JP5069784B2 - Satellite communication system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a satellite communication system in which a satellite communication line can be used in order to expand a wireless communication use area of a mobile phone terminal.

  Mobile phone networks that are actively used mainly in urban areas realize point-to-point connections through communication between mobile phone terminals directly operated by users and fixed base stations. The call area is expanding from the urban area to the suburbs, but since the expansion of the area involves the installation of base stations, a large-scale base station investment is required to cover the entire region.

On the other hand, there is also a portable dual-mode mobile telephone terminal capable of expanding both a satellite communication via a communication satellite and a cellular communication via a terrestrial base station so that the call area can be expanded.
In such a dual mode mobile telephone terminal, a satellite communication mobile telephone terminal that performs satellite communication with another terminal via a communication satellite, and a cellular communication terminal that performs cellular communication with another terminal via a ground base station. A mobile telephone terminal having an interface conversion means for converting an interface between the two mobile telephone terminals so that mobile telephone terminals for cellular communication of various cellular communication systems can be used for satellite communication. It is known (see Patent Document 1).

Republished patent WO98 / 39859

Patent Document 1 relates to a dual terminal sharing a satellite line and a mobile line, which relates to the realization of a dedicated terminal that can subscribe to both a satellite communication service and a mobile phone service.
Thus, in order to use the mobile phone service without being aware of the calling area, the user needs to use a dedicated terminal that subscribes to both the mobile phone service and the satellite communication service. The problem is that it is larger, heavier and more expensive than ordinary mobile phone terminals.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a satellite communication system in which a normal mobile phone terminal can be used even outside the mobile phone range. is there.

The satellite communication system of the present invention includes a satellite communication base station device and a satellite communication terminal station device to which a satellite communication line can be connected via a communication satellite station device. A femtocell device that is a telephone base station, and a signal from a mobile phone terminal input to the femtocell device and a signal from a satellite communication terminal are combined and sent to the satellite communication terminal station. A satellite femtocell connection device that separates the signal from the terminal into a femtocell device and a satellite communication terminal is provided, and the satellite communication base station device combines the signal from the mobile phone network and the signal from the in-house communication network. and sends the satellite communication base station terminal, a connection switching apparatus for separating a signal from the satellite communication base station terminal to a mobile telephone network and in-house communication networks provided, satellite femtocell connection device and The connection switching device includes a signal detection circuit, a switching circuit that switches a path according to a signal detected by the signal detection circuit, and a destination detection circuit that detects a destination from connection destination information included in the signal detected by the signal detection circuit Is provided .

  In the present invention, a user can use a mobile phone service using a mobile phone terminal within a mobile phone range, and subscribe to a service via a satellite communication line using the same mobile phone terminal outside the mobile phone range. be able to. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a dedicated telephone terminal in the present invention, and a small, light and inexpensive telephone terminal can be used.

It is a block diagram of the satellite communication system of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the internal structure of the connection switching apparatus used in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the internal structure of the satellite femtocell connection apparatus used in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a block diagram of the satellite communication system of Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a block diagram of the satellite communication system of Embodiment 3 of this invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
Hereinafter, the satellite communication system in Embodiment 1 of this invention is demonstrated based on FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a satellite communication system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a connection switching device, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a satellite femtocell connection device.
In FIG. 1, a satellite communication system includes a satellite communication base station apparatus 1 provided on the ground, a communication satellite station apparatus 2 such as a satellite provided at an altitude of several hundred kilometers, and a satellite communication terminal station apparatus portable on the ground. Communication between the in-house communication network 10 connected to the satellite communication base station apparatus 1 and the satellite communication utilization terminal 11 connected to the satellite communication terminal station apparatus 3 Is possible.

  The inside of the satellite communication base station apparatus 1 is composed of a satellite communication base station terminal 4 and a connection switching device 5, which is a path for demultiplexing signals of the in-house communication network 10 and the mobile phone network 12. In the direction of OUTBOUND (data communication from the network to the outside), the signals from the in-house communication network 10 and the cellular phone network 12 are combined and converted into one or a plurality of transmission signals, and the satellite communication base station terminal 4 is entered. Further, in the INBOUND (data communication from outside to network) direction, the signal from the satellite communication base station terminal 4 is separated and output to the respective communication networks of the in-house communication network 10 or the mobile phone network 12.

  The satellite communication base station terminal 4 includes a satellite communication line control device, a code decoder, a concealment device, a modem, a frequency converter, a power amplifier, an antenna device, and the like, and is connected to the communication satellite station device 2 by radio. Is done. The communication satellite station device 2 is an artificial satellite, which converts and relays the frequency of radio signals from the earth stations of the satellite communication base station device 1 and the satellite communication terminal station device 3.

  The satellite communication terminal station apparatus 3 is a satellite communication terminal station apparatus for performing communication with the satellite communication base station apparatus 1 at a location away from the satellite communication base station apparatus 1. The interior of the satellite communication terminal station device 3 is composed of a satellite communication terminal station terminal 6, a satellite femtocell connection device 7 and a femtocell device 8, and the interior of the satellite communication terminal station terminal 6 is satellite communication. The configuration is the same as that of the base station terminal 4.

The satellite femtocell connection device 7 performs path selection for signal demultiplexing and multiplexing. In the direction of INBOUND (data communication from the outside to the network), the signal from the satellite communication terminal 11 and the femto from the mobile phone terminal 9 are used. It has a function of multiplexing / combining signals that have passed through the cell device 8, converting them into one or a plurality of transmission signals, and sending them to the satellite communication terminal station terminal 6. In the OUTBOUND (data communication from the network to the outside) direction, it has a function for separating the signal from the satellite communication terminal station terminal 6 into a signal to be sent to the femtocell device 8 and a signal to be sent to the satellite communication utilization terminal 11. ing.

  The femtocell device 8 is a base station facility that covers a limited area with a narrow range for realizing communication with the mobile phone using terminal 9, and can be connected to the mobile phone using terminal 9 in the femtocell area. is there. Furthermore, the femtocell device 8 can be connected to the mobile phone network 12 via a satellite communication line by connecting to the satellite femtocell connection device 7. The mobile phone using terminal 9 is directly connected to the mobile phone network if it is a mobile phone call area, and is connected to the femtocell device 8 outside the mobile phone call area, so that the mobile phone network 12 is connected via the satellite communication system. Make a connection to.

Next, a detailed configuration and operation of the connection switching device 5 and the satellite femtocell connection device 7 which are features of the present system will be described.
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the connection switching device 5, FIG. 2 (a) shows the configuration of OUTBOUND signal processing, and FIG. 2 (b) shows the configuration of INBOUND signal processing.
First, as shown in FIG. 2 (a), each input signal from the in-house communication network 10 or the mobile phone network 12 is detected by a signal detection circuit 51. The signal detection circuit 51 recognizes connection destination information from the flag attached to the input signal, and sends a switching signal to the switching circuit 52. The switching circuit 52 switches the path based on the connection destination information of the input signal, and then the destination detection circuit 53 detects the destination from the connection destination information included in the input signal and sends it to the destination information addition circuit 54.

The destination information adding circuit 54 generates destination information from the connection destination information, adds a unique flag, adds other information, and distinguishes where the signal is directed on the receiving side. Thus, the signals from the in-house communication network 10 and the mobile phone network 12 are multiplexed and combined to generate an OUTBOUND signal.
Multiplexing / combining methods are multiplexed as one continuous signal sequence, and when combined as multiple signals on different frequency axes, each is given a different code and then spread based on that code. When it is synthesized in a state, it is performed by a combination thereof.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the signal on the INBOUND side separates the signal from the satellite communication base station terminal 4 based on the flag given by the satellite femtocell connection device 7 in the same way, and performs in-house communication. The data is output to the network 10 or the mobile phone network 12.
That is, the destination detection circuit 55 detects the destination information of the flag from the signal input from the satellite communication base station terminal 4 to the connection switching device 5, and switches the switching circuit 56 based on the information, and the in-house communication network 10 or the mobile phone Separated and output to the telephone network 12.

3 shows the configuration of the satellite femtocell connection apparatus 7, FIG. 3 (a) shows the configuration of INBOUND signal processing, and FIG. 3 (b) shows the configuration of OUTBOUND signal processing. The satellite femtocell connection device 7 performs the same operation with the same function as the connection switching device 5.
First, as shown in FIG. 3A, a signal input from the mobile phone terminal 9 via the femtocell device 8 or a signal from the satellite communication terminal 11 is detected by the signal detection circuit 71. Is done. The signal detection circuit 71 recognizes connection destination information from the flag attached to the input signal, and sends a switching signal to the switching circuit 72. The switching circuit 72 switches the path of the input signal based on the connection destination information, and then the destination detection circuit 73 detects the destination from the connection destination information included in the input signal and sends it to the destination information addition circuit 74.

The destination information addition circuit 74 generates destination information from the connection destination information, adds a unique flag, adds other information (position information, etc.) together, and where the signal is directed to the receiving side. Thus, the signals from the mobile phone using terminal 9 and the satellite communication using terminal 11 are multiplexed and combined to generate an INBOUND signal.
Multiplexing / combining methods are multiplexed as one continuous signal sequence, and when combined as multiple signals on different frequency axes, each is given a different code and then spread based on that code. When it is synthesized in a state, it is performed by a combination thereof.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the signal on the OUTBOUND side is similarly separated from the signal from the satellite communication terminal station terminal 6 based on the flag given by the connection switching device 5, and the mobile phone using terminal 9 or the terminal 11 using satellite communication.
That is, the destination detection circuit 75 detects the destination information of the flag from the signal input from the satellite communication terminal station terminal 6 to the satellite femtocell connection device 7, and switches the switching circuit 76 based on the information, thereby switching the femtocell device 8 (Finally, the mobile phone using terminal 9) or the satellite communication using terminal 11 is separated and output.

  In addition to these signals, the connection switching device 5 and the satellite femtocell connection device 7 are signals related to the soundness and secrecy of each other's communication environment, terminal-side location information, identification information of the mobile phone using terminal 9, and communication environment Signals related to soundness are communicated. For example, when the connection between the femtocell device 8 and the mobile phone using terminal 9 is not possible, or when the mobile phone using terminal 9 is used in the mobile phone network, the connection is switched. Some notification is sent from the device 5 to the mobile phone network 12.

  In addition, when a communication line cannot be established between the satellite communication base station apparatus 1 and the communication satellite station apparatus 2 due to the influence of rain or the like, the information is sent from the satellite communication base station terminal 4 to the connection switching apparatus 5 for in-house communication. The network 10 or the cellular phone network 12 recognizes that this system cannot be used.

  The satellite communication terminal station apparatus 3 is not limited to one, and a plurality of terminal stations can be subscribed simultaneously. Identification for the plurality of satellite communication terminal stations 3 is performed between the satellite communication terminal station terminal 6 and the satellite communication base station terminal 4, and the plurality of satellite communication terminal stations are within the limit of the number of usable satellite communication terminal stations 3. The device 3 can be used.

As described above, the invention of the first embodiment adds the femtocell device 8 and the satellite femtocell connection device 7 to the satellite communication terminal station device 3 so that the mobile phone user terminal user can use the dedicated device outside the mobile phone range. A satellite communication service can be subscribed via a satellite communication line using the same mobile phone terminal without using a terminal.

Embodiment 2.
Next, a satellite communication system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a satellite communication system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
In FIG. 4, the satellite communication terminal station device 3 is provided with a within-range / out-of-range / throughput identifying device 13 for identifying whether the use position is within or outside the range of the mobile phone using terminal 9 and detecting whether the throughput is large or small. Equipped with equipment. Other configurations are the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment, and the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

The area / out-of-range / throughput identifying device 13 identifies the out-of-range / out-of-range based on the received signal level from the mobile phone base station (not shown). If the number of free channels is small, it is determined that the throughput is small.
Information detected by the within-range / out-of-service / throughput identifying device 13 is notified from the satellite communication terminal station device 6 to the satellite communication base station device 1 via the communication satellite station device 2. The satellite communication base station apparatus 1 assigns lines to a plurality of satellite communication terminal station apparatuses 3 based on information sent from the in-range / out-of-range / throughput identification apparatus 13 by the line control apparatus of the satellite communication base station terminal 4. To control.

  For example, the satellite communication base station apparatus 1 extremely restricts the allocated line amount for the satellite communication terminal station apparatus 3 in a region where high throughput is obtained within the mobile phone range, and conversely, the satellite communication terminal outside the mobile phone range. For the station apparatus 3, an operation such as securing a large allocated line amount is performed.

As described above, the invention of the second embodiment is based on whether the satellite communication terminal station device 3 is within the range of the mobile phone terminal 9 in the within-range / out-of-range / throughput identifying device 13 provided in the satellite communication terminal station device 3. Can be established only when out of the service area, and a satellite communication line constructed by the satellite communication base station apparatus 1, the communication satellite station apparatus 2, and the satellite communication terminal station apparatus 3 can be constructed. Can be operated efficiently.
In addition, since it is not necessary to prepare satellite communication lines for each of the plurality of satellite communication terminal stations 3, it is possible to obtain effects such as a reduction in satellite communication connection charges.

Embodiment 3.
Next, a satellite communication system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a satellite communication system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
In FIG. 5, the satellite femtocell connection apparatus 7 of the satellite communication terminal station apparatus 3 is provided with an identification function 14 for identifying a use terminal. Other configurations are the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 1 of the first embodiment, and the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

The terminal identification function 14 of the satellite femtocell connection device 7 identifies a mobile phone terminal and responds to a connection request from a mobile phone use terminal 15 outside the group other than the mobile phone use terminal 9 registered in advance by a satellite communication line. This is a function for realizing the operation as a dedicated line in which only the registered users can use the satellite communication line.
For example, the terminal identification function 14 stores the number information of the mobile phone user terminal 9 that is permitted to be used in advance in the memory, and the number information sent from the mobile phone user terminal via the femtocell device 8. The number information in the memory is checked, and if the number information matches, access is permitted, and if there is no matching number information in the memory, access is denied. In this way, the satellite communication line is not assigned by means such as out-of-service notification / call-in-call notification for access from the terminal 15 other than the user terminal registered in advance.

  As described above, the invention of the third embodiment is applied in advance when a user who has a mobile phone terminal 9 or 15 who is near the operating place of the satellite communication terminal station 3 uses the same mobile phone service. An effect of preventing a user having a mobile phone using terminal 15 outside the group other than the registered mobile phone using terminal 9 from joining the mobile phone network using this network can be obtained.

1: Satellite communication base station device 2: Communication satellite station device 3: Satellite communication terminal station device 4: Satellite communication base station device
5: Connection switching device, 6: Satellite communication terminal station terminal,
7: Satellite femtocell connection device, 8: Femtocell device,
9: Mobile phone terminal, 10: In-house communication network,
11: Terminal using satellite communication, 12: Mobile phone network,
13: Within-range / out-of-range / throughput identification device, 14: terminal identification function, 15: non-group mobile phone terminal,
51, 71: signal detection circuit, 52, 72: switching circuit,
53, 73: Destination detection circuit, 54, 74: Destination information addition circuit,
55, 75: Destination detection circuit, 56, 76: Switching circuit.

Claims (3)

A satellite communication base station apparatus and a satellite communication terminal station apparatus that can be connected to a satellite communication line via a communication satellite station apparatus. The satellite communication terminal station apparatus includes a femtocell that is a mobile phone base station of a mobile phone using terminal. And a signal from the mobile phone terminal input to the femtocell device and a signal from the satellite communication terminal are combined and sent to the satellite communication terminal station terminal, and the signal from the satellite communication terminal station terminal A satellite femtocell connection device that separates the femtocell device and a satellite communication terminal is provided, and the satellite communication base station device combines a signal from a mobile phone network and a signal from an in-house communication network to generate a satellite communication base. and sends to the station terminal, a connection switching apparatus for separating a signal from the satellite communication base station terminal to the internal communication network and the mobile telephone network is provided, the satellite femtocell connected instrumentation The connection switching device includes a signal detection circuit, a switching circuit that switches a path according to a signal detected by the signal detection circuit, and a destination that detects a destination from connection destination information included in the signal detected by the signal detection circuit. A satellite communication system comprising a detection circuit .   The satellite communication terminal station apparatus includes an in-range / out-of-range / throughput identifying apparatus that identifies whether the use position of the satellite communication terminal station apparatus is within or outside the mobile phone using terminal and determines throughput, and uses the information as the satellite 2. The satellite communication system according to claim 1, wherein the satellite communication base station apparatus controls an allocated line to a plurality of the satellite communication terminal station apparatuses by notifying the communication base station apparatus.   The satellite according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the satellite femtocell connection device is provided with an identification function of a user terminal and refuses to join a satellite communication line for access by a mobile phone user terminal that is not registered. Communications system.

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