WO2008127043A1

WO2008127043A1 - System for wireless networking using duct

Info

Publication number: WO2008127043A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/002065
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sung Hun Kim; Jin Seok Heo
Original assignee: Jcastnetworks Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2007-04-12
Filing date: 2008-04-11
Publication date: 2008-10-23
Also published as: KR100869145B1; KR20080092620A

Abstract

Provided is a wireless communication network system using a duct. The wireless communication network system includes a main repeater disposed at one of an interior and an exterior of a ventilation fan of a central duct that is disposed at a top of a building; and at least one of supplementary repeaters disposed at each floor of the building for wirelessly communicating with the main repeater using distribution ducts that is extended from the central duct to each floor of the building and wirelessly communicating with at least one of terminals in the building.

Description

SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS NETWORKING USING DUCT

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a wireless communication network system using a duct; and, more particularly, to a wireless communication network system using a duct installed in a building as a propagation path. Background Art

[2] In general, wired and wireless communication equipment is installed in a building.

Such wired and wireless communication equipment is configured to communicate with a repeater or a server, which is located at a remote location separated from the building.

[3] A user can collect or transmit necessary information using the wired and wireless communication equipment in the building in normal times.

[4] Meanwhile, a Trunked Radio System (TRS) repeater is disposed in a fire truck for emergency situations such as fire. Such a fire truck having the TRS repeater is disposed outside of a building when fire occurs in the building. The TRS repeater wirelessly communicates with portable TRS terminals that rescuers have after the rescuers are dispatched into the building. Therefore, the rescuers can share information on urgent situations of each floor.

[5] In case of installing the TRS repeater at the fire truck like the related art described above, communication between the TRS repeater and the portable TRS terminals may be interfered due to transmission distance limitation and communication obstacles such as exterior walls and various facilities around the building. Therefore, rescuers may have difficulty to share information, to communicate with each other, and to actively perform rescue operations. That is, the communication difficulty may increase economic and human looses in the emergency situation like fire. Furthermore, it is not easy to quickly dispatch a fire truck having the TRS repeater at the scene of fire because the number of fire trucks having the TRS repeater is few.

[6] When rescuers are dispatched into underground floors of a building, the rescuers may not smoothly communicate with the TRS repeater or communication between the rescuers and the TRS repeater may be completely interrupted due to radio communication obstacles. In this case, the rescuers may have difficulties to transfer various information and voice to other TRS terminals and the TRS repeater, thereby increasing economic and human losses.

[7] According to the latest related articles and statistics announced by the National

Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), about 60 to 70% of fire fighters died at their post of the duty is died by suffocation due to communication interruption. Such a record clearly shows that the current TRS wireless communication method has a critical problem. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] An embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing a wireless communication network system using a duct for stably sustaining wireless communication by overcoming transmission distance limitation and propagation obstacles using a duct installed in a building as a radio wave propagation path with a WiMAX wireless communication scheme. Technical Solution

[9] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wireless communication network system using a duct including a main repeater and at least one of supplementary repeaters. The main repeater is disposed at one of an interior and an exterior of a ventilation fan of a central duct that is disposed at a top of a building. The supplementary repeaters are disposed at each floor of the building for wirelessly communicating with the main repeater means using distribution ducts that is extended from the central duct to each floor of the building and wirelessly communicating with at least one of terminals in the building.

[10] The supplementary repeater may be disposed in an interior of an emergency exit sign for guiding people to an emergency exit of each floor and receives electric power from attachable/detachable batteries or an emergency power source that supplies electric power to the emergency exit sign.

[11] The terminal communicating with the supplementary repeater means may be included in one of a Trunked Radio System (TRS) terminal group and a Wi-Fi terminal group.

[12] The main repeater and the supplementary repeaters may communicate with each other based on a WiMAX scheme, and the supplementary repeater means may include at least one of a TRS repeater for converting transmitting and receiving frequencies and processing signals for wireless communication between the TRS terminal group and the main repeater means employing a WiMAX scheme, and a Wi-Fi repeater for converting transmitting and receiving frequencies and processing signals for wireless communication between the Wi-Fi terminal group employing a Wi-Fi scheme and the main repeater means employing the WiMAX scheme.

[13] The main repeater means may be connected to a mobile repeater vehicle disposed at an outside of the building or a disaster prevention center for wirelessly receiving and monitoring information from the TRS terminal or the Wi-Fi terminal and wirelessly transmitting information to the main repeater means. [14] The mobile repeater vehicle may employ at least one of a wired communication scheme and a wireless communication scheme including the WiMAX scheme to communicate with the disaster prevention center. [15] The main repeater may include an antenna for wireless communicating with the mobile repeater vehicle or the disaster prevention center, and the antenna may be disposed to be externally exposed by penetrating the central duct or disposed at an external Ethernet device that is connected to the main repeater means through a cable by penetrating the central duct.

Advantageous Effects

[16] A wireless communication network system using a duct according to the present invention provides following advantageous effects.

[17] At first, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention uses the duct installed in a building as a radio wave propagation path and WiMAX as a wireless communication scheme. Therefore, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention provides smooth communication by overcoming transmission distance limitation and propagation obstacles. In the wireless communication network according to the present invention, supplementary repeaters are disposed in a safe place designed for thermal resistance to protect the supplementary repeaters. Therefore, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention can stably maintain wireless communication without interruption.

[18] Secondly, since the wireless communication network system employs the WiMAX scheme, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention can perform Internet function through a wireless WiMAX network in normal times, and also enable the main repeater to instantly communicate with the supplementary repeater and enable the main repeater to instantly communicate with a mobile repeater vehicle or an emergency management center when an emergency situation occurs.

[19] Thirdly, since a transmitting device employing a WiMAX scheme has can be manufactured in a very small size which is smaller than any other base station equipment, it is simple and convenient to install the wireless communication network system according to the present invention because the wireless communication network system according to the present invention is not significantly limited by an installation location.

[20] Fourthly, since the wireless communication network system according to the present invention use a duct installed in a building as it is, it is not necessary to modify a building structure to install the wireless communication network system according to the present invention. Therefore, it is easy to install the wireless communication network system according to the present invention and the installation cost thereof can be reduced.

[21] Fifthly, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention uses a central duct and distribution ducts as propagation paths when emergency situations occur in a building. Therefore, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention can safely and stably sustain wireless communication environment using the duct as medium during the emergency situation.

[22] Sixthly, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention enables fire fighters to stably and safely communicate with others through a wireless link, for example voice communication, by overcoming wireless communication problem between a TRS terminal that the fire fighter has and a TRS repeater installed at a vehicle. Therefore, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention enables fire fighters to effectively and safely perform rescue operation and fire extinguishing operation in the scene of fire. Brief Description of the Drawings

[23] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a wireless communication network system using a duct in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[24] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a wireless communication network system of Fig. 1 installed at a building.

[25] Figs. 3 to 5 are installation examples of a supplementary repeater shown in Fig. 1.

[26] Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating installation examples of an antenna of a main repeater shown in Fig. 1.

[27] Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a supplementary repeater shown in Fig. 1.

[28] Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating wireless communication performed by a wireless communication network system with a mobile repeater vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[29] Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a mobile repeater vehicle shown in Fig. 9.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[30] The advantages, features and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.

[31] Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood by the following description, and become apparent with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it is obvious to those skilled in the art of the present invention that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means as claimed and combinations thereof.

[32] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a wireless communication network system using a duct in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a wireless communication network system of Fig. 1 installed at a building. Figs. 3 to 5 are installation examples of a supplementary repeater shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating installation examples of an antenna of a main repeater shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a supplementary repeater shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating wireless communication performed by a wireless communication network system with a mobile repeater vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating a mobile repeater vehicle shown in Fig. 9.

[33] As shown in Fig. 1, a wireless communication network system according to the present embodiment includes a main repeater 110 and a supplementary repeater 120.

[34] The main repeater 110 is disposed at an interior or an exterior of a ventilation fan 40 of a central duct 20, which is installed at a top of a building as shown in Fig. 2 or Fig. 6.

[35] The top of the building 10 may be a predetermined area on a rooftop of the building

10 as shown in Fig. 2.

[36] In general, the central duct 20 is disposed at the top of the building 10. The central duct 20 is formed as a single pipe for merging air from distribution ducts 30 and exhausting the merged air to the outside of the building.

[37] The building 10 may be equipped with a ventilation duct such as an intake duct and an outtake duct, and an air duct for an air conditioner. The distribution duct 30 and the central duct 20 may be one of the ventilation duct and the air duct. Since the air duct may interrupt wireless communication if an air conditioner is turned on, it is preferable that the distribution duct 30 and the central duct 20 are the ventilation duct in the present embodiment.

[38] The main repeater 110 may be disposed at the exterior of the ventilation fan 30, for example, at the right side of the ventilation fan 40 of Fig. 2. In this case, the ventilation fan 40 is disposed on a radio wave propagation path between the supplementary repeater 120 and the main repeater 110. When the ventilation fan 40 is turned on, the ventilation fan 40 may scatter radio frequency, thereby disturbing wireless communication and causing communication difficulties. In order to prevent such communication difficulties, it is preferable to dispose the main repeater 110 at the interior of the ventilation fan 40 of the central duct 20.

[39] The main repeater 110 may include an independent relaying antenna (not shown) for communicating with the supplementary repeater 120. In this case, the supplementary repeater 120 may integrally include a relay antenna (not shown) or externally include a relay antenna which is disposed at a predetermined external location and connected to the supplementary repeater 120 through a cable.

[40] In case of the supplementary repeater 120 internally including the relay antenna, it is preferable to dispose the main repeater 110 at the interior of the ventilation fan 40 for preventing radio wave from scattering.

[41] In case of the supplementary repeater 120 externally including the relay antenna, if the relay antenna (not shown) connected to a main body of the supplementary repeater 120 is located at the interior of the ventilation fan 40, the main body of the main repeater 110 may be disposed at one of the interior and the exterior of the ventilation fan 40. That is, if the supplementary repeater 120 externally includes the relay antenna, the radio wave scatter problem is not generated.

[42] Here, if the relay antenna (not shown) is connected to the main body of the main repeater 110 through a cable, signal loss may be caused due to the cable. Therefore, it is preferable to use a cable shorter than 3m which is a prefer distance of a cable, which does not greatly generate signal loss.

[43] As shown in Fig. 2, the supplementary repeater 120 wirelessly communicates with the main repeaters using the central duct 20 and the distribution ducts 30 extending to each floor of the building as a radio wave propagation path. At the same time, the supplementary repeater 120 communicates with at least one of terminals 130 in a predetermined floor of the building 10. At least one of the supplementary repeaters 120 may be disposed at each floor of the building 10.

[44] The terminal 130 may be a portable terminal that a rescuer carries for emergency situation such as fire, explosion, building collapse, and earthquake. The rescuer uses the terminal 130 for communicating with other rescuers or for exchanging information.

[45] The supplementary repeater 120 is basically configured to communicate with terminals 130 presenting on the same floor of the supplementary repeater 120. However, the supplementary repeater 120 may wirelessly communicate with terminals 130 on the other floors adjacent to the floor that the supplementary repeater 120 is disposed. Although a supplementary repeater 120 installed at a certain floor is malfunctioned, terminals 130 on the same floor may be able to communicate with another supplementary repeater 120 disposed at the other floors. Therefore, the terminals 130 stably communicate with other terminals 130 without interruption.

[46] The supplementary repeater 120 may be disposed at an end 60 of the distribution duct, which is installed at a ceiling of a predetermined floor of the building 10 as shown in Fig. 5. Here, the distribution duct end 60 means an end of distribution duct 30 that extends from the central duct 20 to each floor of the building 10. The supplementary repeater 120 may be disposed not only at the predetermined location of the ceiling but also any locations adjacent to the distribution duct end 60. The supplementary repeater 120 may be integrally installed with the wall of the building when the building is built, or mounted using a predetermined socket when or after the building is built, for example, extension work.

[47] Unlikely, the supplementary repeater 120 may be disposed at an interior of an emergency exit sign 50 for guiding people to an emergence exit of each floor as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this case, the supplementary repeater 120 may receive electric power form attachable/detachable batteries or from an emergency power source for supplying electric power to a light bulb of the emergency exit sign 50. Since the distribution duct end 60 is disposed close to one side of the emergency exit sign 50, the supplementary repeater 120 can communicate through the distribution duct end 60.

[48] Although the supplementary repeater 120 is installed at the interior of the emergency exit sign 50, the supplementary repeater 120 may receive electric power supplied to the building as well as emergency backup power or batteries.

[49] Since the emergency exit sign 50 is generally disposed at a safe place designed for thermal resistance, the supplementary repeater 120 can be safely protected from danger such as fire and explosion by disposing the supplementary repeater 120 in the emergency exit sign 50.

[50] When fire occurs in the building 10, power supplement in the building is interrupted.

However, emergency backup power that drives the emergency exit sign 50 is continuously supplied to smoothly guide people to an emergency exit.

[51] That is, since the supplementary repeater 120 receives the emergency backup power even in an emergency situation, the supplementary repeater 120 advantageously sustains communication with the main repeater 110 and the terminals 130. Therefore, the efficiency of emergency rescue operation may be improved by smoothly transmitting, receiving, and sharing information. Furthermore, economic and human losses can be reduced.

[52] Meanwhile, the main repeater 110 and the supplementary repeater 120 may communicate with each other based on a predetermined wireless communication scheme such as WiMAX.

[53] The WiMAX (IEEE 802.16d) is a communication technology capable of providing a high speed wireless multimedia communication service using a frequency band of 5.8GHz. That is, the WiMAX can expand a service to a wide band network, effectively link a wired network and a wireless network, and provide dynamic various services.

[54] The WiMAX supports long distance transmission, for example, maximum 120Km and a high speed transmit rate, for example, maximum 40Mbps although terminals are moving or stay at a predetermined location. Therefore, a rescuer can transmit large amount of data such as sensor data including voice and image data at a high speed. Particularly, the WiMAX is very useful when a rescuer needs to quickly transmit information in an emergency situation.

[55] That is, the wireless communication network system 100 using a duct according to the present embodiment can be installed regardless of a size and the number of floors of the building 10. Furthermore, the wireless communication network system 100 according to the present embodiment can be advantageously used for high-rise as well as low-rise due to the WiMAX that supports long distance transmission.

[56] Since transmitting equipment employing the WiMAX can be manufactured in a small size which is smaller than any other equipment for a base station, the wireless communication network system according to the present embodiment can be simply and conveniently installed at any locations if that location allows an antenna thereof to be disposed.

[57] The WiMAX enables the main repeater 110 and the supplementary repeater 120 to perform Internet functions through a wireless WiMAX network in normal times. When an emergency situation occurs, the WiMAX instantly enables communication between the main repeater 110 and the supplementary repeater 120, between the main repeater 110 and a emergency management center 150, or between the main repeater 110 and the mobile repeater vehicle 140, thereby advantageously reducing economic and human losses.

[58] In the WiMAX, a transmitter and a receiver may communicate with each other based on a predetermined protocol in a closed space. If signals transmitted from the transmitter returns to the transmitter, the transmitter determines it as communication failure and discards the returned signals. If a signal arrives at a destination late due to scattering or distance between the transmitter and the receiver, the transmitter may have a function for smoothly performing signal transmission by artificially changing signal arrive timing (Cycle prefix).

[59] As shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 8, the terminal 130 wirelessly communicating with the supplementary repeater 120 may be one of a Trunked Radio System (TRS) terminal group 131 and a Wi-Fi terminal group 132.

[60] The supplementary repeater 120 may be one of a TRS repeater 121 and a Wi-Fi repeater 122 as shown in Fig. 1 or Fig. 8.

[61] The TRS repeater 121 transforms transmitting and receiving frequencies and performs various signal processing operations for wireless communication between the TRS terminal 131 employing a TRS communication scheme and the main repeater 110 employing the WiMAX.

[62] That is, it is preferable that the supplementary repeater 120 has a structure capable of transforming frequencies between the TRS communication scheme and the WiMAX scheme and performing various related signal processing operations in order to enable the TRS wireless communication between the TRS repeater 121 and the main repeater 110 at a band of 400MHz or 800MHz and the WiMAX wireless communication between the main repeater 110 and the supplementary repeater 120 at a band of about 5.8GHz.

[63] Conventionally, the TRS terminal 131 employed a Time Division Multiplexing

(TDM) scheme as a transmission scheme to transmit a signal to the TRS repeater 121. According to the TDM scheme, a plurality of TRS terminals 131 sequentially transmitted signals according to an assigned time slot within one frame. When a lot of rescuers carrying the TRS terminal 131 are dispatched at the scene of a disaster, the rescuers might have difficulties to communicate due to transmission data congestion, call congestion, and data transfer delay. Such communication difficulties may increase economic and human losses because the communication difficulties delay emergency rescue operations.

[64] Unlikely, the wireless communication network system according to the present embodiment simultaneously transmits a plurality of signals from the TRS terminals using an IP MUX 123 connected to the TRS repeater 121. The IP MUX 123 receives a plurality of signals from a plurality of TRS terminals, packetizes the received signals to one packet, and transmits the packet according to an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme. Thus, it is possible to simultaneously transmit a plurality of signals transmitted from the TRS terminals 131. Therefore, data congestion and transmission delay can be prevented.

[65] The Wi-Fi repeater 122 transforms transmitting and receiving frequencies and performs related signal processing operations for wireless communication between the Wi-FI terminal 132 employing the Wi-Fi scheme and the main repeater 110 employing the WiMAX.

[66] That is, it is preferable that the supplementary repeater 120 has a structure for transforming transmitting and receiving frequencies and performing related signal processing operations for wireless communication between the Wi-Fi scheme and the WiMAX scheme using the Wi-Fi repeater 122 in order to enable Wi-Fi wireless communication between the Wi-Fi repeater 122 and the main repeater 110 at a band of 2.4GHz and in order to enable WiMAX wireless communication between the main repeater 110 and the supplementary repeater 120 at a band of 5.8GHz.

[67] In case of a TRS wireless communication scheme using the TRS terminal 131, rescuers may have difficulties for sharing information and communicating with each other due to wireless transmission distance limitation and communication obstacles. Therefore, rescuers may not effectively perform rescue operations. In case of using the Wi-Fi wireless communication scheme using the Wi-Fi terminal 132, a transmission distance may extend compared to the TRS scheme and communication obstacles are significantly reduced because the Wi-Fi terminal uses a high frequency band. That is, rescuers may not have difficulties to share the information with others and smoothly communicate with others. Therefore, the rescuers may effectively perform the rescue operations, thereby significantly reducing economic and human losses.

[68] For example, when rescuers perform a rescue operation in underground floors of a building shown in Fig. 2, the TRS terminals 131 employing the TRS scheme cannot smoothly communicate with others because a radio wave propagation path is interrupted by obstacles in the underground floor. Therefore, rescuers have communication difficulties for transmitting various data including voice. The communication difficulties may increase human casualties including rescuers. However, if the Wi-Fi terminal 132 employing the Wi-Fi scheme is used, the rescuers can effectively perform the rescue operation even in the underground environment due to the above described advantages of the Wi-Fi scheme.

[69] As an example of wireless communication among the main repeater 110, the supplementary repeater 120, and the terminal 130, a fire fighter on a fifth floor of a building 10 transmits a request signal to the supplementary repeater 120 using the TRS terminal 131 or the Wi-Fi terminal 132 in order to request an emergency management center to dispatch more fire fighters to the fifth floor. In this case, the supplementary repeater 120 transforms the request signal to a signal of a predetermined frequency band suitable for the main repeater 110, for example, about 5.8GHz and transmits the request signal based on the WiMAX scheme. The main repeater 110 transmits the received request signal to another supplementary repeater 120 installed at the other floor using the WiMAX. Then, the another supplementary repeater 120 receives the request signal, down-converts the frequency of the received request signal, and transmits the down-converted request signal to TRS terminals 131 or Wi-Fi terminals 132 of fire fighters on a floor where the another supplementary repeater 120 is installed or on adjacent floors thereof where the transmitted request signal can reach.

[70] Also, since the WiMAX support long distance communication between the supplementary repeater 120 and the main repeater 110, the main repeater 110 does not have any problem to communicate with the supplementary repeaters 120 although only one supplementary repeater 120 is disposed at each floor and although the supplementary repeater 120 is disposed at the underground floors or the ground floors.

[71] Referring to Fig. 8, the supplementary repeater 120 according to the present embodiment may include a switch 124 for selecting one of a TRS scheme for the TRS repeater 121 and a Wi-Fi scheme for the Wi-Fi repeater 122. Here, the TRS repeater 121 may be used for voice communication of the TRS terminal 131. The Wi-Fi repeater 122 may be used for transmitting large amount of data including voice and image at a high speed using the Wi-Fi terminal 132. The TRS repeater 121 and the Wi- Fi repeater 122 are basically configured to provide voice communication among rescuers. Meanwhile, the supplementary repeater 120 further includes a WiMAX module 125 for transmitting signals based on the WiMAX scheme. Such a WiMAX module 125 may employ a Point- to-Multipoint transmission scheme.

[72] As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 9, the main repeater 110 may be connected to the mobile repeater vehicle 140 or the emergency management center 150 through the WiMAX wireless communication scheme.

[73] The mobile repeater vehicle 140 or the emergency management center 150 wirelessly receive information from the TRS terminal 131 or the Wi-Fi terminal 132 through the main repeater 110 and monitor the received information in real-time. At the same time, the mobile repeater vehicle 140 or the emergency management center 150 wirelessly transmits diverse information to the main repeater 110 at the same time. Here, the emergency management center 150 may be a fire station, a police station, or a local government building. The mobile repeater vehicle 140 may be a fire truck for monitoring and controlling rescue operations in the scene of fire.

[74] An additional base station (not shown) may be further disposed between the main repeater 110 and the emergency management center 150. The additional base station may includes a TRS switch (not shown) for down-converting a 5.8GHz signal transmitted based on the WiMAX scheme from the main repeater 110 to a TRS signal which is a 2.4GHz signal suitable for a TRS network. The TRS switch transmits the TRS signal to the emergency management center 150, the mobile repeater vehicle 140 located at the outside of the building 10, or rescuers having the TRS terminal 131 at the outside of the building 10 in order to provide related information thereto.

[75] As shown in Fig. 10, the mobile repeater vehicle 140 may perform communication using at least one of a wired communication scheme used for the emergency management center 150 and a wireless communication scheme such as the WiMAX scheme.

[76] That is, the mobile repeater vehicle 140 may be wirelessly connected not only to the main repeater 110 in the building 10 but also to the emergency management center 150 through a relaying point 80 to transmit, receiver, and share information.

[77] The mobile repeater vehicle 140 may also be connected to the emergency management center 150 through a wired link with a transmission port as medium to transmit and receive related information by connecting an additional port (not shown) of the mobile repeater vehicle 140 to the transmission port (not shown) disposed at a predetermined location around the mobile repeater vehicle 140.

[78] The relay point 80 is a device for relaying a signal from one location to another location for overcoming radio wave obstacles and radio wave propagation distance limitation. The relay point 80 may be disposed between the main repeater 110 and the emergency management center 150 or between the mobile repeater vehicle 140 and the emergency management center 150 and may be selectively employed in the present embodiment.

[79] As shown in Fig. 10, the mobile repeater vehicle 140 includes an antenna for

WiMAX based communication, a power generator 140 for supplying and controlling power to each equipment, a Power Over Ethernet (POE) 142, a Pen Tilt device 143 for controlling an inclination degree of the antenna, a TRS repeater system 144 for processing a WiMAX signal to transmit it through a wired link or a wireless link, an IF device 145, an interface 146, a WiMAX system board 147 for transmitting the processed signals, and a wired port 148. The mobile repeater vehicle 140 is not limited thereto. It is obvious that various changes and modification may be made thereto.

[80] The main repeater 110 may include an antenna 111 for wirelessly transmitting data to and receiving data from the mobile repeater vehicle 140 or the emergency management center 150 based on the WiMAX scheme as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

[81] The antenna 111 may be disposed at the main repeater 110 to be externally exposed by penetrating a panel 21 of the central duct 20 as shown in Fig. 6. Unlikely, the antenna 111 may be disposed at an external Ethernet device 70 that is connected to the main repeater 110 through a cable by penetrating the central duct 20 as shown in Fig. 7.

[82] That is, the antenna 111 may be installed by directly penetrating a panel 21 of the central duct 20 as shown in Fig. 6, or may be installed at the Ethernet device 70 that is disposed at the top of the building and connected to the main repeater 110 through a cable through the panel 21.

[83] It is preferable that the main repeater 110 is disposed at an interior of the central duct

20 to communicate with each of the supplementary repeaters 120. On the contrary, it is preferable that the antenna 111 is disposed to be externally exposed as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in order to prevent a radio wave propagation path from being disturbed while communicating with the mobile repeater vehicle 140 or the emergency management center 150 based on the WiMAX wireless communication scheme.

[84] According to the current fire services act of Korea, the panel 21 of the central duct 20 is formed of concrete. Since it is expected that the fire service act will be revised to allow a cover that may be disposed at the center duct 20 to open the panel 21 of the central duct 20, the main repeater 110 may be easily installed by opening and closing the cover thereof.

[85] In case of the antenna 111 as shown in Fig. 7, an additional supporting member (not shown) may be installed at a predetermined location of the top of the building, for example, the rail of the top, in order to dispose the antenna 111 to be externally exposed when an emergency situation happens. Therefore, a signal can be smoothly transmitted without being disturbed by obstacles such as the rail of a building by disposing the antenna 111 on the additional supporting member.

[86] As described above, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention use the structure of the central duct 20 and the distribution duct 30 in the building. Thus, additional construction for changing structures of ducts and facilities are not required when the main repeater 110 and the supplementary repeater 120 are installed. Therefore, the wireless communication network system according to the present invention can be easily installed, and the installation cost thereof can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, when an emergency situation occurs, wireless communication environment can be stably sustained in the building using the central duct 20 and the distribution duct 30 as a radio wave propagation path, thereby improving the efficiency of emergency rescue operation thereof.

[87] While the present invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

[1] A wireless communication network system using a duct, comprising: a main repeater means disposed at one of an interior and an exterior of a ventilation fan of a central duct that is disposed at a top of a building; and at least one of supplementary repeater means disposed at each floor of the building for wirelessly communicating with the main repeater means using distribution ducts that is extended from the central duct to each floor of the building and wirelessly communicating with at least one of terminals in the building.

[2] The wireless communication network system of claim 1, wherein the supplementary repeater means is disposed in an interior of an emergency exit sign for guiding people to an emergency exit of each floor and receives electric power from attachable/detachable batteries or an emergency power source that supplies electric power to the emergency exit sign.

[3] The wireless communication network system of claim 1, wherein the terminal communicating with the supplementary repeater means is included in one of a Trunked Radio System (TRS) terminal group and a Wi-Fi terminal group.

[4] The wireless communication network system of one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main repeater means and the supplementary repeater means communicate with each other based on a WiMAX scheme, and the supplementary repeater means includes at least one of a TRS repeater for converting transmitting and receiving frequencies and processing signals for wireless communication between the TRS terminal group and the main repeater means employing a WiMAX scheme, and a Wi-Fi repeater for converting transmitting and receiving frequencies and processing signals for wireless communication between the Wi-Fi terminal group employing a Wi-Fi scheme and the main repeater means employing the WiMAX scheme.

[5] The wireless communication network system of claim 4, wherein the main repeater means is connected to a mobile repeater vehicle disposed at an outside of the building or a disaster prevention center for wirelessly receiving and monitoring information from the TRS terminal or the Wi-Fi terminal and wirelessly transmitting information to the main repeater means.

[6] The wireless communication network system of claim 5, wherein the mobile repeater vehicle employs at least one of a wired communication scheme and a wireless communication scheme including the WiMAX scheme to communicate with the disaster prevention center.

[7] The wireless communication network system of claim 5, wherein the main repeater means includes an antenna for wireless communicating with the mobile repeater vehicle or the disaster prevention center, and the antenna is disposed to be externally exposed by penetrating the central duct or disposed at an external Ethernet device that is connected to the main repeater means through a cable by penetrating the central duct.