KR20000060736A - Apparatus and method for duplicating receive path of tower-mounted front-end module - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus and method for duplicating a receiving path of a front end module installed in a tower are provided for implementing an operation of a base station in the case OF that a voltage standing wave ratio(VSWR) and a low noise amplifier(LNA) of a base station system are defective. CONSTITUTION: A first receiving BPF(210) receives a wireless frequency signal from an antenna connection apparatus(200), removes a unnecessary signal and transmits a certain bandwidth signal. A first switch(220) connected with the first receiving BPF(210) performs a switching operation. A low noise amplifier(140) decreases the noise generated in the signal received from the first receiving BPF(210). A bypass switch(230) transfers a signal instead of the low noise amplifier(240) when an error occurs in the low noise amplifier(240).

Description

Reception path redundancy device and method for front-end modules installed in a tower {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DUPLICATING RECEIVE PATH OF TOWER-MOUNTED FRONT-END MODULE}

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for implementing a tower-mounted front-end module (TFM) installed in a tower in a base station system using a code division multiple access (CDMA) technology, and in particular, an antenna standing wave of a base station system. The present invention relates to a TFM reception path redundancy apparatus and method for enabling a base station to operate even when a ratio (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio: VSWR) and a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) are poor.

A wireless base station provides a mobile communication service to a mobile terminal within a certain service area. The base station includes an outdoor system for exchanging radio frequency signals with a mobile terminal and an indoor system for modulating and demodulating the radio frequency signals.

The outdoor system includes a transmit and receive antenna of a base station and a front-end module that removes unnecessary band signals from radio frequency signals transmitted or received by the transmit and receive antennas and amplifies as necessary. As it is installed as a tower on the roof of the building, it is called a front end module (TFM) installed in the tower.

1 is a configuration diagram of a TFM 100 according to the prior art, and as shown therein, an antenna connection portion 10 for transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals, and a radio frequency signal received from the antenna connection portion 10. A first receive band pass filter (RBPF) 20 that removes the unnecessary band signal and passes only signals of a desired band, and a first switch connected to the first receive BPF 20 to perform a switching operation 30, a low noise amplifier (LNA) 40 to reduce noise generated in the signal received from the first receiving BPF 20 when the first switch 30 is on, and is connected to the LNA 40. A second receiving BPF 60 for performing a switching operation, a second receiving BPF 60 for selecting and passing only a signal of a desired band among the signals output from the low noise amplifier 40 when the second switch 50 is turned on; 2 wireless connected to receive BPF (60) A bias tee 70 for separating the wave signal and the DC power supply, a DC / DC converter 80 connected to the bias tee 70 to convert a level of the signal, and the bias tee 80 It is composed of a transmission BPF (90) for receiving a signal from the transmission to the antenna connection device 10, the operation thereof will be described with reference to FIG.

2 is a signal flow diagram of a TFM reception path according to the prior art.

As shown in FIG. 1, when a radio frequency signal is received through the antenna connection device 10 shown in FIG. 1 (s1), the first reception BPF 20 removes an unnecessary signal from the received signal and a desired signal. Select and output only (s2).

Then, the first switch 30 operates to connect the output of the first receiving BPF 20 to the low noise amplifier 40 (s3). The low noise amplifier 40 reduces noise among the signals received from the first receiving BPF 20 (s4).

The output signal of the noise reduced low noise amplifier 40 is transmitted to the second receiving BPF 60 by the operation of the second switch 50 (s5). Then, the second receiving BPF 60 selects and passes only a desired signal among the received signals (s6).

The bias tee 70 is connected to the second receiving BPF 60 to separate the DC power from the radio frequency signal and send it to the DC / DC converter 80. The bias tee 70 is connected to the base station to transmit and receive a signal, and transmits the received signal to the transmission BPF 90 (s7).

In addition, the transmission BPF 90 receiving the signal from the base station indoor system transmits the signal to the antenna connection device 10 (s8).

The TFM configured as described above is installed in the antenna tower to improve noise of the entire base station reception path, thereby improving reception sensitivity of the base station. However, when one of the devices constituting the reception path of the TFM fails, for example, when the low noise amplifier fails, the reception path is disconnected. Alternatively, when the antenna standing wave ratio is measured for granting the reception path of the base station, the reception path is cut and the base station cannot perform the mobile communication service function.

The present invention was devised to solve the problems of the prior art operating as described above, and when the low-noise amplifier failure is duplicated by the bypass path to prevent the problem of the base station reception function, and by measuring the antenna standing wave ratio It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for receiving path redundancy of a TFM module to perform a function of congestion toward a path and switching back to an LNA path after completion of measurement.

1 is a configuration diagram of a TFM according to the prior art.

2 is a flowchart of a signal in a reception path of a TFM according to the prior art.

3 is a block diagram of a TFM according to the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for duplexing a reception path of a TFM according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

10, 210: transmit and receive antenna 20, 210: first receive BPF

30, 220: first switch 40, 240: low noise amplifier

50, 250: second switch 60, 260: second receiving BPF

70, 270: Bias Tee 80, 280: DC / DC Converter

90, 290: BPF 100, 200: TFM

230: bypass switch

An embodiment of a receiving path redundancy apparatus of a TFM module according to the present invention, which was created to achieve the above object,

A first receiving BPF (110) for receiving a radio frequency signal from an antenna access device of a base station, removing unnecessary signals, and passing only signals of a desired band;

A first switch 120 connected to the first receiving BPF to perform a switching operation;

A low noise amplifier (140) for reducing noise generated in a signal received from the first receiving BPF when the first switch is on;

A bypass switch (130) connected to the first switch to bypass a signal from the first switch when a failure occurs in the low noise amplifier;

A second switch 150 connected to the low noise amplifier to perform a switching operation; And

And a second receiving BPF 160 which selects and passes only a signal of a desired band among the signals output through the low noise amplifier when the second switch is turned on.

An embodiment of a receiving path redundancy method of a TFM module according to the present invention,

A bypass switch switched on to the bypass in an initial state, when the power is supplied to the TFM (s11);

If the TFM is abnormally operated after the switching, detecting a failure of the TFM in the fault generating module (s12);

Interrupting power supply of the TFM by the failure detection (s13); And

By the power supply cutoff, the bypass switch is automatically switched to the bypass path (s14).

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for redundancy of a reception path in a tower-mounted front-end module (TFM) of a base station.

Hereinafter, described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, preferred embodiments of the present invention.

3 is a configuration diagram of the TFM 200 according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, a first reception for receiving a radio frequency signal from the antenna connection device 200 to remove unnecessary signals and passing only a signal of a desired band is performed. A first switch 220 connected to a BPF 210, the first receiving BPF 210 to perform a switching operation, and a signal received from the first receiving BPF 210 when the first switch 220 is turned on. A low noise amplifier 140 for reducing the generated noise, a bypass switch 230 connected to the first switch 220 to transfer a signal instead of the low noise amplifier 240 when a failure occurs in the low noise amplifier 240, The second switch 250 connected to the low noise amplifier 240 performs a switching operation, and when only the signal of a desired band is selected from the signals output through the low noise amplifier 240 when the second switch 250 is turned on, the signal is passed. 2nd to let A bias tee 270 connected to a receiving BPF 260, a second receiving BPF 260 to separate a radio frequency signal from a DC power source, and a bias tee 270 connected to the bias tee 270 to convert a level of the DC power source; It is then composed of a DC / DC converter 280 to provide to the low noise amplifier 140. The operation and effects thereof will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4 as follows.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a duplication method of the TFM reception path according to the present invention, which is the same as the conventional operation in performing the operation, and the operation of the bypass switch 230 newly added according to the present invention is as follows. .

The bypass switch 230 is switched on toward the bypass path in the initial state. When power is supplied to the TFM 200, the bypass switch 230 is transferred to the low noise amplifier 240 (s11).

At this time, if the malfunction of the TFM 200 is detected by the failure module of the base station (s12), the base station cuts the power supplied to the corresponding TFM 200 (s13). Then, the bypass switch 140 is automatically switched to the bypass path (s14).

Therefore, since the signal received through the first receiving BPF 110 flows in the bypass path formed by the bypass switch 140, not the low noise amplifier 240, even if a failure occurs in the low noise amplifier 240. The base station performs a receiving operation (S15).

On the other hand, in order to artificially transfer the bypass switch to measure the antenna standing wave ratio, it is performed by controlling the supply and interruption of the power supplied to the TFM 200 through the terminal of the failure module.

As described in detail above, the present invention bypasses the received signal to the bypass path when a failure occurs in the low noise amplifier in the TFM reception path, so that the reception function of the base station can be normally performed even when the failure occurs in the low noise amplifier. The antenna standing wave ratio can be measured without cutting the reception path of the TFM.

Claims (4)

A first reception band pass filter (BPF) for receiving a radio frequency signal from an antenna access device of a base station to remove unnecessary signals and to pass only signals of a desired band; A first switch connected to the first receiving BPF to perform a switching operation; A low noise amplifier for reducing noise generated in a signal received from the first receiving BPF when the first switch is on; A bypass switch connected to the first switch to bypass a signal from the first switch when a failure occurs in the low noise amplifier; A second switch connected to the low noise amplifier to perform a switching operation; And And a second receiving BPF which selects and passes only a signal of a desired band among the signals outputted through the low noise amplifier when the second switch is turned on. A bypass switch switched on to the bypass in an initial state, when the TFM is powered up, being switched to the low noise amplifier; If the TFM malfunctions after the switching, detecting a failure of the TFM in a fault generating module; Interrupting power supply of the TFM by detecting the failure; And And, by the power supply cutoff, automatically switching the bypass switch to a bypass path. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising connecting a path to the low noise amplifier if the TFM has not failed. 4. The reception of the TFM module of claim 3, further comprising the step of, after automatically switching to the bypass path, a second switch transferring the signal output from the low noise amplifier to a second receive BPF to transmit a signal. Path redundancy method.