KR20060111617A - Wireless communication system and lift system having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless communication system for providing a radio frequency (RF) link between an enclosed environment that is at least substantially shielded from RF signals, and the outside of the enclosed environment is disclosed. The wireless communication system includes at least one gateway antenna arranged at an entrance point of the enclosed environment. The gateway antenna radiates downlink RF signals into and receives uplink RF signals from, the enclosed environment, respectively. The system also includes at least one auxiliary repeater arranged within the enclosed environment, a donor antenna and a server antenna. Both the donor and the server antenna are coupled to the auxiliary repeater. The auxiliary repeater relays the downlink and the uplink RF signals using the donor antenna and the server antenna. A lift system including the wireless communication system is also disclosed.

Description

Wireless communication system and lift system having a wireless communication system {Wireless communication system and lift system having the same}

The present invention is widely related to a wireless communication system for providing radio coverage in an enclosed environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wireless communication system that provides wireless coverage in a lift car that is inside a lift shaft.

 Attenuation of radio frequency (RF) waves is a common phenomenon in buildings. This attenuation is due to obstacles such as walls, columns, and partitions inside buildings that interfere with the propagation of radio frequency waves. Thus, the quality of radio frequency signal coverage inside a building is poor when compared to open areas. Designing systems to improve radio frequency signal coverage inside buildings has traditionally been a challenge for radio frequency design engineers.

It is impractical to design outdoor base transceiver stations (BTS's) that can provide radio frequency signal coverage indoors or inside a building. Typically, radio frequency signal coverage inside buildings has been provided using indoor transmit and receive base stations. This indoor transmit / receive base station can provide constant wireless signal coverage to different areas on different floors of a building. Another method of providing wireless signal coverage inside buildings is to use one or more distributed antenna systems, including coaxial cables and fiber optic cables. Although both indoor transmit and receive base stations and distributed antenna systems improve radio frequency signal coverage in buildings, they offer significantly better radio frequency signal coverage in enclosed environments such as lift cars, lift cars in lift shafts, underground mines, and tunnels. Unfortunately, it is not appropriate and cost effective to provide.

For example, one solution for extending radio frequency signal coverage into lift cars is to provide distributed antennas for each lift lobby and all floors of the building. Although this solution works somewhat to provide radio frequency signal coverage inside the lift car, radio frequency signal coverage is not the same, especially when the lift car moves between floors within the lift shaft. This design also places limitations on the need for an antenna to be installed in each of the lift corridors, resulting in a relatively expensive system.

Another solution is to place leaky coaxial cables along the length of the tunnel as disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,603,080. However, if the cable breaks in the middle, the cross-sectional area of the cable that is not working can cause severe radio fading near this cross-sectional area. If the leaky coaxial cable is long, an amplifier or repeater is required in proportion to the length of the cable. These amplifiers and repeaters incur higher costs for this solution.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a wireless communication system is provided that provides a radio frequency link between an enclosed environment at least substantially blocked from radio frequency signals and an exterior of the enclosed environment. The wireless communication system includes at least one gateway arranged at an entrance point of the enclosed environment to radiate downlink RF signals into each enclosed environment and to receive uplink RF signals from the enclosed environment. It includes a antenna (gateway antenna). The entry point of the enclosed environment is a well-defined entryway in the enclosed environment in which the gateway antenna is placed, radiating downlink radio frequency signals from there into the enclosed environment. Entry points should not be construed as meaning entrances for human access into the enclosed environment. If the downlink radio frequency signal is weak, the downlink radio frequency signal may be amplified using a primary repeater prior to transmission from there via the gateway antenna. The wireless communication system also includes at least one auxiliary repeater fixedly arranged inside the enclosed environment, a donor antenna and a server antenna connected to the auxiliary repeater. The auxiliary repeater uses donor and server antennas to relay downlink and uplink radio frequency signals to extend radio frequency signal coverage within the enclosed environment. In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, radio frequency signal coverage may be provided and extended to, but not necessarily limited to, lift shafts, tunnels, mines or other enclosed environments in which radio frequency fading occurs.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a mobile conveyance is provided such that radio frequency signal coverage is provided for mobile conveyance moving in an enclosed environment, for example a train car passing through a tunnel or a lift car inside the lift shaft. Auxiliary repeaters, along with donor antennas located outside the Enhance and server antennas located inside the Mobile Conveyor, can be installed in the Mobile Conveyor to extend radio frequency signal coverage into the Mobile Conveyor. The secondary repeater may be inside or outside the mobile conveyor. In particular, when an auxiliary repeater is installed inside the mobile conveyor to reduce component count, the server antenna can be integrated with the auxiliary repeater. When used in a lift shaft, a gateway antenna can be installed, for example, on the ceiling of the lift shaft in the access passage to define the inlet point for the radio frequency signal as that point. When used in tunnels or mines, the gateway antenna may be defined at the entrance area for radio frequency signals, for example, installed at the entrance of the tunnel or mine.

Regardless of whether the auxiliary repeater is fixed or installed in a mobile conveyance and moving together, the auxiliary repeater preferably includes a bidirectional amplifier with feedback control to adjust the gain. External signal strength can be kept within a predetermined range. When the auxiliary repeater is fixed, feedback control is useful in keeping the output signal strength of the bidirectional amplifier within a predetermined range under varying signal strength conditions of the signal radiated by the gateway antenna. In the case where an auxiliary repeater is installed in the mobile conveyor, the gain of the bidirectional amplifier can be adjusted, optionally or additionally, according to the distance between the mobile conveyor and the gateway antenna. The gain decreases when the distance is small, and the gain increases accordingly when the distance is large. In mobile conveyors, such as lift cars, the position of the mobile conveyor within the lift shaft can be used to determine the distance between the lift car and the gateway antenna.

In another embodiment of the present invention, when the enclosed environment is so wide that one auxiliary repeater cannot provide adequate radio frequency signal coverage therein, for example in a tunnel longer than a predetermined length, wireless communication The system may include a plurality of auxiliary repeaters arranged at predetermined intervals in series within the enclosed environment. That is, the auxiliary repeaters are arranged in the shape of one or more chains starting from the gateway antenna. The first auxiliary repeater in the chain, closest to the gateway antenna, will receive the radio frequency signal transmitted by the gateway antenna. This first auxiliary repeater amplifies and retransmits a radio frequency signal. A second auxiliary repeater farther along the chain will similarly receive, amplify and retransmit the radiofrequency signal transmitted by the first auxiliary repeater. In this way, the radio frequency signal is propagated by multiple auxiliary repeaters to provide wider radio frequency signal coverage. The radio frequency signal traverses multiple hops, each of which corresponds to the distance between two auxiliary repeaters. In order to avoid possible loss of radio frequency signal propagation in the chain of auxiliary repeaters, when the auxiliary repeater is not in operation, the radio signal signal coverage is still applied to the area previously covered by the repeater which is not immediately operated by two adjacent auxiliary repeaters. The radio frequency signal coverage of each auxiliary repeater can be extended to provide.

In another embodiment of the present invention, where there is a moving conveyor in an enclosed environment that requires multiple auxiliary repeaters, the auxiliary repeaters may include one group and a second group of auxiliary repeaters. The secondary repeater of the first group is installed in each mobile conveyor of the mobile conveyor train train that is movable in the enclosed environment, and the secondary repeater of the second group is arranged in the enclosed environment fixed outside the mobile conveyor. A donor antenna connected to at least one of the leading auxiliary repeater or the rear repeater of the auxiliary repeaters in the first group is arranged outside the mobile conveyor. A donor antenna connected to another auxiliary repeater in the first group and a server antenna connected to an auxiliary repeater in the first group are arranged inside each mobile conveyor. This embodiment is suitable, for example, for providing radio frequency coverage on both the inside and outside of a train carriage passing through a tunnel. Auxiliary repeaters in such multiple auxiliary repeater wireless communication systems each include a bidirectional amplifier having feedback control to adjust the gain, so that the external signal strength can be maintained within a predetermined range even under changing radio frequency signal conditions.

In the above-described embodiments, the wireless communication system may include one or more gateway antennas arranged at each inlet point of the enclosed environment to provide a redundant system. When one gateway antenna is not working, the other gateway antenna may still be transmittable in the enclosed environment.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, a wireless communication system is coupled to a first and a second interface and a first and a second interface, respectively, to cover radio frequency signal of different frequencies from the coverage of uplink and downlink radio frequency signals. It may further comprise a first, second coupler / cracker to provide. This radio frequency signal coverage at other frequencies may be used, for example, to provide a wireless communication connection between a control station and a signaling and driving system. Signaling and driving systems are used to control and / or monitor the enclosed environment and / or certain parameters of the conveyance moving in such enclosed environment. Such parameters may include, but are not necessarily limited to, such as temperature, pressure, gas levels, and the like.

The first interface is adapted for converting downlink control data into corresponding downlink control RF signals and uplink signaling RF signals from the signaling and drive system. In order to convert the signaling RF signals into corresponding uplink signaling data, a control station is connected. The first combiner / resolver combines the downlink RF signals with the downlink control radio frequency signal for transmission by the gateway antenna and uplinks from the uplink signaling radio frequency signal received by the gateway antenna. Separate uplink RF signals. The second interface comprises a signal for converting the downlink control radiofrequency signal into a drive or control signal and for converting a signal from a signal, for example a sensor, into an uplink signaling radiofrequency signal. It is connected to the ring and drive system. The second combiner / resolver combines the uplink radio frequency signal with the uplink signaling radio frequency signal for transmission by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater, and from the downlink radio frequency control signal received by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater. Separate downlink radio frequency signals. In this way, a single wireless communication system can be used to provide radio frequency signal coverage for two, for example, heterogeneous systems.

The signaling and driving system may be arranged in one or more mobile convergings in an enclosed environment. The signaling and driving system may include a driver for controlling the mobile conveyance according to the driving signal, and a sensor for producing the signaling signal according to the state of the mobile conveyance. Such control stations and signaling and drive systems can be used in the lift systems described above, for example, to monitor and control the function of lift cars. Such a system can be used, for example, to monitor and control driver-less coal cars in mines. In such lift systems, sensors can be employed to provide information regarding the position of the lift car within the enclosed environment. This sensor can be connected to the auxiliary repeater so that the information can be used to control the gain of the bidirectional amplifier of the auxiliary repeater, and this sensor is connected to the first interface so that the information can be used to control the position of the lift car in the lift shaft. Can be used by the control station. In lift systems, the signaling and drive system may further comprise a signal generator operable by the user of the lift car, for example to generate a signal when the floor button or emergency button is actuated inside the lift car. .

Signaling and drive systems can be fixedly arranged in an enclosed environment, such as in a mine, to remotely monitor and control parameters such as temperature, pressure, and gas levels in the mine.

From now on, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to a lift shaft and a wireless communication system used in a lift car moving on the lift shaft. The system is intended to extend radio frequency signal coverage outside the lift shaft, or abbreviated radio coverage, into the lift shaft and leaf car. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to use in the enclosed environment as described above, and the present invention can be used in enclosed environments such as tunnels and mines that are at least substantially blocked from external radio frequency signals.

1 shows an elevator or lift system 2 comprising a wireless communication system 4 according to an embodiment of the invention for providing radio frequency signal coverage in a lift car 6 movable within the lift shaft 8. Schematic diagram. The wireless communication system 4 includes a main repeater 10 and a gateway antenna 12 connected to the main repeater 10. The wireless communication system 4 further includes an auxiliary repeater 14, a donor antenna 16 and a server antenna 18 connected to the auxiliary repeater 4. 2 and 3 are block diagrams of the main repeater 10 and the auxiliary repeater 14, respectively.

The main repeater 10 may be installed inside or outside the lift shaft 8. The main repeater 10 is a downlink radio via a coaxial cable (not shown) from a suitable source outside the lift shaft 8, such as a transmit / receive base station (not shown), an amplifier (not shown), or a combiner 20 (FIG. 2). Receive a frequency signal. The gateway antenna 12 is located at the inlet point of the lift shaft 8, for example the ceiling of the lift shaft 8. The gateway antenna 12 may also be located at another position within the lift shaft 8 if the radiation of the downlink radiofrequency signal is directed or focused into the lift shaft 8. Unlike the leaky coaxial cable extending along the length of the prior art lift shaft 8, this gateway antenna 12 is localized or located at a point within the lift shaft 8. The gateway antenna 12 is not necessarily limited to this, but is a directional antenna such as a panel antenna or a yagi antenna. The donor antenna 16 is generally a directional antenna and the server antenna 18 is an omni directional antenna. The auxiliary repeater 14 is installed on the roof of the lift car 6 together with the donor antenna 16 and the server antenna 18 positioned respectively on the outside and the inside of the lift car 6. The donor antenna 16 is arranged in line-of-sight with the gateway antenna 12. Optionally, an auxiliary repeater can be installed on the ceiling of the lift car 6. In this case, server antenna 18 may be integrated with auxiliary repeater 14.

The main repeater is described with reference to FIG. The main repeater 10 includes a first bidirectional amplifier 22, a first combiner / decomposer 24, and a first interface 26. The first bidirectional amplifier 22 amplifies both the mobile communication downlink radio frequency signal outside the lift shaft 8 and the mobile communication uplink radio frequency signal inside the lift shaft 8. The first interface 26 converts the downlink control data at the control station 28 into a corresponding downlink control radiofrequency signal, and converts the uplink signaling radiofrequency signal for the control station 28. It is connected to the control station 28 to convert to uplink signaling data. This interface connected to the control station 28 allows the operation of the lift car 6 to be monitored and controlled remotely using a common RF link provided by the repeater 10. A first combiner / decomposer 24 coupled to the first interface 26 combines the downlink radiofrequency signal with the downlink control radiofrequency signal for transmission by the gateway antenna 12, and by the gateway antenna 12. The uplink radio frequency signal is separated from the received uplink signaling radio frequency signal. Note that the uplink and downlink radiofrequency signals for mobile communication may be signals from one or more mobile communication systems. If the uplink and downlink radio frequency signals are from one or more mobile communication systems, the radio frequency signals are combined by combiner 20 before being supplied to the main repeater 10. The mobile communication system can be, for example, a GSM900, DCS1800 and UMTS system.

The auxiliary repeater 14, which is very similar to the main repeater 10, is described next with reference to FIG. The auxiliary repeater 14 includes a second bidirectional amplifier 30, a second combiner / decomposer 32 and a second interface 34. The second bidirectional amplifier 30 amplifies both the downlink radio frequency signal outside the lift car 6 and the uplink radio frequency signal inside the lift car 6. The second interface 34 converts the downlink control radiofrequency signal into a drive signal for the signaling and drive system 36, and converts the signaling signal in the signaling and drive system 36 to the uplink signal. It is coupled to the signaling and drive system 36 to convert it into a ring radiofrequency signal. A second combiner / decomposer coupled to the second interface combines the uplink radiofrequency signal with the uplink signaling radiofrequency signal for transmission by the donor antenna 16 and receives the downlink radio received by the donor antenna 16. Separate the downlink radio frequency signal from the frequency control signal.

The signaling and drive system 36 is arranged in the lift car 6 and is based on the state of the lift car 6 and at least one driver (not shown) for controlling the lift car 6 based on the drive signal. At least one sensor (not shown) for producing a signaling signal. One of the sensors may be adapted to provide information regarding the position of the lift car 6 in the lift shaft 8 so that the distance of the lift car 6 from the gateway antenna 12 can be determined. This sensor can be connected to the auxiliary repeater 14 so that the information can be used to control the gain of the bidirectional amplifier 30 of the auxiliary repeater 14, and the sensor can be connected to the control station 28. Can be connected to the first interface 26 so that it can be used to control the position of the lift car 6 in the lift shaft 8. The signaling and drive system 36 may further comprise a signal generator (not shown) operable by the user of the lift car 6. Examples of such signal generators include, but are not necessarily limited to, generating signals when the floor button and the emergency button inside the lift car 6 are actuated.

The wireless communication system 4 is a mobile station 40, such as a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld computer, or other device with wireless access, wherein the lift car 6 When inside, the mobile station 40 provides access to each mobile communication system external to the lift shaft 8. In conjunction with the present wireless communication system 4, the mobile station 40 is amplified by the main repeater 10, transmitted via the gateway antenna 12 into the lift shaft 8, and lifted by the auxiliary repeater 14. A downlink radiofrequency signal can be received outside the lift shaft 8 which is relayed into the car 6. In the uplink direction, the uplink radiofrequency signals at the mobile station 40 are received by the server antenna 18, amplified by the auxiliary repeater 14, and external to the lift car 6 via the donor antenna 16. Is transmitted to the lift shaft 8. The uplink radiofrequency signal in the lift shaft is received by the gateway antenna 12 and channeled or relayed out of the lift shaft 8. In this way, the mobile station 40 can establish a wireless communication connection with the mobile communication system so that the connection with the outside world is maintained.

In addition to providing wireless access to the mobile station 40 in the lift car 6, the present wireless communication system 4 allows the status and function of the lift car 6 to be monitored remotely from the control station 28, respectively. To be controlled. The control station 28 may establish a wireless communication connection with the signaling and drive system 36 for the exchange of data. Some data exchanged between the control station 28 and the signaling and drive system 36 will be described briefly below.

Components 30, 32, 34 of auxiliary repeater 14 are described in detail below. The bidirectional amplifier 30 includes a downlink power amplifier 40 and an uplink power amplifier 42. The input of the downlink power amplifier 30 is connected to the donor antenna 16 via a first transceiver filter 44. The output of the uplink power amplifier 42 is connected to the donor antenna 16 via a first transceiver filter 44. The output of the downlink power amplifier 40 is connected to the control filter 46 of the second combiner / decomposer 32. The control filter 46 is a bandpass filter that filters the downlink control radiofrequency signal from the signal received at the donor antenna 16. Control filter 46 is coupled to a second transceiver filter 48 for channeling downlink radiofrequency signals. The control filter 46 is connected to the first mixer 50 of the second interface 34 for channeling the downlink control radiofrequency signal. The second transceiver filter 48 is connected to the server antenna 18. The second transceiver filter is coupled to the combiner 52 of the second combiner / decomposer 32 to channel the uplink radiofrequency signals received by the server antenna 18. The combiner 52 is connected to the second mixer 54 of the second interface 34 to receive the uplink signaling radio frequency signal. The combiner 52 combines the uplink radio frequency signal and the uplink signaling radio frequency signal, and supplies the combined signal to the input of the uplink power amplifier 42.

The auxiliary repeater 14 receives an automatic power control circuit which receives information from the output signals of the power amplifiers 40, 42 and the sensor regarding the position of the lift car 6 in the lift shaft 8. 56). Automatic power control circuitry 56 processes the signal and position information to control the respective feed back for controlling the gain of downlink and uplink power amplifiers 40 and 42 to maintain the output signal strength within a predetermined range. Generate a signal.

In addition to receiving the downlink controlled radiofrequency signal, the first mixer 50 receives a carrier signal from a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 58. The first mixer 50 mixes the downlink control radio frequency signal and the carrier signal to generate a downlink control baseband signal that is sent to the modem 60 of the second interface 34. The modem 60 demodulates the downlink control baseband signal into a drive signal for the signaling and drive subsystem 36.

Modem 60 also modulates the signaling signal into an uplink signaling baseband signal. The second mixer 54 receives the uplink signaling baseband signal and the carrier signal from the voltage controlled oscillator 58 to generate an uplink signaling radio frequency signal. The modem 60 may add a header to the signaling signal in order to prevent an error of the signaling signal. Similarly, before providing a drive signal to the signaling and drive system 36, the modem 60 may remove the similar header from the drive signal.

The operation of the bidirectional amplifier 30 and the second combiner / decomposer 32 is briefly described. The radio frequency signal at the donor antenna 16, including the combined downlink control radio frequency signal and the downlink radio frequency signal, is channeled and amplified by the first transceiver filter 44 into the downlink power amplifier 40. . The amplified signal is then filtered by control filter 46 to separate the downlink control radiofrequency signal from the downlink radiofrequency signal. The downlink radiofrequency signal is channeled to the server antenna 18 via a second transceiver filter 48 and transmitted via the server antenna 18. The uplink radiofrequency signal at the server antenna 18 is channeled to the combiner 52 by a second transceiver filter 48 and combined with the uplink signaling radiofrequency signal. The combined signal is amplified by the uplink power amplifier 42 and channeled to the donor antenna 16 for transmission via the first transceiver filter 44 and via the donor antenna 16. Components 22, 24, 26 of primary repeater 10 operate in a similar and similar manner to components of secondary repeater 14, and thus description thereof is omitted. In the main repeater 10, the downlink radio frequency signal and the downlink control radio frequency signal are combined by the combiner 52 of the first combiner / decomposer 24 for transmission via the gateway antenna 12, while The uplink radio frequency signal and the uplink signaling radio frequency signal coming from the gateway antenna 12 are separated by the control filter 46 of the first combiner / decomposer 24.

The data exchange between the control station 28 and the signaling and drive system 36 is described next with reference to the message flow diagram in FIG. The data exchange can be initiated at the control station 28 or at the signaling and drive system 36. The control station 28 may initiate an exchange of data to carry out an operation for requesting the status of the sensor, for example in the lift system 2, or an operation for controlling a special function of the lift system 2. When requesting the status of the sensor, the control station 28 sends a remote_initiate message (downlink control data) to the signaling and drive system 36 via a wireless communication connection as described above. This remote-initiation message may be processed by the main repeater 10, more specifically the modem 60 in the main repeater, for example, to add a header as described above. The processed message is then sent to the signaling and drive system 36 as a remote_initiate_req message (drive signal). The drive / sensor system 36 receives the remote_initiation or remote_initiation_request message, processes the message by acquiring the status of the sensor, and via the remote_enabled message (signaling signal) the control station ( 28) by sending its status. Information regarding the position of the lift car 6 in the lift shaft 8 can be sent to the control station 28 using this operation.

In order to control the function of the lift system 2, such as stepping the lift car 6 in a certain number of steps, the control station 28 sends a control_initiate message (downlink control data). To the signaling and drive system 36. The main repeater 10 adds a header to the control_start message and sends it to the signaling and drive system 36 as a control_initiate_req message (drive signal). The drive / sensor system 36 processes the control_start_response message by receiving the control_start_response message and controlling the driver specified in the message according to one or more parameters specified in the message. The drive / sensor system 36 then responds to the command by having the control station 28 know whether the control operation is successful via a control_enabled message (signaling signal).

The drive / sensor system 36 may also provide an intercom facility. This intercom facility allows the user of the lift car 6 to communicate with the control station 28 by operating the signal generator. Such a feature is particularly useful in situations where the lift system 2 malfunctions, for example when the lift car is jammed or the lift car door does not open. When communicating with the control station 28 using this intercom facility, the signaling and drive system 36 transmits an emergency_req message (signaling signal) to the control station 28. The control station 28 notifies the arrival of this emergency_response message by sending an emergencycall_connected message (downlink control data) to the signaling and drive system 36. With this pair of messages, an intercom call can be established. An emergency call may also be a short call, a radio call, or an email notification sent using a short message service (SMS) to a pre-specified mobile number. Signaling and drive system 36 may include an automatic fault detection facility that utilizes this message pair to report a fault condition to control station 28. The defect correction can then be performed remotely, for example, from control station 28 using the control operation described above.

Preferably, the radio communication system 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above extends radio frequency signal coverage into a lift car, which was impossible in the prior art. With this system, the mobile station in the lift car accesses the mobile communication system. When the mobile station moves into the lift car, the call associated with the mobile station, which was previously established outside of the lift car, is handed over without any damage to the transmit / receive base station (BTS), whose radio frequency signals are accessible within the lift car. handover). In addition to mobile communication via radio frequency connections, the present radio communication system allows the same radio frequency connection to be used for remote maintenance of the lift system. That is, the present wireless communication system provides a single point of radio frequency access for two heterogeneous systems. Such a wireless communication system is cheaper in cost compared to two separate wireless communication systems for supporting two heterogeneous systems.

Although the invention has been described on the basis of what is implemented in the lift system, it should not be construed as limited thereto. For example, as another embodiment, the present invention can be used to extend radio frequency signal coverage into the interior of a tunnel 70 through which a mobile conveyance, such as train carriage 72, passes through, as shown in FIG. 5. have. In such a case, the gateway antenna 12 may be installed at the entrance of the tunnel 70 to direct the radiation of the radio frequency signal of the gateway antenna 12 to the interior of the tunnel 70. In this application, especially if the tunnel is long, multiple auxiliary repeaters 14 may be arranged in series within the tunnel 70 at predetermined intervals. In this way, the fading radiofrequency signal may be received and retransmitted by the auxiliary repeater 14. That is, the radio frequency signal is amplified by the auxiliary repeater 14 along the length of the tunnel 70 to cover the tunnel 70. The radio frequency signal coverage can thus be distributed substantially uniformly within the tunnel 70. Auxiliary repeater 14 may receive radio frequency transmissions at mobile station 40 in tunnel 70 or in train carriage 72 passing through tunnel 70. As in the embodiment used in the lift car and the lift shaft, the auxiliary repeater 14 has operations and maintenance (OAM) in the tunnel 70 as shown in FIG. 6. It can be used to send control data to system 74 and to receive signaling data from the maintenance system. Maintenance (OAM) system 74 may be used in mines, for example, for remote monitoring and control of temperature, pressure, gas levels in mines. This maintenance (OAM) system 74 can be used for remote control of a mobile conveyor such as an unmanned coal car at a mine using a control station outside the mine.

With the above-described embodiments, the second gateway antenna 12 can be placed at another entrance point of the tunnel, such as the second entrance point, so that the backup of the first gateway antenna 12 when the first gateway antenna is not working. backed up by (backup). Such an extra arrangement is shown in FIG. Optionally, a second gateway antenna may be used to radiate the radio frequency signal of another mobile communication system into the tunnel 70 from the radio frequency signal of the first gateway antenna 12. In this way, the radio frequency coverage of two or more mobile communication systems is made available within the tunnel 70.

In a multiple auxiliary repeater embodiment having a mobile conveyor, the auxiliary repeater 14 can be placed in a mobile conveyor such as a train carriage 72 as shown in FIG. 8 to deliver a stronger radio frequency signal to the train carriage 72. Provide in. The donor antenna 16 connected to the lead auxiliary repeater 14 is arranged outside of the lead train carriage 72. In addition, the donor antenna connected to the auxiliary repeater 14 and the server antenna 18 connected to the auxiliary repeater 14 are arranged inside each train carriage 72. The lead auxiliary repeater 14 acts as the main repeater or gateway repeater and the server antenna 16 connected thereto acts as the gateway antenna. Another rear auxiliary repeater 14, which also acts as the main repeater, can be similarly installed in the rear train carriage 72 as shown in FIG. 9 to provide a redundant system or to cover other radio frequency signals as described above. To provide. Other auxiliary repeaters 14 may be arranged in the tunnel 70 that is outside of the train object 72 so that strong radio frequency signals can be used both inside and outside the train carriages.

The invention will be better understood with reference to the following figures.

1 is a schematic diagram of a lift system having a wireless communication system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of a main repeater of the wireless communication system in FIG.

3 is a block diagram of an auxiliary repeater of the wireless communication system in FIG.

4 is a message flow diagram illustrating the exchange of messages between the control station and the signaling and drive system of the lift system in FIG.

5 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system used in a tunnel through which a train carriage passes in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the wireless communication system in FIG. 5 used for maintenance purposes.

7 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system with an additional gateway antenna in FIG.

8 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system in which multiple auxiliary repeaters are installed inside a train carriage in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a schematic diagram of a wireless communication system with an additional gateway antenna in FIG.

Claims (16)

A wireless communication system for providing a radio frequency link between an enclosed environment at least substantially blocked from radio frequency (RF) signals and an exterior of the enclosed environment, At least one gateway antenna arranged at an inlet point of the enclosed environment to emit downlink RF signals into the enclosed environment and to receive uplink RF signals from the enclosed environment; gateway antenna); At least one auxiliary repeater arranged inside the enclosed environment; A donor antenna connected to the auxiliary repeater; And It includes a server antenna (server antenna) connected to the auxiliary repeater, And the auxiliary repeater relays the downlink radio frequency signal and the uplink radio frequency signal using the donor antenna and the server antenna. The method of claim 1, And the auxiliary repeater is installed in a mobile conveyance that is movable within the enclosed environment, together with the donor antenna located outside the mobile conveyor and the server antenna located inside the mobile conveyor. The method of claim 2, The enclosed environment is within a lift shaft, the mobile conveyance is a lift car and the gateway antenna is arranged at the ceiling of the lift shaft. The method of claim 2 or 3, And the auxiliary repeater includes a bidirectional amplifier having a gain adjustable according to a distance between the mobile conveyor and the gateway antenna. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, And a plurality of auxiliary repeaters arranged spaced apart from each other in series within the enclosed environment. The method of claim 5, The plurality of auxiliary repeaters includes a first group of auxiliary repeaters and a second group of auxiliary repeaters, The auxiliary repeater in the first group, the donor antenna arranged outside the mobile conveyor and connected to at least a leading auxiliary repeater or a tail auxiliary repeater of the auxiliary repeater in the first group, another auxiliary in the first group Each mobile in a train of mobile conveyors movable in the enclosed environment with the donor antenna connected to a repeater and the server antenna connected to the auxiliary repeater in the first group arranged in each mobile conveyor Installed in the conveyor, The secondary repeater in the second group is fixedly arranged in the enclosed environment outside of the mobile conveyor. The method according to claim 5 or 6, And the enclosed environment is inside a tunnel. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, And a plurality of gateway antennas arranged at each entrance point of the enclosed environment. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, Converts downlink control data into corresponding downlink control RF signals and converts uplink signaling RF signals into corresponding uplink signaling data a first interface coupled to a control station for converting to uplink signaling data; Combines the downlink radio frequency signal with the downlink control radio frequency signal for transmission by the gateway antenna, and an uplink RF signal from the uplink signaling radio frequency signal received by the gateway antenna a first combiner / decombiner coupled to the first interface to separate signals; A signal and driving system for converting the downlink control radiofrequency signal into a driver signal and converting a signaling signal into the uplink signaling radiofrequency signal. A second interface to be connected; And Combining the uplink radio frequency signal with the uplink signaling radio frequency signal for transmission by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater and from the downlink control radio frequency signal received by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater And a second combiner / decomposer coupled to the second interface to separate the downlink radio frequency signal. The method of claim 9, The signaling and driving system is arranged in the mobile conveyance, and includes a driver for controlling the mobile conveyance according to the driving signal and a sensor for generating the signaling signal according to the state of the mobile conveyance. Wireless communication system. The method of claim 10, The signaling and drive system further comprises a signal generator operable by an operator of the mobile conveyor. Lift shafts; A lift car movable within the lift shaft; At least one gateway antenna arranged on a ceiling of the lift shaft, each radiating a downlink radio frequency signal into the lift shaft and receiving an uplink radio frequency signal from within the lift shaft; An auxiliary repeater installed in the lift car; A donor antenna connected to the auxiliary repeater and located outside the lift car; And A server antenna connected to the auxiliary repeater and located inside the lift car, And the auxiliary repeater relays the uplink radio frequency signal and the downlink radio frequency signal between the outside and the inside of the lift car using the donor antenna and the server antenna. The method of claim 12, A first interface coupled to the control station to convert the downlink control data into a corresponding downlink control radio frequency signal and to convert the uplink signaling radio frequency signal into corresponding uplink signaling data; Combining the downlink radio frequency signal with the downlink control radio frequency signal for transmission by the gateway antenna and separating an uplink radio frequency signal from the uplink signaling radio frequency signal received by the gateway antenna A first coupler / decomposer coupled to the first interface to A second interface coupled to a signaling and driving system for converting the downlink control radiofrequency signal into a drive signal and converting a signaling signal into the uplink signaling radiofrequency signal; And Combining the uplink radio frequency signal with the uplink signaling radio frequency signal for transmission by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater and from the downlink control radio frequency signal received by the donor antenna of the auxiliary repeater And further including a second combiner / resolver coupled to the second interface to separate the downlink radio frequency signal. The method of claim 13, The signaling and drive system is arranged in the lift car, and includes a driver for controlling the lift car in accordance with the drive signal and a sensor for generating the signaling signal in accordance with the state of the lift car. The method of claim 14, The signaling and drive system further comprises a signal generator operable by the user of the lift car. The method of claim 15, The sensor is adapted to provide information regarding the position of the lift car inside the lift shaft, the sensor being coupled to the auxiliary repeater such that the information can be used to control the gain of the amplifier of the auxiliary repeater, The sensor is coupled to a first interface such that the information can be used by the control station to control the position of the lift car in the lift shaft.

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