 of this invention, the block diagram at the time of seeing from the body side Cross section when viewed from the side of the aircraft Cross section when viewed from the side of the aircraft

Explanation of symbols

101, 201, 301, 402, 501, 701, 801 AP
102, 202, 302, 502, 702 Seat 103, 203, 303, 503 Passage 104, 204, 304, 504 Ceiling 105, 205, 305 Luggage compartment 106, 206, 306, 802 Floor 401 Desk 403 AP side antenna 404, 703 Terminal 405 Terminal-side antenna 603 Wall (partition)
605 Airframe outer wall 704 Antenna

Claims (3)

In a space surrounded by an outer wall that reflects radio waves, a service space delimited by a boundary made of a material capable of transmitting the minimum radio waves that maintain the quality necessary for radio communication is provided.
A wireless network device that provides the wireless communication to the service space, and a base station that transmits at least the wireless radio wave;
A terminal for receiving at least the radio wave transmitted from the base station,
The base station has an antenna having directivity in a direction parallel to a path existing in the service space;
The terminal is disposed excluding the passage ,
The base station is a wireless network device installed on at least one of a floor and a ceiling facing the passage. There is a luggage compartment at a position in contact with the boundary above the place where the passage is excluded,
The base station is installed outside the service space and surrounded by the outer wall, and has an antenna that radiates the radio wave toward the outer wall.
The wireless network device according to claim 1 . The service space is a cabin space of a mobile object.
Wireless network device according to any one of claims 1 to 2.

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