Communications network with redundancy between peripheral units
First Claim
1. A communications network comprising a central unit, a first peripheral unit, and a second peripheral unit;
- the central unit being connected by a first link to the first peripheral unit and by a second link to the second peripheral unit, the communications network further comprising;
means for providing a radio link between the first peripheral unit and the second peripheral unit;
means for providing communication between the central unit and the second peripheral unit over the radio link upon failure of the second link.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Redundancy is established over a radio link (RL) between peripheral units (28) of a communications network (20). The communications network includes a central unit (26) which is connected by a first link (LA) to a first peripheral unit (28A) and by a second link (LB) to a second peripheral unit (28B). The radio link connects the first peripheral unit and the second peripheral unit. Redundancy is realized by providing communication between the central unit and the second peripheral unit over the radio link upon failure of the second link. In one illustrated example implementation, the communications network is a radio access network of a telecommunications system, with the central unit being a radio network control (RNC) node and the first peripheral unit and the second peripheral unit being differing base stations of the radio access network. In another illustrated example embodiment, the central unit, the first peripheral unit, and the second peripheral unit comprise portions of a distributed radio base station node of a radio access telecommunications network. For example, the central unit comprises data processing and control functions of the distributed radio base station node, while the first peripheral unit and the second peripheral unit each comprises a transceiver of the distributed radio base station node. In a first mode of operation, traffic and control information which otherwise would be carried over the second link between the central unit and the second peripheral unit is rerouted to the radio link and the first link. In a second mode of operation, rather than rerouting the entire traffic and control information, certain control information is carried between the central unit and the second peripheral unit over the radio link and the first link.
17 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A communications network comprising a central unit, a first peripheral unit, and a second peripheral unit;
- the central unit being connected by a first link to the first peripheral unit and by a second link to the second peripheral unit, the communications network further comprising;
means for providing a radio link between the first peripheral unit and the second peripheral unit;
means for providing communication between the central unit and the second peripheral unit over the radio link upon failure of the second link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- the central unit being connected by a first link to the first peripheral unit and by a second link to the second peripheral unit, the communications network further comprising;
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10. A communications network comprising:
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a central unit;
a first peripheral unit;
a second peripheral unit;
a first link which connects the central unit to the first peripheral unit;
a second link which connects the central unit to the second peripheral unit, a radio link connecting the first peripheral unit and the second peripheral unit;
wherein communication occurs between the central unit and the second peripheral unit over the radio link upon failure of the second link. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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- 19. A peripheral unit for use in a communications network which also includes a central unit and another peripheral unit, the central unit being connected by a first link to the another peripheral unit and by a second link to the peripheral unit, the peripheral unit comprising means for communicating with the central unit over a radio link upon failure of the second link, the radio link being established between the peripheral unit and the another peripheral unit.
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26. For use in a communications network comprising a central unit, a first peripheral unit, and a second peripheral unit;
- the central unit being connected by a first link to the first peripheral unit and by a second link to the second peripheral unit, a method comprising;
providing communication between the central unit and the second peripheral unit over a radio link upon failure of the second link, the radio link extending between the first peripheral unit and the second peripheral unit. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
- the central unit being connected by a first link to the first peripheral unit and by a second link to the second peripheral unit, a method comprising;
Specification